How to Host a Successful Corporate Event? A Step-by- Step Guide

Building relationships and connections is crucial for any business in the modern world. For this to happen, your business strategy must include tools like professional corporate events. Such events will help you develop bonds with partners, current clients, potential clients, and other groups.

Your professional growth will likely flourish when you have a great connection with the relevant people. However, how exactly does one hold a successful, effective corporate event? Learning some event management basics is important if this is your first rodeo. Here are some steps that can make your event more manageable, effective, and productive:

1. Define the Purpose

When you’re sure a corporate event is necessary, start defining what it means to accomplish. Keep the following points in mind:

• Ask yourself why you want to host this event and your goals.
• Think of it as an interactive experience for your brand; you want to make it engaging, meaningful, and somewhat personal.
• Define the primary objectives; are they team unison, more brand recognition, or something else?

2. Decide the Target Audience

Who is the audience you’re working for here? Do you want to impress the management or executives of the company or draw in more customers? Of course, your target audience might be a combination of several groups. Nevertheless, it’s helpful to figure them out and cater to their interests, goals, aims, requirements, etc.

How Many to Invite:

Some experts say inviting too many people is better than inviting too few. You want to have a full effect, and empty seats or uneaten food will bring down the mood, make you look unrecognized, and be a budget waste.

3. Set the Budget Accordingly

Set a viable budget once you can estimate the number of people and know the event’s aim. Here are some tips on how to handle this:

• Know where to spend; your tech crew and equipment are more important than flamboyant décor or expensive snacks.
• Decide how much money you’d need, and arrange for a little extra (around 10 percent).
• Don’t be miserly with the food and beverages either; it’s also important to have some gluten-free and vegan alternatives for those with dietary restrictions.

4. Select Your Theme

A themed event makes for a nice presentation to the guests. We’re not talking about the decorations here but about making your event memorable, interesting, and useful to important clients. Here are some factors to consider:

• Inviting an industry expert to speak at the event.
• Have a learning session with keynotes, client panels, etc.
• Give attendees something fun to do, such as listening to a comedian, trying a new teambuilding activity, and so on.
• Try to include everyone’s voice in some way, such as asking the janitorial staff to pitch suggestions or interns to share their first impressions (it’s best to approve their content beforehand, or things might go awry!).

5. Make a Timeline

Create a detailed list of items that will help you manage the event. Project management software can help you streamline the details. You may also consider the following tips:

• Have your team work on the list 12 months before the event, then have them update after six months, eight months, and so on. Do a final run-through the week of the event and check again the day of.
• Have a spreadsheet with separate tabs for each category in the event—speakers, stage, guests, venue, etc.

Consider the Budget

The project budget will heavily influence your timeline. If the budget is small, start working on
the timeline well before the event. This way, you’ll know what category needs more resources and can
work on it accordingly.

6. Choose the Location

Next, it’s essential to pinpoint a venue for your event. Don’t just book any available place or one that a friend recommends. Among other factors, you’ll need to consider the following:

• The location should be convenient for most guests (especially the host) to reach.
• The venue should have a lively atmosphere that sets everyone at ease.
• If your budget is small, try asking the venue management about less popular time slots that might be available at a discount.
• Use local caterers and other vendors to support the local community.

7. Deal with Logistics

If you want a smooth and successful corporate event, here are some logistics to deal with right away:

• Thoroughly vet and book all the event vendors and other specialists including technicians, photographers, decorators, printers, caterers, security, etc.
• Make sure that the speakers can communicate your ideas to the gathering.
• Make an agenda for the occasion.
• Delegate responsibilities to your team and ensure that everyone knows their role.
• Make plans to engage the guests, but also allow them some freedom for socializing, networking, or doing a different activity.
• Choose giveaways that have a large impact but a relatively small footprint, like a promotional discount code, access to the event’s pictures, or some other incentive to stay connected to the company.

8. Use Tech

Technology can make your work a lot easier, so why not use it? Some examples include:

• Event management software apps and platforms to manage all the e-mail lists, provide a smooth check-in and make presentations more interesting with games, simulations, etc.
• Publishing event details into an event container app.
• Interactive features like Q&A sessions, live polling, gamifications like scavenger hunts, etc.
• Software to help collaborate with vendors and other parties.

9. Event Promotions

Once your event is planned to a tee, you naturally want to spread the word about it. Small events might have limited guest lists, so you may want to send out invitations in that case. For larger events, you may want to try more assertive measures, including:

• Emailing your database.
• Placing ads in newsletters.
• Adding the event deals to directories, industry listings, etc.
• Encouraging sales teams to hold event promotions while reaching out to clients, partners, etc.
• Treating the corporate event promotion as a business marketing plan on a small scale—put updates on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
• Investing in promo videos and guest blog posts on other websites.
• Exploring sponsorship opportunities.

10. Post-Event: Wrapping Up and Getting Feedback

Even after the event, your work is still underway. Wrap up your loose ends, such as paying the vendors in full, settling accounts, and debriefing your team. This is also the point where you look for feedback from your guests. Some ways to accomplish this include:

• An event-planning app where you can ask guests to put in their feedback.
• An in-person survey near the end of the event.
• A social media survey where you ask followers to rate the event and provide feedback.

The information you gather will help decide whether the event was a success. You may then consider if your goals were met and what changes you can make for future events. Share the information with each stakeholder and plan a follow-up as soon as possible.

Conclusion

When you hold a corporate event, your business can build a direct connection with the target audience. These will lead to brand recognition, loyalty, and sales. The most active social media profile cannot replace personal presence. Communication in a corporate event is much more meaningful and effective, so planning one for your business at some point is essential.

Corporate events can be large or small, but the steps above apply to whatever you’re planning. They cover your research, planning, coordination, and various other stages. Start thinking about your next event now; these steps will help you realize those plans!