Did you know that the party and event planning industry in the United States is worth over $4 billion?
Planning a corporate event can come with all kinds of benefits that will propel your business ahead of the competition. However, there are lots of different pitfalls that you can face if you don’t create a detailed corporate event checklist.
Have you been stressing out about the success of an upcoming corporate event? Read on to break down eight of the most common corporate event planning mistakes so you can ensure that your event is a massive success.
1. Not Establishing Your Corporate Event Goals
Before you can get the gears turning for your corporate event plants, it’s important to ask yourself why you feel compelled to host this event in the first place. Some business owners want to connect with clients, others want to hire corporate retreat planners to reward their employees, and others want to celebrate the launch of a new product.
Identifying your goals is crucial for planning a corporate event that isn’t a waste of people’s time. With a solid goal in your sights, you can make every other decision based on whether or not it’ll help your event be more successful.
2. Not Setting a Corporate Event Budget
Sometimes corporate events can seem frivolous once people learn how much they cost. The truth is that any business owner can plan a killer corporate event with any budget as long as they have realistic expectations. Corporate events can make your employees feel more productive or increase product sales, so they’re always worthwhile.
After you have a firm budget, the next step is to figure out how much of your budget you’d like to allocate for food, entertainment, the venue, and more.
3. Choosing an Event Venue That Doesn’t Make Sense
Take a moment to close your eyes and envision what your ideal corporate event venue looks like. Is there a stage for guest speakers to perform? Is it large or small and intimate?
You should never rush the venue browsing process because you need to be sure that every guest will feel comfortable there. For example, some outdoor venues are stunning and can accommodate lots of people, but they might not make sense if you’re planning your event during the peak of summer heat.
4. Not Exploring Options for Catering for Events
Food and drinks are perhaps the most important element of any event. Even if the entertainment is lacking, people will always be in a good mood when their stomachs are satisfied.
You can have a lot of fun chatting with local restaurants to learn more about their catering options and prices. Choose a caterer who can accommodate allergies while staying within your budget.
5. Picking an Inconvenient Time or Date
If you’re investing all of this time, energy, and money into planning an incredible corporate event, you should try to welcome as many guests as you can. If you choose a time or date that inconveniences your guests, then they’re more likely to not show up.
The biggest no-no is planning a corporate event around the holidays since this is when people travel elsewhere the most. If your event is for your employees, then you should consider taking a poll so that your guests can have the greatest say.
6. Adding Too Much or Too Little to the Agenda
When corporate events don’t have a whole lot of action going on, then there can be awkward silences that make your guests feel uncomfortable. Do your research so you can hire high-quality speakers, DJs, and other entertainers.
Be mindful of creating a schedule that’s too tight as well. If you have to rush through everything, then your guests won’t have the chance to properly appreciate each section of the event.
7. Understaffing Your Corporate Event
Your guests should feel like royalty when they’re attending your corporate event. No one should have to stand in a long line or wave down staff constantly to get a drink refill.
As a general rule of thumb, you should have at least one server for every 25 guests. It’s always better to have more staff than not enough, though.
8. Not Knowing When It’s Time to Hire an Event Planner for Companies
Planning an entire corporate event from start to finish takes a ton of work if you want the results to be fun and engaging. You may feel like you can take on this event planning role by yourself, but you’ll need a team of people from your business to band together so you can cover all of the bases. If you feel overwhelmed by this big task, then you can always hire a professional company event planner so you can be at peace knowing that they’ll be able to plan an unforgettable event.
Local corporate event planners are already familiar with possible venues, caterers, entertainment, and so much more. They’ll help you map out every detail of your dream corporate event from start to finish using these connections and talent.
You Can’t Afford to Make These Corporate Event Planning Mistakes
It’s normal to feel like the stakes are impossibly high when you’re trying to plan a corporate event. Now that you’ve taken the time to educate yourself on the most common corporate event planning mistakes, you can do everything possible to ensure that all of your guests have a blast.
Are you in need of event planning services in the Dallas or Fort Worth, Texas areas? Total Events DFW is here to support you every step of the way so you can be confident that your event will be perfect. Contact us to learn more about how our event planning services can help you succeed.