Corporate event planning goes beyond planning monthly meetings with donuts and coffee, and can be even more difficult to coordinate than a wedding. And while corporate events are often meetings and large conferences, they can also be huge conventions and fundraising galas. Here’s everything you need to know about planning a corporate event.
Determine your event’s goal
Before you start anything, you must first understand what your goal is with this event. Once you’ve determined your goal, you’ll better understand the format and needs of the corporate event you’re planning. Are you looking to educate and empower the team? A conference or meeting may work best. Are you looking to celebrate a milestone or show appreciation to strategic business partners? A more upscale gala may be best. And if you’re looking to plan a corporate holiday party, then you’ll need to focus on a more fun format!
Setting an event theme is crucial
Even if you’re hosting a corporate event that’s mainly meetings and presentations, a theme is essential to have. A theme brings clarity around what to include during your event: types of entertainment, immersive activities, format of food service and menu, keynote speakers, etc. It guides you as you make decisions, like how to decorate or who to invite to speak, and can make the planning process that much easier. And while a theme for a corporate meeting event can’t just be “company meeting,” you can focus on themes like “a world of opportunities” to make even the most traditionally boring day exciting!
Determine your budget before you make plans
Your budget will impact everything about your event, from the amount of guests you can invite, to what type of event you can host, and even to whether or not you can serve food. Once you have an idea of what type of event you’d like to host, you can research to understand how much it will cost you, and what kind of budget you’d need to make it happen.
Book your event in advance
Once your goals are set, your theme is picked, and your budget has been determined, it’s time to book your event, and book it early! It’s important to book in advance for a few reasons, including ensuring you get the dates you want and having enough time to bring your corporate event together.
Are you ready to book your corporate event? Learn more about corporate events at St. Joseph’s Banquet & Conference Centre. We’d be honoured to host you!