A corporate event is a general term which includes everything from a wild Christmas party in the office, to a classy evening event at a grand estate and everything in between.
Therefore, without knowing the specific reason, date, guest list and theme of the corporate event in question, it’s not possible to provide exact guidelines regarding what would be or could be involved. Nevertheless, we have prepared a general set of guidelines with a dynamic nature, to help the organiser get at least an idea of how to go about it.
Understanding the Purpose of the Event
The very first step would be to properly understand why the event is being conducted in the first place. Is it part of a marketing strategy? Are you planning a celebration for the business’s recent performance or achievements? Is it thrown in honour of a special client or a key decision maker in the company?
All of these questions are important, as the answers will determine what will be involved in organising the said event. For example, if the event is supposed to be celebratory in nature, and it’s thrown in honour of a key client, then you will need to find out what he/she likes.
Depending on the kind of events the client prefers to be present in, it could very well be a completely informal corporate party or a classy corporate meet with strict dress codes.
How to Select the Venue?
Once you have figured out the purpose behind the event, it becomes much easier to do everything else, which includes selecting the right venue. Some locations such as Adlington Hall, offer a unique corporate event venue that can host any and all types of occasions. Team building activities, award ceremonies, conferences, dinner parties and, of course, the good old Christmas parties can all be organised inside the grand and elegant Adlington Estate.
Even if you are not lucky enough to find such a venue that fits all types of events, just focus on the prime goal of the occasion and find a place that’s appropriate. Distance is also something that you need to consider, along with the location. Unless it’s an overnight event, it should be located in an area that’s not too far away from the office.
How Early Should You Book the Venue?
Finding and booking the venue is extremely important and needs to be completed as soon as possible, especially if the event happens to be scheduled on or near a general holiday. You should book months in advance to make sure the best venues are on your list of options. This also applies to the invitations themselves because people need to know about corporate events at least a week or two in advance.
The Entertainment
The entertainment options you should explore are completely dependent on the occasion itself. Therefore, the only advice here would be to be conscious of the allocated budget, while arranging for them.
Lastly, prepare the guest list well and make sure no relevant person, be it a client or a company executive is missing from the event. It’s customary to send a formal invitation to important figures, even when you know they cannot possibly make it.
