All hands on deck! It is time to plan the best, most memorable corporate event ever. Just in case anyone reading this assumes throwing a corporate event is as simple as booking a hall in a nice hotel and deciding on a menu, think again. To successfully accomplish the goal of throwing the best corporate event this side of the Mississippi, it helps to understand what creating a memorable experience entails.
How to Make Your Next Corporate Event a Stellar Success:
Copious Planning Well in Advance
As soon as the event is plotted on the corporate calendar, steps should be taken to begin planning for it. After deciding on the theme and projected number in attendance you should immediately start looking for a venue. Make sure you book the venue well in advance of the event date; on that note, start shopping for caterers, entertainment, speakers, and other vendors early on before the best get snatched up. If there will be swag, awards, or gifts offered, begin the selection and ordering process early, especially if there are customized features, such as logos or other personalizations involved.
Touch Base with Vendors and Caterers Regularly
The best way to avoid an event plunging into chaos is to regularly check in with all vendors you have decided to hire. Be sure to get clarification of all the logistical issues, such as how the sound system will be set up at the venue or setting specific timing for speeches so speakers have plenty of time to plan accordingly. Ongoing communication is absolutely key for an event to be successful. Keep those communication channels open and touch base often.
Make a Blueprint and Stick to It
It helps all parties involved if there is a working blueprint of how the event should flow—with each person’s specific responsibilities fleshed out. The document should detail the chronology of the events of the evening. A timeline should be on the blueprint so that there is ample opportunity to fine-tune and implement each activity (and any changes) before show time. This timeline allows the evening’s events to flow smoothly without a whiff of chaos.
Make a Detailed Checklist
From the very beginning of the event planning, create a detailed checklist so that important steps are not overlooked and a timeline can be adhered to. For the night of the event, you have already created that blueprint and timeline, now transfer that data to a checklist format that will provide structure to the evening’s activities, keeping everyone copasetic and the event on target to be a smashing success.
Seem like a lot to take on? MTI Events will take the ball and run with it, taking the stress of planning your next corporate event off your shoulders and into our capable hands. MTI Events specializes in meeting planning, travel incentive programs, special events, trade shows, team building and more.
