Making the most of each event by bringing people together in enduring ways on behalf of a company is the goal of corporate event management. To guarantee the event provides the highest return on investment for their firm, corporate event planners handle every little (and major!) aspect from beginning to end.
As a consequence, a profession in corporate event management generally pays $63,108 per year and requires that planners possess the following skills: connection building, location research, contract negotiation, budget management, and event marketing.
Today, we’ll look at how the top corporate event planners make their events come to life and provide some of the greatest corporate event management advice.
Learn about the top corporate event management advice.
Even on our best days, corporate event management can be difficult due to the many stakeholders, ongoing changes, and numerous factors, including anything from catering to event sponsorship. The top corporate event planners employ the following advice to make every event a success that generates ROI.
1. Set aside the space for many years.
Attempt to secure your location early and sign a multi-year contract. By giving the venue a significant amount of advance business, it may not only help you make some of your theme selections easier and make it simple to bring back vendors that work out week, but it can also potentially save you money.
2. Connecting on LinkedIn can help you fill up your digital contact list.
When you work with excellent suppliers, you may create a team playbook that you can use again. Try to establish contacts with people who handle food, design event swag, work in venues, know fantastic musicians, have excellent event furniture, etc. The most effective method of meeting these folks is via referrals from your current network. Look for LinkedIn connections you share, and if necessary, ask your first connection whether they would recommend working with the new contact.
3. For small gatherings, send invitations at least three weeks in advance. Inform guests of the date for large events, particularly B2B events, a year in advance.
Three weeks’ notice is plenty to allow for the possibility that they are not currently booked and to ensure that they won’t completely forget about your event. Send your event invitation a few months in advance if it’s a holiday or you know there will be a lot of interest in the date you’ve picked.
It’s crucial to choose your date even sooner, perhaps a year in advance, for bigger B2B events. This is so that workers may have their travel and education budgets authorised, which might take a few months since businesses sometimes have lengthy procurement cycles.
4. RSVP in a smooth manner.
Nowadays, people are busy than ever, therefore making it simple to RSVP is essential. Particularly since you need a precise guest count to guide your budgetary choices. Incorporate one-click buttons into your emails, and if you sent invitations, include a stamped, pre-addressed envelope. As the use of mobile phones continues to rise, you may also think about allowing users to text you a YES or NO answer.
5. Include impact analysis in your sponsorship offerings.
Treat your sponsors with respect—they are priceless! Provide your sponsors with a report outlining the effect they had at your event in addition to asking for their comments after the performance. Help them track and collect leads on-site, report any social media coverage they received to demonstrate the growth of their brand awareness, speak with some show attendees to get quotes about the sponsors and include those, and share post-event survey results that are pertinent to your sponsors in the analysis report you send them.
6. enrol in a negotiating course.
You must bargain over a variety of issues while managing corporate events, including audio-visual services and food and beverages. You may be prepared to know when to give and when to pull by enrolling in a course. You may use a number of strategies, like delaying a few days, committing additional business at a discount, and requesting quotations from other businesses.
7. Plan a backup strategy for your “must-haves”.
Make a list of the five most important aspects of your event because more often than not, you’ll need to use Plan B. Then, create a backup plan in advance for how you could adjust on the fly in case one of those factors doesn’t work out as planned. Although the precise scenario may not occur, it should reduce your tension and provide you practise in coming up with solutions fast.
How to arrange business events at your best
One of the most profitable aspects of event planning is corporate event planning. So how do you get started and what will make you successful? Here are five pointers for starting a career in corporate event management.
1. Get your bachelor’s degree.
Although it’s not necessary, having a degree is highly recommended since it may help your application stand out. A bachelor’s degree in business, public relations, or hospitality will provide you more background information about the company you work for.
2. Obtain experience managing corporate events.
The greatest methods to develop your professional network are via internships and event volunteering. Start by observing experts in event management as they plan conferences and forums. Offer to work as a guest relations coordinator, administrative assistant, or any other position that will expose you to daily choices and fire drills. Only through this kind of practical experience can you learn how to identify problematic customers or providers early on and how to prepare backup plans that will allow you to change course when necessary.
3. Attend events!
Attend conferences and trade exhibitions, and get feedback from other participants. There is no better way to learn what functions well and what doesn’t than to actually experience an event. These are also excellent methods to network. You may develop the interpersonal connections and communication skills necessary to be successful in corporate event management by making a conscious effort to network at events. Meanwhile, you’ll expand your network of suppliers and providers, including caterers, photographers, florists, and performers, all of whom you might collaborate with in the future.
4. Obtain a certification in event management.
A professional events certification may advance your knowledge. Earning advanced qualifications may help you stand out and make sure you’re up to speed on the most recent industry best practises, even though certification is not required. You may get a variety of certificates based on your work and your professional objectives. Some of the most well-known event planning certifications are Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE), Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP), Digital Event Strategist (DES), and Certified Trade Show Marketer (CTSM).
5. Utilise your own event to practise.
your own event to host. Plan an event from beginning to end, whether it’s a run for charity or a friend’s birthday celebration. You can improve your abilities and procedures by doing this. You’ll acquire a great sense of detail as well as a strategy for handling ever-changing specifics. As you strive to consistently communicate successfully with clients, partners, and participants, your communication skills will improve. Additionally, because you’ll be negotiating with suppliers and managing both your own and their budgets, you’ll get negotiation skills. Additionally, you’ll learn new approaches to challenges as they arise.
Learn about the various corporate event categories.
A corporate event is any gathering planned by a firm that unites individuals in support of a professional objective. Corporate events may thus include a company’s staff, board members, partners, clients, or leads. Here are a few of the most typical corporate event categories that an event marketing manager helps to organise.
1. conferences and seminars
People with a same interest may connect, educate, and encourage one another by attending conferences and seminars. Seminars typically last one day or less and include a variety of knowledgeable presenters who impart their knowledge and thoughts. Consider attending a Jane Goodall presentation. Most of the time, workshops keep participants together in one area. Additionally, conferences are essentially a collection of seminars since they include a variety of topics and often last several days. An opening keynote speaker usually precedes specific breakout sessions or panel discussions regarding specialised themes. A fantastic example of a conference is Cvent CONNECT.
2. Market expos and exhibitions
Trade fairs and expos are enormous gatherings of people who have a common interest as well as a variety of merchants and exhibitors over the course of many days. Companies may present themselves as industry thought leaders and pioneers by participating in exchange exhibitions. Even if you don’t host the programme, your business may participate in an expo as an exhibitor to draw in new customers. For a trade show, event management include negotiating sponsorship pricing for the booth space, selecting VIPs and keynote speakers, promoting the event, and making sure setup and execution go without a hitch. An example of a trade exhibition is SWSX.
3. team-building activities
Employee engagement and motivation may be increased via team building activities. These are often tasks that test a group’s ability to work together to find a solution, and they may also include formal activities like games and athletic competitions. While pace and participation are crucial, don’t conflate team building with team building. Scavenger hunts, board game competitions, workplace trivia, improv workshops and escape rooms are a few of the greatest examples of team building activities.
4. product introductions
Events for product launches may vary from modest internal meetings to train internal sales staff to enormous extravagant parties designed to generate buzz about a new product. Businesses that sell items to consumers are more likely to conduct product launch events, with these potential customers and the media being the essential invitees as media coverage is one of the main goals of organising a launch event. Depending on the sector, these parties could have prizes, a speaker or famous visitors, dinner and champagne, or even live entertainment.
5. Board conferences
Board meetings often consist of a presentation and some discussion, which assists in bringing together managers and staff to debate important company choices. Similar to this, stakeholder meetings provide investors an opportunity to offer feedback on a company’s goals and strategy. Depending on the nature (and budget) of the organisation, the number of board members, or the number of investors in the organisation, these meetings may be held annually or every other year as small internal gatherings or larger events.
6. incentive programmes and executive getaways
Top team members come together for executive retreats to connect and plan the company’s future. To encourage the attendance, they are often hosted in a little fancier settings. Similar to this, incentive excursions often reward a group of individuals with a vacation to a faraway place. These business events aim to inspire sales teams and others to achieve significant objectives.
7. Holiday gatherings
The best method to recognise workers for their hard work throughout the year is during holiday parties. Holiday parties might include seasonal cuisine and thrilling musical performers. They are often hosted at restaurants or other special event locations. It may be intriguing to give workers an opportunity to interact on their own with a few hours set aside just for employees, even if significant others are often invited.
8. company awards ceremonies
Another approach to recognise and motivate workers is via company award ceremonies. These often include a few speakers as well as the whole organisation. Trophies, plaques, and pictures are examples of tangible prizes that are often given out. An example of an award ceremony is The Dundees.
9. monthly company-wide meetings
Many businesses have a once-a-month meeting for all workers to review the state of the business and future goals. Or, they gather all of their staff from across the globe in one location at least once a year. If the corporation doesn’t have a big enough conference room on its own site, they may be hosted in neighbourhood hotel ballrooms. The A/V is often a key element. Make sure the slide show shows and that everyone using a microphone feels at ease before the presentation.
10 easy steps for organising a business event
Understanding the five most important components of event management—research, design, planning, coordination, and evaluation—will help you approach each business event in the best possible manner. So, here are some useful suggestions for organising a business event that your guests won’t quickly forget.
1. Know the situation.
Create a consistent input template that you can use to fill out for each business event to ensure that you collect all the data required for success. Make sure your stakeholders assist you in determining who the event is for, what format it should take, a rough time frame, any ideas they may have for a location, and most importantly, why the event must occur. Use RASIC roles to determine who should be engaged in certain choices and to what degree when it comes to stakeholders. You may choose what sort of event will be most effective after you have determined your SMART objectives based on their expectations.
2. Make a budget for the best, basic, and worst case scenarios.
You can more accurately forecast what you may really spend and ensure that no one is caught off guard by setting up different layers of budgets. It’s wise to attempt to account for the unexpected item or items that usually appear at events by adding a 10% “fudge factor” in advance. Once you’ve determined your three budgets, strive to divide them up, giving the elements that will have the greatest effects on your event aim the largest percentages. For instance, even if the audience is comfortable, it’s probable that they won’t be able to hear to learn if you spend more money on expensive furnishings than on your speakers. Consider developing distinctive event sponsorship packages as well as enlisting a team of volunteers from nearby schools to further reduce expenses.
3. At all costs, use a checklist to stay on schedule.
Each activity that has to be completed before, during, or after the event should have a time restriction assigned to it before being included to a thorough checklist. Consider going so far as to make a to-do list for each team member if you are organising an event team. Create an online spreadsheet and create separate tabs for each event category, such as location, speaker, agenda, timetable, and travel, to note every step of the process, the owner, and any pertinent deadlines.
4. To save time, use online collaboration tools.
Create the event design, keep track of possible event sponsors in a cloud-based sales and catering system, and power your event registration with user-friendly capabilities by using collaborative online event software. Using software that updates in real-time regardless of where your team members are situated might help you avoid making a lot of errors since things change so often as a result of occurrences.
5. No of the size, give the guests a sense of exclusivity.
Choosing how many people to invite might be highly stressful. Are they members of the community, long-term clients, business partners, managers, executives, or a mix of these or other groups? You may cater to their wants and interests after you have identified your target audience. People will remember the event experience regardless of the size of the guest list. Therefore, every person who attends the event has the ability to represent your company’s brand. Every step of the journey, from adding their names on the invites to making sure they get the correct food, should include personal touches.
6. Select a format that is interactive.
The moment has come to choose a distinct theme and structure. Look at the themes that rivals have used and how the audience has reacted to them. Look into the general interests of your customers in Google Analytics to see if there are any patterns you can use to develop a distinctive theme. To establish your organisation as a thought leader, invite a guest speaker. Create client panels and roundtables to promote conversation and idea exchange. Divide attendees into smaller groups depending on their areas of interest. Work consciously to strike a balance between ensuring that participants are engaged in learning, interacting with others, and receiving some breathing room since they may need some downtime to absorb what they are learning and reenergize.
7. Pick a nearby location.
Try to remain close to home since participation depends on geography. On Cvent, you may look through hundreds of nearby event spaces and select one that has a lively atmosphere, is in a handy location, and will make attendees feel at ease and prepared to travel. Make sure the food, A/V, and security all satisfy your expectations by doing a virtual site tour.
8. Update the logistics in real time.
You won’t have any glitches if everything is well arranged. Have an agenda for the event, be aware of when your suppliers are arriving to set up, and make sure your crew is aware of the schedule. When changes occur, use a collaborative platform to keep your coworkers, suppliers, and the venue informed. To mention a few, you may exchange schematics, seating charts, and your registration list with caterers, AV experts, printers, designers, photographers, and security personnel. Make sure everyone in your group has a particular task they are accountable for in order to ensure everything goes according to your plan. Saying to yourself, “If this goes wrong, who gets fired? ” is one simple approach to do it.” and confirm that someone is involved (not that you would fire them, of course!).
9. Prepare your marketing and sales teams to advertise the event.
Nobody will attend your event if they are unaware of it. Make an event website and marketing sponsorship packages first. Afterward, motivate your sales staff to email contacts and mention the conference when they visit clients. Work with your marketing staff to add your event to industry listings and directories, publish advertising on social media and in industry publications, and pay your partners to spread it. Utilise the same hashtags and event slogan across channels to increase brand awareness.
10. Take just as long to wrap up your event as you did to start it.
We often invest a lot of effort in beginning new projects, but less so in finishing them successfully and learning from them. Make sure to include a final call to action for guests as you wrap off your event. It might offer a unique code for your product, exclusive access to event images, one final chance to win free goodies, or anything else. Once the event day is over, take care of any last-minute tasks, such as making final payments to suppliers, balancing the books, and organising a post-event debrief with your team. Then, have a Post-It Note party after the conference where everyone posts sticky notes in columns for what worked well, what might have been improved, and what they learnt. Additionally, use your event planning tool to get feedback from participants. Share whatever you discover with all the appropriate partners as well.
You’re now prepared to master these corporate event management strategies!
The Bureau of Labour Statistics estimates that the number of jobs for meeting and event planners will increase by 11% between 2016 and 2026. Therefore, compared to the 7% overall predicted increase, event planners seem to have a promising future in the workforce. Therefore, it is now that you should continue to develop your corporate event management talents.
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