The world is becoming increasingly digital and the business world has benefited a great deal from the new technologies and advances. Yet, there is nothing like an in-person event to establish and nurture the connections and networks that one needs to maintain good relationships with key players.
Corporate events are often the benchmark for identifying how relevant the industry finds your company. If everyone on your guest list attends the event, you are definitely a major player and should continue exactly what you’re doing in regard to growth and marketing. If the attendance is low, this is a big sign that some event has transpired to make people lose faith in your business.
It is a very early warning sign that you need to evaluate and make changes to the image that your business projects. People trust brands that are strong and present the image of effectiveness and efficiency.
Even if your event is simply to thank your employees or give your target demographic a chance to see your company in a more humanized and relaxed setting, you are sending a message. The panache and elegance with which you execute the event will subconsciously tell people whether your company is doing well or trying to pretend that it is doing well. You must make sure that every detail from the matching table cloths to the Gravid Aedes mosquito traps showcase that your company is all about attention to detail.
Start Months in Advance
If you want a fantastic and memorable Christmas event, then you need to start planning in the summer. This is the best way to guarantee that you get the exact venue and vendors that you want to use. Most highly sought-after entertainers also need a few months’ advance booking for events. You may also find that booking early gives you discounts and lower prices than booking close to the event date. It also means that if anything goes wrong, you will still have a greater length of time in which to fix the situation or find a replacement.
Multiple Choices
Plan at least two events and try to keep them balanced as much as possible. Avoid paying any non-refundable fees if you can at the beginning stages and look for alternatives if the vendors refuse to work with you.
Having more than one choice allows you to be flexible in the face of sudden changes. Perhaps a venue is attractive as an event hall but has poor parking and the CEO decides against it. Your second venue will come to your rescue. Perhaps an important VIP guest does not like your primary caterer, your secondary choice can then be confirmed and booked right away.
Corporate events that hinge on the satisfaction of a specific person or a group of people mean you will need to be ready with multiple options that will appeal to their tastes and idiosyncrasies.
Negotiate With Your Vendors
Vendors have a tendency to act like everything is non-negotiable. But a happy client is one who can be relied on to keep giving them consistent business for years to come. As long as your demands are not unreasonable they should be willing to give you a discount or a better deal if you simply ask politely and refuse to budge on certain items.
You may even be able to get a bigger discount on a future event if you’re willing to make certain concessions with this one. Make sure to get everything in writing and get a stakeholders’ signature on the documents. These events can have a significant effect on your career and you do not want to be left the only responsible party if anything goes wrong.
Shared Folders
Your best ally and organizational tool when planning this event will be a shared folder on Google Drive. Give everyone who is working with your access to this folder and make sure that they update it daily. Have a master document that only you can change and update and several other documents that each person or team with a specific task or responsibility has to update as well. This will make your job a lot easier. You can follow up on the responsibilities you have delegated and keep an up-to-date informed eye on how the teams are handling their tasks.
This document will also allow you to give updates to your supervisors at any time they ask with new information each time. This will put them at ease and reduce the extent of oversight and worry that will come down on you from the higher-ups if they feel concerned about the event.
In many ways, as long as the budget is clear and the extent of your ability to make independent choices for the event is documented and approved, your success will be in understanding the purpose of the event. What does your company hope to achieve with this event?
Focusing on this question will give you the entire basis for choosing venues, entertainers, and even the menu. A networking event would be better with circulating waiters and multiple tables placed in different areas of the hall that contain foods that are easy to pop into your mouth and do not require too many utensils.
An event that is focused on forging deeper conversations and appreciating the work that has been done for a specific award or over the course of the year, would do better to be more formal and have a proper sit-down diner. This allows people to take the time to discuss and understand the points of view and opinions of their tablemates. That said, you must be absolutely sure of why the company wants the vent and how you can best deliver to this need.
