So, you have a business event to plan, and you need some fresh tips for setting up something engaging. Maybe you’re getting back into the swing of creating in-person events post-pandemic. Whether it’s a smaller gathering or a large corporate event, everyone is ready to gather again and build relationships face-to-face, so read on to brush up on what to do and key things to consider. Regardless if it’s for just your own team or you’re trying to attract new clients, you can’t go wrong with setting up something they might actually want to do in their free time.  

Think About Corporate Event Attendees

The elements of your planning include knowing who you’re going to be bringing together and why, so it’s important to nail this down first. Determining the audience is a key element for any business, so just apply that concept to the event. Who do you want to bring together? Is it community members, business partners, or prospective clients? If you don’t know who it’s being planned for, it isn’t easy to pull anything else together well, so start there. 

Secondly, think about the goals you have for your attendees. Is it to network, is it to learn in-depth material, is it just to motivate a sales team? The other side of thinking about the conference attendees is also to think about the sponsors. Make sure they are the right fit for your audience.

Choosing Event Speakers 

The keynote speaker for your event should enhance your business image and help describe where your company or industry is going. There are basically four types of speakers you could target to bring in: motivational, informative, instructional, and entertaining. Whichever type of speaker you choose, their reputation can make or break yours, so do your research. Check out any content they may have available online that’s recent, and focus on bringing in someone that doesn’t have to travel far to get to your venue to minimize last-minute travel hiccups and cancellations. Don’t be afraid to ask for video samples and also ask for references from past event organizers.

Bonus Tips. Make sure communication with the speaker is consistent! If they need to bring their presentation materials on USB, for example, remind them weeks be and the day before, as well as in person.

Marketing Your Corporate Event

Your first hurdle in organizing a corporate event or conference will be to get attendees to sign up or purchase tickets. For this, you will need event marketing! Once you have confirmed the theme, speakers and event venue, it is time to start marketing. Here are a few ideas on how to market your corporate event.

• Get speakers to share the event with their email list.

• Create hype on social media and have several posts.

• Create a social media post for each speaker to highlight them. This way, they will also share it with their own audience.

• Add the event on places like Eventbrite & Google My Business, which are great for SEO.

• Email your own list to share the event.

• Showcase any photos of merch or swag bags on your newsletter and on social media.

• Create a talking-head video post talking about the upcoming event.

• Create a blog post on your website announcing the event. 

• Do a giveaway and raffle off a ticket.
  

Conference Organization

Project time management is also important. Plan your event in structured blocks of time, with an organized schedule and with clear expectations for your staff. This includes any volunteers, sponsors, and speakers. Make sure everyone has the memo on what’s expected, and have it printed and easy to access throughout the process and during the event itself. Doing this will prevent confusion, mixed messages, and people not knowing who’s doing what. Everyone should be on board with a clear plan in place. Some event organizers create a Facebook group to update the attendees of any changes or news.

Bonus tip. When choosing an event venue for your conference, make sure you check where the classes/breakout sessions will be. They should be as close to the main keynote room as possible so there’s less confusion about where to go. Additionally, make signs with speaker names, topics and times to add outside the door of each class.

Bonus tip #2. Make sure you have a great AV tech team to help troubleshoot mic or Powerpoint issues. Do a test run the day before as well, and give your video & photo team a walkthrough. A bad mic or screen issues can be a nightmare.

 Adding the Fun In Corporate Events

Who wouldn’t want to play a game and bring some fun into a workshop or networking with new contacts? There are activities just about anyone can do. Breaking down the barriers of accessibility and creating an environment that’s inclusive isn’t just for larger community planning. A new trend is bringing in portable pool tables and other game-style recreation to really lighten the energy. Make sure the venue that you’re considering can accommodate this setup and have the extra space available. If you are planning a corporate event or conference in Southern California, we would love to provide you with pool table rentals, Jenga board rentals, cornhole rentals, and foosball rentals. Contact us today for a quote.

 Event Food Options Matter

You have probably already noticed that it’s harder to please everyone regarding food. A percentage of your attendees are likely to bring food anxiety because they have strict meal plans and don’t know what the options will be. In choosing your venue or catering, find out before signing contracts if they can provide vegan and gluten-free options so that everyone can enjoy and not have food stress or feel like they have to stash special snacks in their bag.

Corporate event planning can seem overwhelming, as there are so many moving parts to fit together in a limited amount of time. Some events take all year to put together, depending on how large they are, and there can be hiccups along the way, so begin as early as possible. Remember, there is a huge marketplace of vendors who focus on events, and they’re eager to help you, so ask for their expertise, too.