As the online era is taking shape companies are planning ways to stay with the trends. Corporate businesses are all fighting for a spot as a top tier company in their respective fields. This can be achieved in multiple different ways.

A corporate business can use a corporate event planning business to ensure that they plan, create and host an event that would provide them with credibility and social currency. By providing new insight and knowledge through events companies can reach the top of their industry at a good rate. This is all through the use of a corporate planning company.

Companies can now hire external teams to build an event that will represent the brand that the business wants to build. By setting clear guidelines and goals the planning company will create the perfect event as well as market and advertise it. This will take a lot of pressure and stress on the internal team of the company.

What Is Corporate Event Planning?

Corporate event planning is the organizing and creating of a specific event for a corporate business. These events can vary from normal meetings to a big product launches. Other events such as team breakaways or award ceremonies are included.

Types of Corporate Events

There are a variety of events that a corporate event business can plan. These events differ based on the goals and objectives placed on the event by the hosting company. If the company wants to show a new product, a certain event will be best for it. However, conferences and team-building events will take a different look and planning.

Conferences and Conventions

The main aim of a conference is to distribute and share educational information with the attendees. In these sorts of events, the host will share new knowledge that came to light. This can be used as an engagement tool to access other individuals’ opinions and reasoning.

Conventions focus on a small specific group. These events are not open for any person who wants to attend but rather aim to invite the team and members that must be present in the meeting. The main difference between a convention and a conference is the number of members that are allowed to attend.

Trade Shows and Expos

Trade shows and expos focus primarily on products and services the company has to offer. This will allow the corporate business to advertise and promote its own business at a big show or expo. These shows are mainly industry focus and are usually combined with a group of the top in the industry, all advertising to the clients and potential customers.

Product Launches

A product launch will be used by the corporate planning company when the manufacturers and businesses created a brand-new product or service for their target audience. These events will promote and advertise the strengths and necessities of the brand-new product. There are multiple options for product events, all placing the focus on one goal. Promote a product

Award Ceremonies and Galas

Award ceremonies are events where companies will compensate the staff members and team for their hard work. These awards will be handed to individuals that reached set goals. This is an amazing motivator due to the recognition in front of other staff members. 

The Gala is an event that provides food, a beautiful venue, and nice music for the team. This can be used for team building or as a compensation and year-end function. 

Corporate Retreats and Team-building Events

Company retreats focus on taking the team members out of their everyday environment such as an office space, or for the remote employees out of their houses. These events bring the team together at a different location where they will have time to relax, recoup and focus on main recurring problems or team building exercises.

Team building can occur at corporate retreats. Multiple retreat and team building options will ensure the team returns stronger and focus on the goals that lie ahead.

Benefits of Using a Corporate Event Planning Company

Professional Expertise and Experience

A professional planner has the experience and direction that will lead to making clear and precise decisions based on prior experience. These event planners will know the pitfalls that can leave an event unsuccessful. They will use their experience to create the perfect event for the goals set by the company.

Time and Cost Savings

Organizing an event will take time and planning. Companies will have to spend money on a trial-and-error attitude to find what exactly they want and need. While a planning management team will know what and where to find the necessary products with the best prices. Saving the business time and money.

Access to Resources and Vendors

Event planners have a lot to offer as a management company. These teams do not only plan the entire event but make complete use of their connections with venues, caterers, and sound/audio companies. This provides them with the foundation to build any event that a company desires.

Reduced Stress for Company Employees

Companies can free up time for internal staff, however, this will take longer and can lead to a frustrated team due to the amount of expertise needed. The business can outsource and save both time and stress for their employees

Services Offered by Corporate Event Planning Companies

Multiple corporate event planning companies can provide the services a business need to organize virtual events or in person events. However, the following basic services must be part of the package.

Event Conceptualization and Design

Event design and conceptualization focus on the first few steps of bringing the idea to life. Here the focus is to create the appearance and the feel of the event. The company must view the event from the audience’s point of view. What exactly does the business want to achieve and how should the audience perceive it?

Venue Selection and Management

Deciding on a venue can have a bigger impact on the planned event than one might think. The planning company will provide the team with great venues that will be determined by capacity, parking options, service, and amenities. The venue must add value to the event and not take away from the overall feel. Contracts must be taken into consideration. 

Budget Development and Management

The budget development place focus on creating guidelines for spending the company’s money. The budget will provide financial value to every aspect of the event. This is to ensure that the event planners do not run out of financial capital at any time to organize the event. Managers must regularly view and manage the budget and spending to prevent overspending in certain areas. 

Marketing and Promotion

Planning and bringing an idea to life is one part of event planning. The event must be seen by the target audience. Planning companies will place focus on creating the best platforms to spread the word about the event. An event website with all the details and social media strategies will benefit the company’s marketing strategy. These strategies can be followed for on-site, or virtual events. 

On-site Event Management

Selecting individuals for the day of the event will be of crucial importance. The team must be friendly and educated and must know how to communicate with old and new customers. This part can ruin the complete event. All speakers must be well-informed and communicate positively. From cleaners to speakers, every aspect will add value to the event. 

Choosing the Right Corporate Event Planning Company

Corporate planning companies are all different. Choosing the right event planners can only happen once the business knows the ultimate goal and audience they want to reach. The business must find a company that has similar values and whom they enjoy communicating with. 

Identifying Your Event Needs and Goals

Event goals refer to the expected outcome the business wants from the event. Companies might prefer a product launch where they can advertise a new product or rather focus on improving the current customer relationships. These goals will determine the needs. The need to focus on what must happen to reach the goal.

Check Out Define Event Goals & Objectives: 4 Essential Steps:

Researching Potential Companies

Take time to decide on the best event planners to work with. Corporate businesses must leave enough time to make an educated decision on whom to work with. Find a company that has similar goals and that wants both corporations to succeed through the event. Set certain criteria and standards and pick the best-suited company based on them. 

Checking References and Reviews

Simple check reviews and references. This will allow the business insight into how other companies experience the planning company. Look for those that have better and higher reviews. The business can ask for references from other businesses they trust. This social currency will ensure the pick of a high-quality planning corporation. 

Meeting With Potential Companies

Before hiring the best candidate for the event planning, schedule a sit-down meeting where the two teams can communicate the needs, and goals of the event. This will allow both sides to raise any concerns. This will provide a clear communication platform that will set the tone for the entire event. 

Virtual Meeting and Event Planning

Planning and creating a virtual event will take a different stance from planning a life in-person event. The virtual meeting might have the same marketing and promotion strategy, however, the technical aspect of the event can become a bit more intricate. 

The corporate event management company will have to incorporate a technical team that has experience in setting up platforms to cover a large number of individuals joining one server. The online event must add value and provide the attendees to ask questions and feel the ambiance without being at a specific location. 

Case Studies/Examples of Successful Corporate Events Planned by Conference Source

Description of Event

Conference Source can bring the company description and idea to life. They take pride in their ability to build any event that the corporate business desires. They have worked with a variety of clients all cherishing the hard work of Conference Source. 

Challenges Overcome

Some of the challenges the corporate events company has overcome are working with different personalities and characters. The variety of teams leads to adaptation and learning how to deal with difficult individuals. 

Another challenge the Conference Source team has overcome is the use of untrusted sources and companies. They have been let down by a variety of connections, thus only holding on to companies that can deliver on their promises. This will leave the event in the hands of reliable companies, all working together to deliver a successful event.

Results and Impact on the Company

The impact a successful event has is phenomenal. The company will build a reliable brand and loyalty with its customers. The run of a successful event will result in establishing themselves in a competitive industry. These events will ensure credibility that will draw customers and clients.

Corporate Event Planning Checklist

Building a corporate event from the ground up takes time, however having a checklist that clearly states what needs to be done. Allocating time for the necessary tasks will add more value to the checklist. This will ensure that everything important gets done. 

Define the Event Objectives and Goals

Goals are the desired outcome of the event. This can be divided into short-term and long-term goals. Companies must ensure that the goals set are measurable and achievable. Setting unrealistic goals can hurt the brand of the business.

Establish the Event Budget

Building a budget must start with a planning process of the overall financial capital that the business wants to invest in the event. Procedures after setting the event budget will be to allocate the budget for all the smaller tasks and products such as venue hire, catering hire, and décor.

Determine the Target Audience and Guest List

Target audience refers to an ideal group of people, with specific demographics that the product or service that would add the most value. This will assist the company in determining what social platforms to use. The target audience will be the group of people that the company wants to attract through event marketing to attend the event. 

Select the Event Date and Venue

Be very selective with the date. The date must be suited for the majority of the attendees and speakers. Companies should not focus solely on the availability of the speaker. Certain dates will be better for the audience, and seeing that they are the target, they must be considered. The event organizer will use their connections to venue sourcing which will leave the business events with the desired outcome. 

Develop a Theme and Overall Design Concept

A well-planned theme and design aim to complete the goals set by the business. The corporate events planning company must know exactly what problems the event and products advertised want to solve. Develop a theme that any of the attendees can easily identify. This will add clarity to the event and provides a guideline for event marketing.

Coordinate With Event Vendors (Catering, Decorations, Audio/Visual, Etc.)

Communication is the foundation for a successful conference. The more regular the communication occurs, the higher the chances are for a successful business. The planning corporation must ensure that all these vendors know exactly what is expected of them. Regular checkups will ensure that the vendors stay on track with the business goals and budget.

Plan for Transportation and Parking for Guests

Providing enough parking for guests that are secure and safe is of utmost importance. The attendees should not feel unsafe leaving their vehicles. The company can create allocated parking around the event by using fields or creating a parking space.

If the event requires a distance to travel for events such as conferences and team building the business must provide a safe and cheap(free) traveling option. By providing the traveling, employees can be at ease using their vehicles or spending money that is not particularly in their budget. 

Arrange for Accommodations for Out-of-town Guests

Extra services will place the event above other competitive company events. Arranging accommodations for the traveling guest will allow the business to add value to their guests and clients. Going this extra mile in the events industry will create loyalty, and the guest will communicate this to their friends and family members.

Develop a Schedule of Events and Program

The event program provides the attendees and guest speakers with information on the order of the event. The schedule will equip attendees to know what to expect. This will ensure that no member feels lost or confused. Creating this template of the event timeline to be online will allow the attendees to have access to it at all times. 

Create a Marketing and Promotion Plan

Event marketing will be the way the target audience will come across the event. Will they encounter it through social media, a website, or pamphlets shared by the business? These strategies will ensure that the set audience knows of the event. 

Promotions on the other hand, will be used as a motivation to attract new and existing clientele. Free giveaways or cheaper prices will ensure that customers attend the event. 

Prepare a Contingency Plan for Unexpected Events

A contingency plan is to ensure that the event runs as smoothly as possible. However, problems can occur within any industry. So simply avoiding them will not do the trick. The contingency plan focus on event solutions should the problem come to light. Creating solutions before the problems occur will equip the team to solve problems quickly and with ease.

Make Arrangements for Event Security

Implementing a security source can be of great value to the event. This arrangement will ensure that all the attendees are safe, and if a problem occurs the team will be there to ensure they are safe at all costs.

Coordinate With Local Authorities and Obtain Necessary Permits

Hiring a planning company has benefits. These organizations know all permits and documents needed to host an event. Ensure that all the permits are obtained and signed. This will prevent the authorities from ending the event sooner than planned. 

Create a Detailed Day-of-event Schedule and Assign Tasks to Event Staff

Assigning tasks to the staff and management beforehand will leave the entire team knowing exactly what to do on the day. This will ensure that the tasks are equally divided and that the team all works together. Assigning the staff tasks creates a sense of accountability which will lead them to work harder. No work will be undone and even the smallest task will lead to a successful event.

Prepare an Event Evaluation Plan to Gather Feedback and Measure Success

The turnout of the event does not solely determine the success of the event. Companies must create systems to inquire about feedback from guest speakers and attendees on the success rate. The business can set up questionnaires to focus on what they have missed according to the attendees. 

Follow Up With Guests, Vendors, and Attendees After the Event

Following up can be a tedious job. However, companies can set up reviews and questionnaires on a website or social media to check up on the attendees and guest speakers. This will allow input on where to ensure a future successful corporate event. 

Hiring an Established Event Planning Team

There are many benefits to choosing an established event planning team. The company not only has connections with key vendors that will save the company money but moreover will provide the business with key input on what it takes to run a successful event.

The planning company will know what to focus on, how to achieve the goals set as well as what pitfalls to avoid in the planning and hosting phase of corporate meetings.

Conference Source has some of the best teams the industry can provide. The team has experience in multiple industries and can ensure organizing the next event. This corporate event management company will plan and build any event, from product launches to team buildings, according to the goals and guidelines set by the business. The friendly staff will provide the company with everything they need to host a top-tier event. 

Corporate Event Planning Company: FAQs

What Is the Most Difficult Part of Planning an Event?

Various parts can be seen as difficult when planning an event. The biggest difficulty in event planning will be to identify and state clear goals. With a team and a planning company, the business can overcome any problems and difficulties if they spend time focusing on clear and absolute solutions.

What Are the 6 Stages of Planning an Event?

Set a goal and clear objectives for the event. Produce a budget that will suit the company. Decide on a team that will assist the company in building a successful event. Determine a date, time, and venue. 

The fourth stage in event planning is to find established speakers and vendors for the event. After deciding on the speaker companies must focus on marketing and promoting the event. And lastly, host and obtain feedback from attendees. 

Final Thoughts

Planning an event can take its toll on anyone. Companies can reduce stress by simply hiring a team that knows the ropes around planning and creating the perfect event. This will not only save time but money as well. Establishing the perfect relationship with customers through a successful event has never been this easy.

Sabine Ghali

Kelly Murphy

PRESIDENT & FOUNDER

Certified Meeting planner with 20+ years of event management experience, founder of ConferenceSource, expert in meeting facility sourcing & contracting in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. Kelly will manage your budget as if they were her own, negotiating the best possible rate and hotel contract to benefit and protect every client and exceed all expectations for all planning aspects for sales meetings, educational meetings, product launches, incentive trips down to a small board of directors meeting. We make meetings easy understanding your meeting objectives and delivering meeting matched components.