If you want to plan a corporate event that your employees will actually want to attend, then don’t miss this article! Here you’ll discover a guide on how to plan an unforgettable corporate party.
Planning a corporate party doesn’t have to be as overwhelming or complicated as it sounds. It’s all about breaking down the event planning process into simple, achievable tasks.
Corporate parties are incredibly popular, so you don’t want to drop the ball on this! As much as 1 billion is spent in the UK on Christmas parties alone!
So, with that mind, follow the below advice and you shouldn’t go too far wrong. Let’s dive in!
1. You Can Never Start Too Early
This is the most crucial piece of advice throughout this article. So, if you take nothing else away here- remember to plan early!
Unfortunately, when it comes to planning a party, you’re only as good as your vendors and suppliers.
You could be the best party planner in the world, but when suppliers let you down, you have a problem. So, by planning in advance, you give yourself more of an opportunity to research vendors, put backup plans in place, and plan ahead for any drama!
2. Set a Date
Once you have a date, you can work backward from there.
Venues in cities fill up really quickly. So, the first thing you need to do is set a date and then find a venue. Typically, Thursdays are popular for corporate parties because they don’t encroach on your employees personal time.
Our best advice is to send your colleagues a poll with a few potential dates to choose from. That way you’ll get a feel for when works best. Be sure to include a time for your coworkers to RSVP by.
Then, once the results are in, ping a save the date email when you’ve picked a date.
3. Set a Budget
Before you can select a venue, you need to have a budget in mind. How much money do you have to spend on this event? Once you know this, you can curtail your venue search.
4. Find a Venue
Now you have a date and a budget; you need a venue. We always recommend going on a site visit before signing the dotted line.
Here are a few things to consider when picking a venue:
- What’s their maximum capacity?
- Is the location easily accessible? (Parking, public transport, taxis, etc.)
- What facilities do they offer? (cloakroom, AV equipment, chairs, tables, etc.) You’ll need to know this, otherwise, you may have to hire a third party.
- What packages do they offer and will they tailor things to suit your needs?
You get the idea.
You should also find out who’s responsible for setting up and clearing away the event (you or the venue) and find out exactly what the quote covers (you don’t want any nasty surprises!)
5. Be Prepared to Make a Lot of Lists
Make lists. Think about everything you need to do and write it down. Then reorganize your list.
Put the things of highest priority at the top (the stuff that’s most time-sensitive) and the lower priority tasks at the bottom.
Then, give yourself deadlines to complete each thing on your list. This is by far the easiest way of managing your time.
6. Food
Will you have food at your event?
If so, you’ll need to communicate very carefully with your venue if you don’t want to use their in-house catering service. Some places won’t allow you to cater your own event. Or, they’ll have a list of dedicated vendors to choose from.
Here are a few things you’ll need to consider:
- Will guests have to select their meal option in advance?
- Sit-down meal or buffet?
- You’ll need to notify the caterers of any dietary requirements in advance, so plan for that.
You may also want to consider canapes upon arrival.
Drink
When it comes to drinks, you have two options. You can either pre-order and pay in advance or, pay for what’s consumed afterward.
If you’re on a tight budget then pre-ordering is a good idea. However, if you opt for an open bar, make sure you’re offering plenty of food and a lot of carbs.
This will decrease the likelihood of any embarrassing drunken antics!
There are a few ways to distribute drinks to your guests. If you’ve pre-paid, you could give your guests drinks vouchers entitling them to a drink.
Alternatively, you could have a set amount of bottles put on each table. You could also talk to your venue about having someone top up peoples drinks when they’re looking low.
Entertainment
If you want to give your event the wow factor, you need to consider your entertainment very carefully. You should think about the theme of your party and go from there. Live bands, photo booths, and cocktail making are all popular choices!
Alternatively, click here if you’re stuck for event entertainment ideas for some much-needed inspiration!
Transport
Will you need to organize transportation for your colleagues? If so, you need to ensure you book lifts at appropriate times. You don’t want people having to leave too early or, hanging around for ages after the party’s over!
We also recommend sending an email with the following information:
- local taxi numbers
- times of last buses
- times of last trains
Your colleagues are sure to appreciate this information!
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