Planning corporate events can be difficult to get right. Of course you want your event to be professional and reflect well on you, but you also need to make sure it fulfills your company’s goals and is engaging, interesting, and helpful for your guests. Plus, on top of everything else, you will likely need to plan it and coordinate everything while still trying to do a full-time job at the same time. That’s a tall order, and it’s not an easy task. Here are our three tips for what to do before you plan your next corporate event:

1. Write down your dos and don’ts
Before you start to plan your event, figure out who the stakeholders are and understand exactly what they want, and don’t want, from the event. Maybe it’s your boss or a client, or maybe it’s you and a team of your co-workers. In any case, understand from the beginning what each stakeholder’s must-haves are, as well as what their deal breakers are. This way, you’ll get all of the big ideas and strong opinions out in the open and avoid major issues, miscommunications, and roadblocks later when your event gets closer. Plus, if you decide to hire an event-planning company, you can start out by clearly communicating the necessities, which can save you a headache (or a few!) during the planning process.

2. Come up with a goal and a vision
Knowing what you want out of your event is a crucial step even before you begin the planning process. If you know what you want to accomplish with the event, it’ll be much easier to think through and decide the details. Plus, if you’re working with a team or an event-planning company, you can start off the process with a clear vision and get everyone on the same page before you start, which will lessen the likelihood of miscommunication later.

When thinking through your vision and goals, ask yourself and your team these questions: Why are you hosting this event? What kind of event will it be, and what are you and your company hoping to gain from it? Is it leads, sales, donors, contacts, or something else? Plus, who is your audience? Who will your guests be, and what do you want them to get out of it?

3. Hire an event planning company
People rarely have time to plan corporate events on top of their full-time jobs—especially without working extra hours and putting on a lot more stress. Once you know your goals and vision for your event and a few big decisions like your budget, hiring an event planner to take care of the details is one of the smartest choices you can make.

If you’re not sure how to begin, asking trusted friends and colleagues for recommendations is a great way to start the search for an event-planning company. Though it might seem like more work upfront—looking for an event-planning company, contacting and interviewing planners, and finding the right one—it’ll save you the time and stress of planning and coordinating each detail yourself. With your input and goals in mind, an event planner can create the perfect event that you can be proud of, with minimal stress and time from you.

If you have any questions or would like to speak one of our event professionals, contact us today.