Planning a corporate event can seem like a daunting task. With many moving parts to coordinate and important stakeholders to keep happy, it’s critical to stay organised and thoughtful throughout the process. The good news is that with some strategic tips and best practices, you can plan a polished company event that meets your goals and wows your guests.
1. Define Your Purpose and Set Goals
Before you select a venue or send the first email invitation, clearly define why you are holding the event and what you hope to achieve. Some examples of corporate event goals include:
- Improving company culture and morale
- Generating new business leads
- Launching a new product or initiative
- Highlighting an important milestone
- Entertaining and appreciating clients or VIPs
Once you identify the purpose for bringing employees, clients, or partners together, document 3-5 specific, measurable goals. This clarity will drive many other planning decisions for optimal success. Revisit these targets often when making venue choices, crafting messaging, scheduling speakers, and assigning team member tasks.
2. Select the Right Venue
The venue sets the entire tone and experience for your corporate occasion. Consider the event purpose and goals as you weigh these venue selection factors: Location and Accessibility Think about convenience and ease for attendees travelling to the spot. Venues near public transit, hotels, or free parking are ideal.
Aesthetic and Ambiance Align the venue décor and atmosphere with the event theme, branding, and messaging. Consider how lighting, wall colours, and table arrangements impact the vibe. Room Capacity and Layouts Ensure the space accommodates the confirmed or estimated number of guests at tables, theatre-style or reception-style. Don’t cram attendees in an overly tight room.
Catering Services and Menu Options If serving food, partner with venues allowing outside caterers or offering menus that suit dietary restrictions and fit within budget. AV Equipment and Tech Needs Determine audio-visual needs for presentations, entertainment, or streaming and select an updated venue to meet these.
Newer spaces tend to have the latest tech capabilities on-site. Budget Track estimated venue rental fees and additional a la carte options to keep within defined budget parameters for space. Ask about special packages or discounts too. Many venues have event sales managers who can answer these questions and suggest room recommendations based on your vision and guest expectations. Touring two to three potential spots in person can hugely pay off for visualising the optimal site.
3. Build an Event Timeline
With a purpose defined and venue confirmed, map out a detailed event timeline spanning pre-event planning through event wrap-up. Software tools like Excel help organise the key milestones with assigned owners and status tracking. Critical steps belong on the checklist:
- Initiate vendor bid process (6-12 months pre-event)
- Review proposals and sign contracts (6-12 months out)
- First event team planning meeting (5-6 months out)
- Send “Save the Date” notifications with event overview (4-5 months out)
- Plan event creative including logo, colours and messaging (3-4 months out)
- Book A/V, transportation, florists and décor vendors (3 months out)
- Draft event agenda and program (2 months out)
- Share event logistics like parking and schedules (6 weeks out)
- Order event supplies like lanyards, banners and signage (1 month out)
- Final headcount and catering guarantee (1 week before the event)
- Send event reminders with last-minute prep (3 days before)
- Onsite walk-through of event space and vendor delivery (day before)
- Event day!
- Post-event guest communications (the day after)
- Event recap meeting and follow up (1 week after)
4. Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities for the Event Team
Once your corporate event timeline is set, determine who owns each task. An event matrix outlines the event elements, key roles and main responsibilities across these planning facets:
- Creative and Design Handles branding, graphic design, messaging and creative development
- Written Content and Editorial Owns crafting website copy, invitation content, scripts, agenda and programs
- Food and Beverage Point person for menus, catering, and alcohol requests
- Vendor and Procurement solicit proposals, negotiate contracts and manage relationships
- Financial Management Tracks budgets and payments to vendors
- On-site Logistics Primary day-of contact running setup through takedown requests
- Guest Communications Distributes event notifications and follow up thank you notes
- Audio Visual and Technical Sets equipment needs and on-site event production
- Entertainment and Speakers Books emcee, musicians or keynote guests
- Travel and Transportation Arranges attendee transit, parking passes, and rideshare codes When ownership is unclear, delays or confusion happens. Confirm leads and backups for each area above. Also, schedule regular check-in meetings leading up to the big day for status updates across the team.
5. Source Multi-Vendor Proposals
The best corporate events infuse the space with vibrant energy through décor, interactive elements, customised lighting, audio-visual displays and more. Work with your procurement lead to request proposals from several specialised vendors in these categories:
- Tent and structure rentals for outdoor setups
- Furniture for receptions like bars, seating and tables
- Charging stations or cell phone lockers for attendee convenience
- Photographers and videographers to document event programming and moments
- Security staff to monitor venue entrance, credentials and traffic flow
- Catering with diet-accommodating selections
- Beverages based on bar service timelines
- Transportation and valet arrangements
- Custom signage reflecting brand themes
- Special lighting to set the ambience
- Floral centrepieces aligned to décor
- Swag gift bags
- Dessert buffets or candy stations
- Entertainment like live music, dancers, DJs, or magicians
Set up a streamlined process for vendors to submit quotes including budget parameters, areas to customise, decision drivers, and your contact details. Then convene your team to review, select providers, and finalise orders across these elements.
5. Map Out Venue and Onsite Logistics
Your corporate occasion should run seamlessly from the moment an attendee approaches the venue through departure. Map out the on-site flow, timing, and logistical details with consideration for:
- Arrival and Registration What is traffic flow through event check-in? Are there multiple entrances to manage volume? How are credentials validated? Where should signage direct guests? Have greeters welcome visitors to set a warm, inviting tone too.
- Agenda, Rundowns and Announcements Create printed programs, signage or displays to share the event agenda and daily schedules. If adjustments occur, have Mc’s make announcements.
- Networking Sessions Facilitate mingling through occasional structured sessions: announce groups to meet at numbered tables, direct attendees to mix near a hosted bar, or have a lead share an interesting conversation starter question.
- Presentation Flow Minimise transitions between speakers or segments with an advanced setup of stools, tables, mics and presentation needs at the front. Place water conveniently nearby too.
- Food and Beverage Service Discuss the catering plan for food stations, passed bites, meal or break times. Share timing preferences for breaking to eat or allowing grazing.
- A/V, WiFi and Charging Areas Preset volume levels on mics. Test critical presentations or videos ahead of use. Share WiFi access instructions at the start or in programs. Indicate device charging stations or batteries if needed.
6. Have Contingency Plans and Prepare for Unexpected Hurdles
Despite the most strategic planning, you may encounter unforeseen hiccups on or leading up to the event day – from the lead speaker getting delayed to inclement weather to venue WiFi failing. Build contingency buffers for schedule delays, extra vendor orders, and backup technical provisions in case of potential issues. On-site, have a lead troubleshooter equipped to remedy problems quickly.
7. Design for Multiple Communication Channels
Utilise different modes to promote attendee excitement and share timely event details:
- Printed Invitations Mail formal invites establishing the critical event info first.
- Email Sequence Follow up with a series of email touchpoints on key deadlines or preparation steps guests should take to maximise participation.
- Social Promotion Drive buzz by launching a unique event hashtag, creating a Facebook event page, and sharing visual teaser content.
- Event Mobile App As the date nears, launch custom mobile app attendees can download to access agenda schedules, speaker bios, alerts, networking gamification and digital resources in one hub
- Website Landing Page Expand your main company site with a dedicated event web page containing all pre-event details plus a visible event countdown clock.
- Program or Signage Onsite On the day clearly displays the updated schedules, room assignments, vendor credits, transportation codes, hashtags, and any key event contacts across monitors, banners or printed handouts.
- Post Event Thank You Follow up with personalised emails or physical notes expressing your appreciation for participation. Share event photos, recordings or highlights too. Collect feedback via online surveys as well to inform future improvements.
8. Capture Extra Special Moments
Iron out policies in advance around event photography guidelines which empower your team to commemorate amazing snapshots through the occasion, balanced with understanding any guest preferences too. Charter an official event photographer to priority shoot high-energy reception candids, speaker presentations on stage, product demos and creative table settings. Encourage selfie moments at fun photo backdrops related to your theme as well. Allow candid photos on the dance floor or at cocktail bars. Quickly share across your event hashtag or website so attendees can save their stellar moments to personal devices too. These visual memories spark conversations long after the last decoration is packed up!
9. Assemble a Dynamic Team and Internal Resources
Based on the event scope, tap internal leaders and external experts across critical roles – from creative direction to registration to day of production – who mesh well together and divide workload effectively based on availability and strengths. Outsource time-consuming or highly specialised facets like event planning oversight, audio-visual needs or custom entertainment. Provide clarity on team member responsibilities and ideal timelines through a single project charter. Verify everyone has the tools and access required as well. Schedule regular check-ins to get progress updates and quickly resolve any roadblocks. Recognize it takes cross-departmental collaboration to pull off a polished event. Marketing owns brand messaging, executives approve budgets, administrative staff handle invoicing, sales encourage client attendance and more. Set expectations on what support other groups provide so no balls get dropped leading up to showtime!
10. Work with an Experienced Event Planning Company
For expansive corporate occasions like large conferences, galas, and tradeshows – partnering with Stage Set Production offers event planning and production expertise from creative development to guest experience.
For over 10 years, our talented team has delivered incredible results spearheading events of all sizes. We tap insider knowledge on venue spaces, vendor relations, technical elements and program flow to effectively execute within constraints like budget, location and COVID protocols to realise a vision.
Learn more about our services for conferences, meetings, formal events, hybrid experiences, concert production, digital events and beyond. We also offer additional resources from top event planning tips to budget templates to guide your occasion planning process as well. Reach out if we can support planning your next corporate event through personalised service tailored to your brand and attendee needs for optimal success.
Key Takeaways
Planning a polished corporate event takes strategic coordination across vendor sourcing, technical setup, guest communications and creative design anchored by defined goals. But utilising milestone timelines, contingency plans, capable talent and companywide resources sets you up to skillfully manage plans resulting in an impactful event. Partnering with Stage Set Production infuses such specialised expertise to seamlessly oversee your occasion from concept to flawless execution.