If you’ve been given the arduous task of planning a large-scale client event, then you may be feeling slightly overwhelmed. Planning a business event requires careful planning but is crucial for building long-lasting relationships with loyal clients. So how should you approach it?
Communication
Spend some time before you start making arrangements to define precisely what the event is trying to achieve. Talk to your managers about the itinerary and how the day should run. Ask for suggestions and ideas to include in the planning. Discuss likes and dislikes with the client. Ask about dates and availability and check with managers to confirm. Check details about the budget to guide you at the planning stage.
Establishing objectives will help inform certain choices and help you understand the purpose. Perhaps it’s to promote a service or improve brand awareness. Or it could be that your company wants to enter into a new contract with a client, or it could just be a relaxed event to celebrate mutual success.
Planning
Armed with the information, you can focus on the type of event you want to create. It may be a formal occasion if it’s work-based or a more elaborate affair if it’s a celebration.
Be sure to send formal invitations as soon as possible so staff and clients can make plans to attend.
Make a list of everything you want to include in the event, such as transport, accommodation, location, catering, and entertainment. It would be helpful to create a spreadsheet to guide you during the process; it can also help keep tabs on the costs for business accounting purposes.
It is also important not to plan the entire event without help. Create a responsible team and delegate tasks. Hold regular meetings to establish what progress has been made and to tie up loose ends.
Make sure someone is assigned to writing a program of speakers and information about what will happen on the day to make available to all attendees.
Location/catering
You should book the venue as soon as possible to avoid a lack of availability. Check their facilities and organize a meeting with the manager of the venue. They will explain all they offer and provide advice on seating, facilities, and numbers. Ask questions and take notes so you can refer back to them.
When considering catering, it’s a good idea to keep it simple and offer buffet food and hire bartenders from Event Bartenders for the evening. They can ensure your clients are kept topped up and provide an excellent professional service. You can also hire some local food businesses to deliver buffet food for the event.
If you’re providing accommodation, discuss options with local hotels that may offer you a discount if you use their hotel for the entire event.
Entertainment
Organizing entertainment for a corporate event can be tricky. Ask for ideas from the team and research online for inspiration. You could hire a classical band for background music or host some competitions. Or perhaps some well-thought-out team-building exercises to work off the post-dinner slump.
For a more passive option, perhaps you could use the services of a local magician to wow your guests with tricks of the mind.
If the event is a celebration, call a local DJ to get everyone up on the dance floor.
Organizing a corporate event is no easy task, but it can be done, and with a positive attitude and the right help, you can be confident it will be a success!