Organizing a corporate event can be quite stressful at times. There are so many things to arrange and take of that you and your team are going to have a lot at hand. Experienced event organizers know that they can have one worry less if they choose the venue well. The office or a colleague’s backyard are all nice ideas, but they require a lot of extra work. The best venues are hotels, since they provide excellent logistics for large-scale company events. However, organizing the event at a hotel bring in a whole new set of challenges that you have to be prepared for. In order to assist you, we have compiled a list of the things you need to take into consideration when it comes to event planning.
Determining the date
Since you are not the only client the hotel is going to have, you need to sit down with their management and decide on the exact date and time. This way, you won’t overlap with other events, such as wedding receptions. Also, if you are in talks with a hotel chain, you have to specify the location as well. Big events, such as annual conferences could take place at more than one venue. Before the negotiation, prepare a rough estimate of how many people you expect to come and which dates and times will suit you the best. Also, if you need any equipment, such as microphones, laptops, and video beams, let the hotel management know and they can provide you with their full hi-tech arsenal on time.
The agenda
One you decide on the “when” and “where” it is time to plan the even itself. Create a guest list and determine the time the event starts. If it’s a conference, then 10 AM is ideal. If it’s a more casual event that takes place in the evening, like a cocktail party, then 5 PM would be a good time for the guests to start arriving. Any talks and lectures that might be planned should be announced in the program, along with the time and details about the speakers.
Setting up the venue
Hotels use different kinds of rooms for company events, from lobbies to conference halls. It is highly unlikely that any of them will be 100% suitable, so you will need to make some alternations. Placing portable room dividers, like the ones Screenflex Dividers have, will allow you to have full control of the space. The wardrobe could be created using the dividers and they are great for reducing noise if you want to have a separate lounge area. Furthermore, they can serve as notice boards that the participants can interact with.
Food and drinks
Catering is essential for any event or party. You want to make sure that everything goes smoothly, so look into the possibility of the hotel kitchen providing foods and drinks. The hotel management will definitely be interested in offering you their catering services so be sure to use this to your benefit. Since you are already paying for the venue, they could give you a discount for food and drinks. Whichever option you choose, make sure you double check everything, like the exact time the lunch/dinner is served and whether the hotel/catering company employ their own staff.
Confirm, confirm, and confirm again
Organizing everything is one thing, but when the day of the event comes, that is when you should be alert the most. Get up early in the morning and start texting people to confirm that they haven’t forgotten about their arrangements for the day. This goes for the technicians, music, catering and all other contractors that are expected to make an appearance at the hotel that day. Before all this, you have to ask the guests to confirm their attendance over the phone or by e-mail. This way, you will know how many people to expect so you can make any necessary changes in the agenda.
Preparation is key to any event. If the corporate event is organized in a hotel, they you can save yourself time and effort. The venue and the catering could be resolved by the hotel management, so you will have two worries less. Who knows, maybe by the time the event is finished, you will be celebrating over a glass of wine.