If you’re planning a corporate event, whether it’s a small-scale hospitality event or an all-out glamorous promotional shindig, there are a few key factors that should always be taken into consideration in order to leave a lasting impression on your guests.

Our event planning tips below will offer useful advice on how to set the right tone and feel for your event, while showing you how to get the most out of your event from a marketing standpoint.

From the outset, the very first thing you should do when planning a corporate event is to identify the purpose of the event. What do you hope to achieve? Who do you want to attend? This will allow you to develop a clear focus when making decisions about catering, entertainment, venue and promotion.

Once you’ve defined the objectives of your event, you can then turn your attention to deciding on the most appropriate catering, venue and entertainment. Not only should these decisions be based on your goals, but they should also reflect your brand identity and the message you want to convey about your business. Be careful not to get complacent or to rely on traditional ‘tried and tested’ options—make bold decisions, no matter the theme of your event, and try to incorporate tasteful branded details wherever possible.

Don’t hold back on your marketing spend for the promotion of any event. No matter how wonderful the venue or the entertainment, none of it will matter if no one turns up. The important thing is to market your event in a way that will continue to generate brand awareness long after the big night is over. Point and Stare offers imaginative ways of using social media so that you can create genuine hype before your event through customised URLs and hashtags; then, that hype is carried forward into your event itself through live interactive Twitter and Instagram feeds displayed on screens during your event. This will automatically and organically build interest in your brand and encourage the growth of your online audience.

No matter your budget, make the effort to give your guests a VIP experience. This doesn’t necessarily mean providing an endless stream of champagne and caviar; simply ensuring the catering staff keep your guests’s glasses topped up, and making the effort to greet each guest warmly upon arrival will go a long way towards leaving a lasting positive impression of your brand.

Offer creative and personalised mementos so your guests will remember your event and your brand. Photo booths are an excellent way of keeping the buzz going after your event, because guests will be eager to see their photos posted on your company’s social media profile. For an even more personal and inventive approach, why not hire a caricature artist for a few hours to do portraits of your guests (with your company’s hand-drawn logo prominently featured, of course)?

Above all, when taking on the mammoth task of planning a corporate event, remember that imagination is key. Thinking outside the box, even for the smallest details, is what will make your event memorable and effective as a marketing opportunity.

To find out more on how we can help you integrate social media into your event, contact us at Point and Stare.

 
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