Breezy drinks, hot, fresh canapés, a sophisticated space… these are all staples of a successful corporate event, but they’re not the starting point.
It’s important to get the foundation right before you start planning the details, or else you might just experience roadblocks further down the track. Like not attracting the numbers you planned for, not getting concrete results or even experiencing a budget blowout!
Here’s how to cover the basics to set up a standout corporate event.
Step #1 Have a clear goal
We recommend defining the #1 goal of your corporate event, breaking that goal down into steps, then breaking those steps down into tasks.
This gives you a clear roadmap for reaching that goal that you can combine with your event planning checklist.
So if your #1 goal is to have a certain number of signups to a new program, you would reverse engineer that goal into the steps and then break those down into tasks.
For example, step #1 could be to have a signup process ready. Then the tasks for that step could be:
- Create a landing page
- Add opt-ins
- Schedule emails to welcome them and encourage them to stick around etc.
And remember that results can continue coming in after the event is finished. So give yourself a grace period.
Step #2: Allocate a budget for your corporate event
Defining your spend and tracking each expense line by line can avoid a budget blowout.
You can start with a set allocated amount and break it down into expenses, or have individual expenses and add them up to a final figure.
We recommend having a base (the starting point spend) and a stretch (the max spend) to give yourself room to move.
Step #3: Put your feelers out
As with any investment, it’s not recommended to go in cold. So put feelers out to check if your event concept resonates in your market. Talk to your target guests, use social media polls and validate whatever it is you are pushing out to make informed decisions.
And source elements like licences and permits early on. An example is if you’re planning to serve alcohol (you need a licence) in a public space (you need a permit).
This is just a taste of the first steps to take when planning out a corporate event. The upside of enlisting a professional events company (apart from accessing wholesale rates to push your budget further) is tapping into experience to make your event planning short, sharp and cost efficient.
So contact us for an obligation-free chat about your next corporate event. If you have any event questions, concerns or roadblocks we can happily advise you!
