Corporate events are important. And hence providing top quality service at such events is quite vital. When it comes to organizing a corporate event for the first time, people tend to go one of two ways. Some assume it will be easy, overlook a number of vital tasks and end up in a mess. Others feel overwhelmed from the start and struggle to work out where to begin. You don’t need to go down either of those routes. All you need is a clear, methodical approach, and these pointers will set you on the right path.
Budget
The first thing you need to do as an organizer is to establish your budget. This will usually be set for you by somebody else. Be realistic about what you can achieve with it and aim to spend only 90% - the rest will be there to bail you out if costs overrun.
Location
Usually, the biggest drain on your budget will be the location. You’ll need to choose somewhere that’s not too far away for your guests and has good transport links. It will also need to be accessible for disabled guests (you may also want to look into setting up an induction loop for hearing aids or arranging sign language interpretation, depending on guests’ needs), it will need sufficient capacity and it will need to accommodate the different things you want to do, from presentations to dinner or dancing. Always visit in person before you confirm a booking. It's important to visit the banquet room of your choice before finalizing everything so you get a glimpse of the tables and chairs, and start making plans seating arrangement plans and visualize your table set ups. If you're in need of seat covers to go with your theme, check out Auckland chair cover hire for a variety of beautiful chair cover rentals. If you're organizing an outdoor event, you may look for tent rentals that are suitable to your event and location. For additional safety and protection on your chosen location, you can think about hiring an event security services.
Catering
Consider what type of food your guests will expect, e.g., japanese or italian. Full sit down meals can be very expensive but if you look you should still find plenty of good alternatives. Make sure that the full service catering group that you hired has references you can check and ensure that they can provide vegetarian and vegan options. You should also ask your guests about allergies and arrange special options as needed, bearing in mind that food for people with gluten or peanut allergies can very easily become contaminated if it touches food that’s unsafe for them. Lastly, consider the time of day the food will be expecting. If it will be in the morning, perhaps breakfast catering would suit the event much better.
Entertainment
If you’re arranging speakers for your event, discuss what they can provide and make sure they won’t talk for too long – even if they’re excited to meet them, your guests will eventually lose patience. If you happen to organize a sports event, you may consider getting professional athletes and sports speakers, visit sites like https://www.sportsspeakers360.com/female-athletes.php to know more. Consider other forms of entertainment, such as dancing, that encourage guests to mingle – a great way to enhance networking opportunities. If you’re hiring a DJ or a band, get a clear idea of the sort of thing they’ll play. Make sure you avoid entertainers who could offend your guests or spark arguments. If you are planning on making your guests sit on old, unwelcoming chairs throughout the event for hours, think on table and chair covers, it helps to cover any existing damage to vulnerable parts. In addition, if you are planning to organize a church event, you may consider using Playlister app, you may find out more info here.
Promotion
A common mistake made by organizers is to spend everything on the event itself, leaving nothing for promotion. Simply reaching out to everyone you can think of via email or social media is not enough. Instead, define your audience carefully so that you will end up with a group of people who can connect in useful ways. Prepare good quality invitations that include a request for feedback on allergies and access needs. Make sure you get some photographs or video on the night that you can use for future promotion of events or your wider brand.
Taking it step by step like this means you will be able to run an event that leaves guests feeling satisfied and excited about working with your organization again in the future.