Anyone who has ever had to plan and host a corporate function on behalf of their company knows what a stressful job it is. You have to make a good impression on your superiors, the public, shareholders, and potential investors. If you are currently facing such a high-pressure scenario, then you could benefit from a few helpful pointers. Read ahead to see how you can ensure a smooth and stress-free corporate function.
Have a Theme
Most professionals will tell you that the best conferences, product launches, and other corporate functions have a running theme. It does not need to be something major like a Hawaiian theme for the décor, location, and menu. You can do something simple and still make an impression. A simple colour scheme or a theme based on the company or its products. This will keep the entire occasion together.
Budgeting
This is more important than you think. When you are organizing the budget, you need to make sure you keep aside about 10 percent of the funds for contingency. The best event management Melbourne companies will tell you that you need to be prepared for the worst. Check multiple service providers, vendors, suppliers, and venues for estimates on their costs before making any major decisions. This needs to be done as early as possible.
Weather and Other Occasions
This is often overlooked by professionals and amateurs alike. Make sure that you check on the weather forecasts for the date you are hoping to have the function. Poor weather will make it difficult for people to attend, even if it is not an outdoor location. Additionally, find out if there are any other occasions happening around town. If there are none, then get those invitations sent as soon as you can. The earlier the invitations go out, the surer you can be that people will show up even if other functions pop up afterwards. Make sure you plan your event.
Menu
Finalizing the menu can be a delicate matter. With people’s allergies and varying preferences, you need to have several options available on the menu, and they need to be suited to the occasion and theme. Having vegan, vegetarian, halal, and kosher dishes available (and properly labelled) will ensure that no one is overlooked. Your attention to detail will be noted too. If you are having a classy function for the big players in the company and industry, then you probably should not go with barbecue ribs, which can be messy. Instead, you should have a menu that is as classy as your guests, such as canapés and gourmet main dishes. Some venues can provide the catering themselves, so you can cut costs by choosing such a location.
Timing
Do not make the mistake of leaving anything for the last minute. You have to account for slipups and hiccups that can delay the entire program. Arrange for caterers, entertainers, and equipment suppliers to arrive earlier than they are required. This way you can make sure set up, sound check, and any other time-consuming tasks go off without a hitch and do not delay the schedule. Moreover, the earlier you make the arrangements and hire the people you need, the surer you can be that all will go as planned and deal with potential crises ahead of time.
Though there are plenty of other tactics you could and should use to ensure a flawless business function, these five pointers alone can make a significant improvement.
