Planning a work event for your company can be an uphill task. It can be tedious, especially if you are looking forward to creating a successful event. Therefore, if you’ve been struggling to plan an event for your business recently, you are not alone.
The good news is that there are certain steps savvy event managers take to ensure their events are successful, and this article brings to you the top three.
Smart budgeting
We both know that proper budgeting is important to understand the financial implications of any form of planning and to define the resources needed to realize the plan.
For one, during an event, a lot of things can change or unexpectedly come up; so, its best to keep your expenses modest during the planning process.
Firstly, you need to compare the previous events’ budgets and assess what can be improved to avoid repeating mistakes.
Secondly, you need to review the event’s needs, such as the venue’s rent expenses, catering deposits, and other expected costs.
Once you do that, ascertain the event’s funding and expenses. You may need to work with the finance department to determine how much the company is willing to spend on the event. In this regard, it’s important for all parties involved to have a clear understanding of the event’s goals in terms of revenue and expenses.
Create attendee engagement
Attendee engagement before, during, and after the event is important because it creates an impact that can outlive the event.
There are many ways of boosting attendee engagement in an event.
Firstly, create a table and seating plan. A theatre seating arrangement is one of the simplest and most common styles in events. It reflects a typical theatre’s arrangement that comprises chairs aligned in straight consecutive rows. It maintains the attendees’ focus in the right place while saving on space.
If you are looking for a seating plan that allows a presenter to approach and engage each audience member, then the horseshoe seating arrangement would be more appropriate. This style is similar to the U shape; however, there are no tables – only chairs arranged in an open-ended U-shaped configuration with the audience facing inwards. The open end thus provides a focal point and allows for a presentation area.
Just remember that if finding the right furniture, including chairs and tables, becomes difficult, you can get them from a reputable event planning professional near you. For instance, if you are in New York City, a simple online search with the terms “table rentals NYC” can lead you to an established event planner with the right furniture.
The second way to create attendee engagement is through pre-event survey questions. The feedback you get can be used to deliver an experience that’s tailored for the audience. You can achieve this by asking questions aimed at understanding what the attendees are expecting to get out of the event and, perhaps, how they feel about the location of the event.
Choose the right venue
This is often one of the most important things when it comes to event planning. You should pick a venue that fits and adds value to your event. Some of the things you can consider when picking a venue are:
Location. You may have considered this already. If you’re planning to have a local event, keep in mind the distance the attendees have to cover. Pick a venue with a reasonable distance from your attendees’ homes or places of work. If most of the attendees are from out of town, a venue near their hotels or airport would be appropriate. Just remember to consider things like traffic, transportation, and parking options while making your decision.
Services and amenities. You should also try to find out what the venues offer in terms of services and amenities before choosing one. This can help you understand in advance how you will be catered for. If the venue provides food, check it in advance if you’re not ready to work with a food vendor to provide food.
In a nutshell, although there are many things that you may need to do to plan a successful event for your company, there are certain things that you need to do right. They include proper budgeting, choosing the most appropriate venue, and creating attendee engagement to ensure the purpose of the event is fully achieved.
