A corporate event is a function that is organized by the company for its staff members, business partners, and clients. It is usually a celebratory event, such as an office party, a retirement celebration, or a company anniversary.
Choose the Right Type of Event Venue
You want to make sure your corporate event is somewhere that is easily accessible for all of your team members and clients, so finding a venue with an appropriate location and ample parking is essential. However, you also want to make sure the location fits your needs in terms of atmosphere. Pick a venue that fits the vibe you are trying to create for your event. For example, if you are hosting an investor luncheon for an upscale restaurant, it is not a good idea to hold it at a casual steakhouse. Likewise, a venue with a dress code that is inappropriate for your intended audience is not a good choice either. If you aren’t sure what kind of setting will fit your event best, call the venue and ask to speak to someone in event planning. They should be able to give you a sense of all of the events they host in a given month and whether or not yours would fit in well with the others.
Make sure your venue has enough space to accommodate everyone you plan to invite to your event. Keep in mind that some might bring guests with them, so you might need to add a few extra seats to your guest list to make sure you are able to fit all of your attendees comfortably. Also, check with the venue in advance to see how many tables they have available for your event. Many venues have certain table sizes reserved for large parties, while other tables are set aside for smaller gatherings of only 4-6 people.
Consider Your Audience
Essential for corporate parties, especially those with a large number of guests, is planning your event with your guests in mind. Some considerations to make when planning a corporate party are:
- Location
- Catering
- Entertainment
- Amenities
- Vendors
- Invitations
- RSVPs
- Seating assignments
- Transportation
For some of these items, you will have to take other stakeholders into account as well — such as your boss or company owners. Make sure you’re communicating effectively with them about what you need from them in order to make your next event a success. That way, you can accomplish your goals for the event while still making your boss and owners happy. Ultimately, this helps your company maintain its professional image.
Deciding Location
If most of your employees work remotely, it’s logical to consider holding your corporate event at one of their centralized locations, such as a corporate headquarters. On the other hand, if your employees all work under one roof, for example, in one big building, then hosting the event there makes sense. However, if your offices are spread out across a large area, such as in a downtown high-rise office building, it may be more logistically efficient to hold the event in one of your offices’ meeting rooms instead of holding it in one of the individual office buildings.
Decide On Your Budget
If the event is going to be profitable, it’s important to decide on a budget that will cover all of your expenses. Things to consider include the venue, catering, entertainment, parking, security, and any deposits that are required to reserve the space. There should be enough in the budget to cover all of these costs, plus about 10 percent for unexpected expenses.
Once you’ve set a budget and booked a venue, you can work with Events 4 Life to assist in planning other aspects of the event. We’ll help you come up with a menu, decorations, and entertainment to keep the guests entertained throughout the event.
Choose a Theme and Menu
Planning a successful company event takes careful attention to detail and a lot of pre-planning. You can’t just pick a date and throw a party. Instead, you should create a corporate event that adheres to your company’s brand and messaging strategy while also entertaining and engaging your employees.
The first step in planning an event is choosing a theme. This will establish the mood for your event and help you select everything from the invitees to the food you serve. Typically, it’s best to choose something that appeals to a broad audience rather than a specific department or group within your organization. For example, if you’re a technology company, you may want to opt for a technology theme like “Future of Technology.” However, if your organization is focused on community service, you might want to use a theme like the “Future of Philanthropy.”
Next, you’ll need to determine the type of event you’re hosting. You can choose to have a corporate party, workshop, conference, or something else. Each of these events serves a different purpose and will appeal to a different type of employee. Knowing your end goal will help you find the right venue and set the right tone for the event.
Finally, plan the menu. If your company is paying for the catering, you’ll want to make sure there will be a variety of options to choose from that suits many different diets and preferences. If you’re having the party catered by an outside vendor, you’ll still need to survey your employees to ensure there are food options that appeal to everyone.
When you’re planning a corporate event, the most important thing is to take your time and plan everything in advance. Don’t wait until the week before the event to get started; start planning well in advance so you can ensure everything goes smoothly on the day.
For more information about creating a successful corporate event, visit us at 16633 NE 40th Ct, Redmond, WA 98052, for a discussion in person, or ring us at (425)-737-9015 to book your appointment.
