There are all sorts of reasons to host a corporate event; it gives you a great opportunity to showcase your business and let potential customers know what you can offer. It’s also a great way to network and build beneficial partnerships with other business owners and you might even be able to source some great new employees as well. Most people tend to underestimate how difficult it is to host a good corporate event though. It’s not just about putting up a tent and sending out a few email invites, there’s more to it than that. Putting on an event is going to cost you a lot of money which is why you’ve got to make sure that you’re actually getting something out of it. Otherwise, you’re just wasting all of that money. If you’re considering putting on an event of your own soon, here’s everything you need to know to make it a success.
Don’t Forget About The Logistics
Before you start thinking about who you’re going to invite and how best to sell yourselves at the event, you need to think about the logistics of the event itself. People often overlook these basics and the event suffers for it. You’ve got to think about where you’re going to host the event, whether there are enough chairs for everybody and whether you’re going to supply food etc. It’s best to rent clear span fabric structures if you’re hosting the event outside so there is plenty of shelter for your guests. Make sure that you’re supplying refreshments and plenty of seating so people are comfortable. You’d be surprised how quickly people will leave if they aren’t enjoying themselves at the event. Another thing that you absolutely can’t forget is parking. If you don’t make sure that there’s enough parking at the event, you’re going to give a bad impression from the outset.
Invite The Right People
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when they’re putting together a corporate event is that they think quantity is more important than quality when it comes to guests. You could get 500 people in but you’re not going to get anything out of it if they’re not the right 500 people. You need to think about who your potential customers are and which local business leaders might be interested in partnering with you. You’ll be far more successful with your networking if you target the right people rather than sending out blanket emails to anybody on your contacts list.
Follow Up
Even if you get the right people at the event and you make some good connections, it’s all for nothing if you don’t actually follow up and set up some meetings. There’s no use just collecting a pocketful of business cards that end up at the bottom of your desk drawer. Email those people the following morning telling them you were glad to have met them and asking them for a meeting.
Follow these simple rules and you can host a great corporate event which really helps to push your business forward.