Holding a corporate event is much more than just throwing a big party. An event can generate new business and breathe life back into a company. It gives employees and other professionals something to look forward to in the weeks to come, boosting morale. Not only that, events are a great place to mingle and network.
Hiring a professional to get the job done right is just the first step. There are pitfalls that can be made that make events unsuccessful. And success is really the name of the game. So, here are some common mistakes you don’t want to make on your upcoming corporate event.
Poor venue choice
The venue is a crucial decision that should be made with care and strategic planning. Think about your guest list and how many of those people are likely to attend. You want a venue that is big enough to hold a crowd but also doesn’t seem too big or too small for what you are trying to accomplish.
An oversized venue will make it look like no one has shown up to your event, despite a good crowd. On the contrary, a venue that is too small will make guests feel cramped. Wherever you choose to host, ensure that the location has areas such as lobbies, patio spaces, and wide hallways with seating or lounges available for guests to enjoy. It allows them to move around the event without bumping into everyone and also have more intimate conversation spaces.
Overwhelming guests with speakers
We all know those events where we are bored to tears and stare at our watches just waiting for the perfect moment to escape. If your guests feel like that, then the event will be labeled as a dud, and all the plans of grandeur will slowly crumble. Guests want to have fun at events. They don’t want to be placed at a table or seated in a theater and talked at for hours on end.
While speeches are often necessary to introduce successful members of the company or shine a light on the effort behind the event, using them sparingly will make a much larger impact. If you have one important speaker, leave it at that. Don’t overload guests with handfuls of people who get up on stage and talk into a microphone for much too long. People will become bored, and they will stop listening to the message being shared.
No food or bad food
A crucial part of any event is the food and drink service. Hosting an event with no food is a terrible idea and one that could have serious repercussions. It doesn’t have to be a sit-down meal—appetizers on trays are a perfectly acceptable food solution.
Before booking a venue, be sure to sample any food they offer from their kitchen or even the food you plan to outsource. You don’t want guests to be sick at the end of the night because of the food, and you certainly don’t want poorly crafted food making their way to donors or important members of the company.
Terrible event themes
Themes can be a great way to inject a little bit of fun and whimsy into an event. You can incorporate your theme into décor or even the menu, but don’t go overboard. This isn’t a junior prom or a sweet sixteen party; it’s a corporate event. All décor should be tasteful and perhaps even minimal.
Above all, don’t feel the need to thrust the theme into every single aspect of the event. The event itself holds a purpose and going overboard on a theme could become distracting to all those involved.
If you have any questions about your next event, please reach out to us today.