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Planning Your Corporate Event

If you’re planning a networking event that will have a speaking or presentation portion for your company there are a few good questions to ask yourself. What type of tech do you need? How many people will be speaking over the course of the event? Will they be seated? Standing? Walking around? Stationary at a podium? Will, there be Q&A? Is your space large enough for the number of guests you’re planning to have? So, how do you go about planning you’re corporate event?

While all these questions may seem a bit overwhelming they’re critical to planning a successful event where everyone can be heard, seen, and feel comfortable speaking in. At times it can feel like putting together a puzzle. Below are some useful tips to help answer these questions and put the pieces together.

Have a conversation with the folks you have speaking while planning your corporate event. This could be a quick email or message to gauge their level of confidence, their tech needs, their comfortability with different types of microphones, or their familiarity with an event like yours. Some questions to ask if you don’t already know are:

• Have you spoken at an event like this before?
• When you’ve spoken at events what type of microphone have you used/are you comfortable with? (Handheld, clip-on, on a stand) 
• What type of tech do you need? A laptop? Projection screen? TV? Document magnifier?
• Are you more comfortable seated or standing?
• Do you plan on having your presentation written down? Might you need a podium of some sort to have your materials readily available?

Not sure what questions to ask? Let us know and we’re happy to help you draft the email, and provide helpful material to prep all of your speakers to sound and feel their best.

What does the setup of your room look like? When planning your corporate event a floor plan put together with your venue or based on your own knowledge of the space can help make sure your vendors, presenters, and guests know exactly where to be. Below are some things to keep in consideration.

• Do you have an area large enough for the amount speakers you plan on having? For example, the space requirements for one speaker at a podium will differ tremendously from a panel of 8-10 speakers.
• Is there enough space for your guests to sit or stand based on the duration? 
• Where will the AV equipment go? 

Based on the type of event, the number of guests, and speakers we can help put together a floor plan that makes the most sense for all of your AV needs.

Like any other event a timeline is another important piece of the puzzle when planning your corporate event. It helps keep your event on time, your guests engaged, and everything running smoothly. Be sure to share a copy with any vendors you’re working with to keep everyone on the same page. When putting together your timeline some good questions to ask are:

• How many speakers or presentations are there? 
• Will there be a happy/cocktail hour?
• Will you be spreading the presentations over a longer event or do you have one presentation followed by some networking? 

With our background in corporate events, weddings, and parties we’re happy to help put together your timeline.

The next piece to consider is guest accommodations. Are you holding a multi-day event with folks coming from a distance? If so a block of hotel rooms or places to stay may have to be secured. Or, maybe you’re holding a one-day event. What does the parking situation look like? It’s crucial to let your guests, presenters, and anyone attending your event know any of these details so that everyone arrives on time and knows what to expect when they arrive. Check out the questions below to have answered before you address your guests ahead of the event.

• Is there a parking lot? 
• Will you be providing a shuttle?
• Garage Parking? Will it be validated?
• Having a bar? Will it be open, cash, drink ticket-based, or some combination of the 3? 

Properly relaying this info to your guests will make sure everyone is comfortable and prepared to have a great time at your event!

Attendance tracking is an important metric in planning your event! Do you know how many guests will be attending your next event?  This will help you and your vendors properly scale the equipment, food, parking, and other items to accommodate everyone comfortably. Below are some tips on ways to track these.

• If you’re having an event with folks internal to your company create a simple registration form through Google forms and send the link out as an RSVP.
• Having an event with folks outside of your organization? Consider having a ticketing system to have an up-to-date count on attendance
• Plan on having a check-in table (and put it on your floor plan!) to validate the guests in attendance, hand out nametags, distribute drink tickets, letting folks know their seat assignments. Another way to do this in an “assigned seating” scenario is to put the welcome packages at each seat with the nametag visible and have a board that guests can view on the way in to see their seating assignment.

Finally, don’t forget about the importance of audio and visual quality when planning your corporate event. It can make or break a presentation or speech, and can impact the overall success of your event. When considering your AV needs, think about the size of your space, the number of speakers, and the type of presentation you’ll be delivering.

• Will you need projectors or screens?
•  How many microphones will you need? 
• Will you need lighting to enhance the presentation?

Make sure you work with an experienced AV company that can provide you with high-quality equipment and technical support to ensure that everything runs smoothly. A good AV company will also be able to help you plan and execute your event, and provide you with guidance on how to maximize the impact of your presentation.

By taking these factors into consideration and planning ahead, you can ensure that your networking event with a speaking or presentation portion runs smoothly and is a success. Don’t be afraid to reach out to professionals for help in planning and executing your event – it can make all the difference in the world.

Keeping your guests entertained throughout your corporate event is key. It helps to keep your audience engaged and leads your event to have a greater impact on each guest. The options are fairly endless for activities and services to keep everyone’s attention. Some options include:

• DJs
• Silent Disco
• Intelligent Lighting
• Retro Gaming
• Photobooths
• Selfie Stations