Major Corporate Event Mistakes!
A corporate event can be an excellent way to improve networking connections and business relations as well as boost company morale and reward employees for a job well done. Events can also be planned for corporate fundraisers, charities events, and so on. But corporate events are not without their potential pitfalls. The following are some of the most common (but thankfully, avoidable) mistakes that occur during corporate event planning.
Mistake #1: Not coordinating food and live entertainment
Imagine that you have hired excellent entertainment to perform at your corporate event. Now imagine that your guests are being served dinner while the entertainer is performing. Which do you think your guests are more likely to focus on? If you answered food, you are spot on! People will always focus on food and eating before live entertainment, and scheduling both to occur at the same time can result in a massive waste of money. If you do intend to have both food and entertainment at a corporate event, ensure that they are scheduled so that they do not intersect each other.
Mistake #2: Not doing the proper research
Corporate event planning takes time, effort and—most importantly of all—research. It is not only important to research the venue that will be hosting a corporate event, but research the dynamics of the event and its guests as well. How many people will be attending? Will they be expecting a three course dinner, a casual buffet, or finger foods? Will there be a dance floor or other types of interactive entertainment? If there will be live entertainment, what types of entertainment should be considered—singing, comedians, magic shows? And so on. The key to good corporate event planning is in the details. The more research you do on what will be expected of the event, the more likely it is that your event will be successful.
Mistake #3: Taking a theme too far
Themed corporate events can be fun—but there is a line between fun and cheesy. When a themed event gets too corny, it can quickly become uncomfortable and awkward for people who are out of their comfort zone. One of the central aspects of any successful event is ensuring that guests do not feel out of place or awkward, which can happen quickly with themed events. Corporate event planning for themed events should keep in mind that less is more—touches and accents that reflect a theme (say, for example, pirate-named specialty drinks!) here and there are much more suitable than an event which ends up resembling a children’s birthday party.
Mistake #4: Not being prepared for anything
The number one rule of any type of event planning: something will go wrong. It is important to be prepared for any type of contingency, including extra guests, food shortages, problems with the entertainment, and so on. A back-up plan should be in place for anything and everything that could go wrong.
(c) 2014 Blue Moon Talent, Inc.