Tips for Hosting a Successful Corporate Event

With more than 20 years of experience hosting a wide variety of corporate events, and more than 3,000 custom-designed events under our belt, WPI Events has seen it all.  Our experience planning, overseeing and executing events, from the very small to the gigantic, has given us a great overview of what separates the successful events from the unsuccessful ones.

If you’re planning a major corporate event, here are some tips to ensure it’s a solid one – ideas that will help your planning and execution go smoothly.

Plan it Through

Some companies have a great idea for an event, and that’s where the planning stops – they come up with the idea and some basic themes, and then expect everything else to take care of itself.  There are a lot of logistical issues to tackle, however, and inexperienced planners sometimes forget them.  They can be little things – will there be enough chairs for the entire audience?  Napkins for the food?  Do you have a PA system?  What could go wrong, and what happens when it does?  An events planning company like WPI Events, with experience dealing with these issues as they arise, is a major help.

Set a Budget

If you don’t set a solid budget and stick to it, you may find the expense of your event spiraling out of control.  If you don’t keep that in check, it could soon add up to a price more than you’re willing to pay.  An upfront and frank evaluation of how much you can afford to spend on your event is a key part of the planning process – and allows you to focus on how to get the most bang for your buck, rather than simply adding extra expenses.

Timing is Everything

Consider key events that might compete with yours – you’d hate for your big event to get overshadowed by a holiday or another annual event.  Pick your theme to highlight the time of year you’ve chosen.  Also, ensure that you leave enough lead-up time for attendees to make plans to come, and for you to make sure everything is prepared.

Social Media

Social media is the best way to get the word out quickly and effectively to your customer base.  Tease the event well in advance – pictures of set up and preparation tend to go viral when properly promoted.  Getting people excited in advance can lead to massive enthusiasm for your event.

Follow Up

Your work isn’t done once the event ends!  Follow up with your customers; get feedback on what went well and what didn’t.  Plant the seed in their minds for coming back the next year, and use their feedback to improve your event the next time you run one.  Assess how well the event met your goals – did you sell enough product?  Did you get enough customers? – and use that information to help make plans going forward.