10 Commandments of corporate events

Those who have extensive experience with the world of corporate event planning know just how much it takes to organise and execute a great event. We took it upon ourselves to distil this knowledge into 10 commandments that every event planner must follow. Make no mistake, these are much more than tips or well-meant advice; our list of 10 commandments of corporate event planning is absolutely crucial to the success of every event.

1. Remember the value of networking

The vast majority of excellent event planners are also great networkers. That is because a large network of local suppliers, trusted colleagues, and friends can make the difference between success and failure. Having someone to rely on when things get tough and know who to call when a client requests something unusual is indispensable. Event managers/planners can never joke with the importance of networking, In fact the pool of suppliers, vendors, trusted colleagues you have at your disposal help determine the success of your events. You can always rely on them when you are in a fix, e.g when your clients request something unusual, you already have those to come to your rescue; so always be on the lookout for potential partners you could connect with.

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2. Location, Location, Location

 You must never make the wrong choice of location. A great location is like a beautiful dress you wear to dazzle your partner on a date. It has to fit the mood, accentuate all the right things, and, most importantly, match the character of the person wearing it. If your clients and visitors instantly fall in love with the venue, you’ll enter the event with a group of joyful people who look forward to everything that’s to come.

3. Know your objectives

Having a clear goal that is well written out helps in the success of your events. Always be prepared and carefully consider every event with all details that you can think of. But keep in mind that, no matter how good your plans are, something usually goes wrong sometimes. That’s why you need a backup plan in place and never resort to panic.

4. Signing up for the event should be effortless

Your goal is to eliminate as many barriers to purchase as possible. A reliable event management software will help you simplify event registration and provide your attendees with excellent user experience.

5. Be aware of trends

 You must at all-times strive to create timeless and elegant trends, do not copy and paste other peoples work, be creative and innovate. Also, understanding your clients and environment is key to delivering a remarkable event. You must be up to date to know the current trends and your clients’ interest and personality. Humans are social creatures. We take notice of what other people do, what they like, and how they behave. We try to emulate what’s popular and avoid making the same mistakes as others. As an event planner, it’s your job to follow latest trends, so you can always easily come up with new ideas and surprise your customers with creative thinking.

6. Be mindful of cultural differences

Event planners must have a good understanding of the differences between cultures and how one thing may be a big hit in one culture and be considered as completely inappropriate in other. There’s nothing worse than making visitors feel uncomfortable at an event that was organised just for them.

7. Better to have more hands than not enough

Budget issues aside, you should always ensure that you have enough staff available to keep up with the event and guarantee that everything will flow smoothly. However, not all staff members are created equal and some inexperienced workers may cause you nothing but troubles.

8. Always gather feedback

Attendees of your event should leave with great memories, and you, as an event organiser, should leave with lots of feedback that will help you make the next event even better. Event management software is an essential tool for this job. Some of the event management software you can consider are eventbrite, social table, trello, cvent etc. Before you dive into event organisers’ favourite event management software, check this guide for better comparison:

Be clear about what you need: ticketing system? Web or mobile brochure? Or also for attendee engagement?

Understand different strengths of event management software. Are they more like all-in-one solutions or specialised for a particular task?

Check if they are mobile-friendly

Read reviews in app stores or user communities

Ask for a demo and check how easily you can adopt

Check if they are good fit for your event’s type and needs: e.g. conference management, lead retrieval for expo.

9. Communicate and listen

The satisfaction of all clients is the number one priority. You may have your own ideas how to run things, but they don’t mean much if they differ from those of your clients. Learn how to listen attentively to really understand what client’s goals are and communicate in such a way that will make the client feel appreciated and understood.

10. Don’t underestimate the power of Marketing

Marketing is how you get recognises, and it’s also how you get new clients. Every event is an opportunity to market your services and create a portfolio with pictures of happy visitors and great-looking events. These can be shared on your website, social media accounts, or used in printed promotion material.

Conclusion

There you have it; we have covered 10 essential commandments of corporate event planning, and it’s now up to you to expand upon them and deliver fantastic and memorable events.