We’ve all been there – some terrible corporate event. The content is self-serving, the mood forced, the content not useful in the slightest and it doesn’t offer you information on business growth. We sit there wondering why we are wasting our time. All of these events have started out with good intentions. No event organiser wants their guests to be bored. So how have they all gone so wrong? The truth is that there’s a lot of things you can inadvertently do to create an event which isn’t good. From an overly long running time to just plain not considering what the audience benefits are, knowing the pitfalls along the way means that you can more easily avoid them. Planning a successful corporate event is all about offering ROI for attendees.
It’s All In The Planning
That old saying ‘fail to plan and you plan to fail’ is never more true than when it comes to organising a corporate event, whether it’s a little gathering for a few delegates or a large-scale conference. Your event plan is the bible and should be put together thoughtfully and treated with respect. Start by asking yourself not what you want to talk about, but what the audience is going to get. What value add are you offering in exchange for their time? Then consider your own objectives too. How will you measure ROI? What specific goals are you aiming for? How will you retain your edge? The next step is to consider how these two things meet. How can you serve the needs of the people you’re inviting and also achieve your own aims? If you can find this point, then you have the basic ingredients for a great event.
Planning a Successful Corporate Event: Think About Killer Content
An event is just so much fluff without some killer content at its heart. Whether it’s insightful videos, useful presentations or entertainment that enhances your message, putting together a programme that offers your guests something new is the other part of your success. Have a look at event industry trends to get some inspiration for what you’re planning. Staging something with the novelty factor is always attractive, but remember not to do it just for the sake of it. Really connecting with people is all about being authentic, so things have to be true to who you are as a business, and align with your vision and values to be truly successful.
Planning a Successful Corporate Event: Market Your Event Successfully
Any event is only as successful as the people that you can manage to draw to it. So a good event marketing plan also needs to be a part of your strategy. Spread the word using your social media channels to give a taster of what is to come. Design some marketing collateral that can be used by business partners and employees. Using an email as a channel to advertise events is still highly effective and can be relied upon to draw sign ups, so design an event email that is exciting and informs – preferably with a button for people to add it to their calendars directly from the email. Then design a series of follow-up communications designed to keep up interest and get a buzz going. Soon you’ll be all set for a brilliant event.
