Planning a corporate event doesn’t have to be a stressful task, in fact it can actually be fun as long as you are efficient, assertive and most importantly, organised. If you are planning a corporate event, these steps will help you hit all the important points and throw a successful event that will have everyone talking for years to come.

Target Your Event

It’s important to plan your event taking into account who you wish to entertain. Make sure that you consider what it is that you are setting out to achieve. Whether you are looking to incentivise your staff or if you are looking to attract new customers and bring business through your doors, you’ll need to research and understand the audience you are catering for. Are they athletic people who would enjoy a team building event? Or are they the leisurely type that would prefer a relaxing day at the races or an afternoon tea? To attract women, a luncheon or high tea might work best and to engage a male dominated audience, a sporting match or gentleman’s club style evening party may be better. Once you have decided on what the majority of your guests would prefer you can begin to plan the finer details.

Preparation Is Key

If you’ve ever planned an event before, you’ll know that they don’t just happen. It takes months of brainstorming, planning and organising to create a successful corporate event, so start as early as possible, even as far as one year out. Prepare a list of the things you’ll need, and ensure to plan and book in appointments with important vendors in advance.

Choose A Theme

A good theme can set the tone, and influence all other aspects of the event. It’s a good idea to pick a theme that is connected to your company, whether it is a core value of the business, or even a present goal. Selecting the right theme will tie the other elements of your corporate event together and incorporating the company’s colours and logos into the theme can also be a great way to boost brand awareness.

Budget Wisely

Perhaps one of the most important things to do when planning an event is to set a budget. It is easy to go overboard and underestimate how much things actually cost, so decide on a limit of money to spend on the event, and try to stay well under it. You don’t want to put yourself out of pocket or go into debt just to host the perfect event. Determining a budget will help you allocate adequate funds to all aspects of the event, such as food, entertainment, venue hire and decorations.


Find the Right Venue

Although you may want to secure the hottest venue in town, it’s important to choose a venue that your audience, and potential new clients, will enjoy and appreciate. Keeping your budget in mind is also important, but you still need to make sure all the necessities are provided. Before you go to look at potential venues, write down a list of questions to ask them, these may include what is and isn’t included, what you need to supply yourself or from elsewhere, what are the parking and public transport options etc. It’s also a good idea to ask them if they have any recommendations, as often there will be something you may have forgotten. Finally, see if they have a gallery of images of previous similar events as this will help you visualise how your event will turn out.

Get Buzz Going

Dedicate a large chunk of time on marketing and advertising your event to generate excitement. One of the easiest and cheapest way of promoting your event is via social media. You can create hype in the lead up to your event by sharing updates and even investing in a social media influencer who can help to boost exposure for you. Creating buzz early in the process will keep guests excited before they even attend. During and after the event, you can also share highlights and updates for those who might be interested but weren’t able to attend.

Have Fun!

When the event finally rolls around, don’t forget to enjoy yourself. You are the one that has put in the effort to organise the event so relax and allow yourself to enjoy the day or night. Think of yourself as another guest, get involved and enjoy the festivities.

Planning a corporate event? At Merrimu, our corporate function venue is designed to suit a wide range of corporate events and trade shows and with a capacity to support as many as 400 people, your company can be certain of ample space for all your attendees and employees. For more information on hosting your corporate event at Merrimu, contact our friendly team today on (03) 9568 1811.

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