Thursday, August 19, 2010

How to Plan a Corporate Event

Are you in the process of planning a corporate event? If so you have clicked on the right link. The following tips and advice should help present a clearer picture on what needs to be considered and organized.

To start with you should know exactly why the event is to be held. It may be a launch party for a particular product or business, or perhaps it is a way to show thanks and gratitude to employees. Either way this will have a big bearing on the nature of the organizing. Once you are clear on why the event is being held you will then need to understand the type of event it will be.

Will it be formal or informal, is there going to be a dress code, how will potential attendees be informed about the do, are invitations necessary, and what number of people are expected to turn up. Only when you are clear on all of these dynamics should you move forward.

You will want to be certain that the theme and decorations suit the nature of the party or event. For example a celebration attended only by staff would be rather different than a booking at which a product is to be launched. If children are allowed to come along with their parents then the planning will require a different type of thinking.

The actual venue will have a major role in the success of the event. It should be large enough to accommodate all the guests as well be accessible for any individuals that may have mobility problems. Think about how easy it would be for the guests to reach the venue. You would not want to choose an out of the way location as this can be a big put off. It can be worthwhile phoning around a few different venues to compare prices. Also you need to find out whether or not the date you have in mind would be available for booking.

What facilities does the venue have? Maybe you would require equipment such as a PA system, stage, lights, projector and internet connectivity. Do not overlook the seating arrangements as this may incur an extra cost. If there is to be a focal point such as a stage then you will want to be certain that all the guests get a clear view.

Will food be served? This is a good idea if the event will be lengthy in nature. What type of catering would best suit your requirements? You could offer a formal sit down meal that has many courses or a simple finger buffet that allows guests to socialize and mingle more. If you are going to serve alcoholic drinks then you will need to ensure that everyone can get safely home at the end of the event.

How about the entertainment?  Choosing the right, professional entertainment is very important.  With the wrong choice of talent that is un-professional, uses inappropriate material, or an act which is to bias to a certain audience or age group, the event can be boisterous.  Finding an act that can bridge all the ages, and genres can help make your event an memorable success.  A professional comedy magician would be a good choice,  a cover band or D.J. who plays a wide range of music is always a pleaser, or visual acts such as "Cirque" or Chinese Acrobats are always a hit. This can be a great way to impress those people that turn up, just be certain that you cater to all tastes and not just one group of people.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Important Steps to Planning a Corporate Event

From time to time, businesses find the need to conduct events that work toward their organization goals.   Because the planning of these events  may bring together employees from different locations and can be a considerable expense, it is important that the function satisfies the goals and message the planners are trying to reach.  Many find it is best to conduct the event in hotel meeting room where all their employees can not only be housed, but able to take care of all their housing and hospitality needs.  Keeping everyone under the same roof can make the sessions not only convenient for all involved, but also the most productive.

Planning these events means making sure the venue is either totally self contained with a variety of food and beverage locations or in an area where a variety of restaurants are within a short distance.  Meeting rooms that are large enough with the audio visual needs is very important.  And of course the sleeping accommodations must be clean and comfortable.

Corporate events were originally introduced to create better relationship between employees, clients and companies, but now it is used to strengthen the "team"  Another important thing to consider when planning these types of events, it is important to balance the "educational" content with giving the attendees a chance to relax and network with other team members though events that provide some type of entertainment.  These may include cocktail social hours with strolling entertainment or after dinner entertainment.  A strolling professional magician is always a hit.  After dinner entertainment such as a comedian, comedy magician, DJ or dance band can always be just the ticket.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Corporate Entertainment Ideas for Any function

Corporate events can range from a few people up to thousands. It pays to think outside of the box for your entertainment ideas. When you plan a special event .  Your goal is for the guests to remember the event for years to come.

There are many event planners that can help you make plans or you can plan it yourself depending on the type of function and budget allotted. For larger events , it will be well worth the money spent, leaving it up to an event planner to make it all work. It takes lots of previous experience to order enough drinks, food, and the right entertainment for the type of people that will be attending your companies corporate party .

Parties are a great way to motivate a team, celebrate holidays, and also a great tool to improve employee productivity. They are often very successful in strengthening relationships amongst employees and the management team also. Special events take a lot of planning and preparation, which in turn may cause stress. Event organizers have experience and will take a lot of stress away. It also lets everyone enjoy the party without the worry of making sure things run swimmingly.

There are so many ways to have a party. The party can come to the corporation or the corporation can go to the party. If it is to be at the corporation, it can be done with a theme. Some ideas are a county fair, circus, corporate magicians, funny motivational speakers, ventriloquists, casino nights to name a few ideas.
If you do decide to plan it yourself or have an employee do it, first write down every thing you can think of that needs to be done. Pay attention to the meticulous details as the party goers will know where you dropped the ball. Do not run out of time and money before all is put in place.

Most entertainment needs to be booked months ahead time for the date you have planned. If you can, go see the entertainer to be hired so you can decide it they are really what you want. Remember some of the entertainment you have seen and really enjoyed at previous corporate functions. Corporate entertainment ideas can also be found on the internet, books, and through event planners. Throwing a party is easy, but a top notch event may require some help. Not only do you need to find entertainment, food, and refreshments you must also figure out logistics like how much to have, decorations, who will decorate and when, what time to have the entertainment, and for how long. So many decisions to make sure you are well prepared. You can arrange everything yourself or hire someone to do it for you. These tips will help you on your way to a great and successful special event!!!