A successful corporate event doesn’t just happen. It takes planning, organization, and execution. If you take the necessary steps needed before your corporate event, it will be successful and your career will reap the benefits. No matter how large or small your event may be, if you’re working alone or with a committee, these tips will help you run it successfully and help you pull it off without a hitch.
Planning Stage
The planning stage is crucial for a successful corporate event.
- Start at least one year planning your event. If you can’t take a year, be sure to start planning as much in advance as you can.
- Start with a venue. Once you know where you will be holding your event, you can then tailor the rest of your planning around it. Also know if any of the attendees have special needs and if the venue you select will be able to accommodate them.
- Gather your event marketing team together if you are planning to use a committee. Include people with various strengths and talents. This will make it easier to delegate tasks.
- Have a clear vision of your event. Know why it is being held, who will attend, and what the ultimate goal of your corporate event will be.
Getting Organized
Some of the most important steps to running a successful corporate event happen beforehand. The more organized you are before the event, the better your event will be.
- Set up spreadsheets to keep track of budget, vendors, timelines, and who is responsible for each task.
- Keep track of when tasks are completed so you will know where you stand.
- If you are working with a team, delegate tasks and be sure to follow up to make sure they are completed.
Post Event
After your corporate event, it is important to receive feedback. Feedback will help you plan your next event and pinpoint any items which need improvement.
- During the event hand out evaluation cards or sheets and encourage participants to be honest when filling them out.
- Take an honest look at the evaluations and how the event went off. Is there any way you could have made the event better? Were the goals set forth met? Were there any major issues you had to address before, during, or after your corporate event?
- Send out thank you notes to everyone that helped you. Send out thank you cards to anyone that made a donation if you held a fund-raising event. Thank you cards are an easy way to make a lasting impression, and to make connections which may be valuable next time you’re planning a corporate event. Thank you cards are also the polite thing to do.
Planning and running a successful corporate event is a lot of hard work, and it takes an extreme attention to detail. If you use these tips and stay on top of things you will have a corporate event that will be successful, and reflect positively on you and your team.
