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The key to having a successful corporate event lies in the planning. Organizers who invest the necessary time into planning each and every detail will reap the benefits of a more productive event. While no two corporate events are the same, we’ve compiled a checklist of things to do when planning your next event.

One of the first steps in planning a corporate event is to set a date. We’ve talked about this before on our blog, but it’s worth mentioning again that organizers should avoid dates that correspond with holidays, sporting events, concerts, or other major events. Weekends are often preferred for corporate events simply because the majority of employees are free during this time.

Find a Venue

Now comes the fun part: searching for a venue. If you’ve organized events in the past, you may already have a venue in mind. But if this is your first time hosting a corporate event, you’ll have to begin your search from the ground up, checking prospective venues to see if they can accommodate your needs.

Hire Entertainment

No corporate event is complete without entertainment – well, no good corporate event that is. Cover bands like The Heist, Slower, and Siren’s Crush all excellent choices. Attendees are sure to appreciate the solid musical performances by cover bands such as these. Alternatively, you can hire a professional magician like the Ben Silver to really leave a lasting impression on attendees.

Rewards and Prizes

If you plan on recognizing employees for their hard work and dedication, you should buy the rewards/prizes ahead of time. Many employers use corporate events to recognize their hard-working staff, rewarding them with a personalized trophy, wall plaque, or similar awards. Rather than waiting until the last minute to purchase these rewards, it’s recommended that you do it several weeks before the event.

Seating

Most venues will allow you to use their own seating. Others, however, will require you to bring your own. If seating isn’t provided at the venue, you’ll have to either purchase or rent enough seating for attendees.

Food and Beverages

There’s still more work that needs to be done when planning a corporate event, such as preparing the food and beverages. Even short, one-hour events should feature some finger foods and beverages for attendees. Of course, you can go the extra mile by hiring a professional catering company instead.

Invitations

The final leg of planning a corporate event is to create the invitations. This can be done in paper form, or you can create digital invitations and email them. Regardless of which method you prefer, be sure to include the following information on the invitations:

  • Date and time of the event.
  • How long it will last.
  • Location (directions are a plus).
  • Dress code.
  • Contact information of organizer/planner.