An event management company with experience of delivering perfect corporate events understands what it takes to plan and deliver an event from concept to execution. There are always countless plates spinning at any given moment when planning and executing an event of any kind. There are plenty of pressures to deal with, compromises to be made, health and safety standards to be met, and many other problems that require solutions on the go. If you have a corporate event that you need to plan, we’ll take you through some simple steps and help you on your journey.

It doesn’t matter whether the event you are hosting is for under ten people as a training afternoon within a company’s workplace, a large product launch for a few hundred people, or a massive corporate event and conference over several days and with several speakers, you want things to be precise and memorable. It is key to have a process in place to plan an event and to see it through the various processes and execution in a methodical way that works for all events. The best event plans are those that can be scaled with ease, without disruption or diluting the product.

Why are you putting on an event?

This is a big question that you need to answer when you first sit down to plan any type of event, but especially a corporate event. Know the reasons behind the event, what you want to achieve from it, and this will help you plan how to execute the event to meet those targets. It could be that you want to deliver a story about your brand to build its reputation, you might be looking for more leads and sales, or you are looking to promote a product launch.

What type of audience do you want?

This will come from answering the above, as it will make it a bit clearer as to what your target audience should be. If you are targeting executives from companies, you’ll have a different approach to targeting them than you would sales representatives from different companies, or from targeting potential suppliers. Reaching your target audience takes some thinking and deliberate actions, such as direct emails, promoting events on social media, or with physical literature and adverts. This will also help you work out how many people you want to invite, which plays into the event space and other overheads that you’ll need to consider.

What is your budget?

Working out the goals of the event, the type of people and numbers you want to invite, will play into the budget. You might be able to work out a precise budget from these factors, although in some cases you may have been given a budget and told to work with it, in which case you can work backwards from there and put on an event that you can afford. Always be realistic with your budget, as to cut corners or overspend can have a detrimental effect on your business reputation.

Choose an event theme

Set a theme or topic early on in the event planning process, as this will help you to create an engaging event that has a consistent voice throughout, from the event space, decorations, the topics and talks that are given, and even down to the food and beverages provided on the day. An example is to invite an industry expert to give a talk, if you are looking you are looking to position yourself as a trusted voice in the field. Consider interactive elements that intrigue and get attendees involved and thinking, rather than just a few, boring hours away from their day job.

Have a clear timelines

Creating a clear timeline, alongside the budget, is paramount to delivering a good event. Event management software and support from an expert event management company will help you track the project planning, working through a checklist, streamlining some of the detail, and ensuring that you know you are on track and what to do next.

Make use of the latest technology

You don’t have to suffer with big piles of paper with different lists to keep track of, use a pen and paper to track attendees on the day, and all other aspects of running an event. Instead, there are a plethora of apps and on-site tools that can be used to help you run an event smoothly and to track how attendees are getting on with ticket distribution as well as feedback on the event itself. Apps can also be used well within interactive elements of a corporate event, including the use of quiz apps, word clouds that are updated live on stage during Q&As, and apps to assist with check in and attendance.

Alongside these steps on how to pull off the perfect corporate event, we would always advise that you seek out professional support and advice from an event management agency that has the experience of taking a concept for an event and executing it to perfection. There are many different challenges to overcome, creating an event that speaks volumes for a brand, attracts the right type of audience member, delivers with exceptional audio and visual content, prioritises health and safety, and implements key technology to innovate, track, and analyse the event to ensure next time it is even bigger and better!