What could be more powerful for client engagement, employee morale, and enterprise value than a corporate event? Yet anyone who has attended enough business events has likely seen some disasters – a conference that goes hours behind schedule, a networking opportunity during which no one even networks, or a product launch that confuses everyone about what was launched in the first place.
And unfortunately, most of the disasters that occur happen because of poor planning. The difference between a successful corporate event and an expensive disaster is often the effort behind the planning that occurs prior.
What Problems Are Due to Planning?
The biggest planning issue that enterprises face is that planning rarely gets the respect it deserves as something that needs a professional with time dedicated to it. Instead, it is shoved together at the last moment, and what the planners deem acceptable comes event time is often far from what actually works.
Poor timeline management is the number one cause for failure. Most people fail to realize just how long each portion of planning takes to execute. From booking venues and speakers to catering and registration systems, everything is rushed in the final weeks instead of being properly spaced out. When professionals wait until the last minute to ensure everything flows into the final weeks leading up to the event date, quality fails and costs increase exponentially.
Budget limitations are another major mistake. Companies set budgets initially without thinking through what professional event development entails. They fail to consider permits and insurance and contingency plans, and the dozens of small line items for which nothing is secured. Then, when reality hits, they either scramble for more funding or have to cut costs, which increasingly frustrates what otherwise would have been quality experiences for attendees.
What Causes Communication Breakdowns?
Wherever there is poor planning, there also exists poor communication. Unfortunately, internal communication fails when it comes to most corporate event planning. Team members work on pieces without collaboration with one another, and things get duplicated, requirements are missed, and decisions run counter to one another.
The marketing department creates collateral before the program is finalized. The IT group sets up registration without knowing how many people will want to bypass registration during the first hour. The facilities department schedules rooms without understanding how many people will attend. Each group makes decisions based on information that seems appropriate for its needs at the time, but none operates under the same larger umbrella.
The solution to this chaos is to establish clear communication processes from day one. Successful event planners use a multi-purpose document that keeps everyone accountable for roles, timelines, and maintenance. A comprehensive event planning checklist becomes a single source of truth that ensures nothing gets forgotten in the last moments leading up to the event date.
Where Technology Mistakes Happen in Corporate Events
Technology related to events is a tricky part of the modern age; either planners overestimate what can be provided, or they fail to account for what’s needed for it all to run smoothly.
Crashed registration systems during peak times, mobile apps that aren’t compatible or do not function, presentation equipment malfunctions during keynote addresses – all of these are devastating not just to the hosting company’s professional image but also to frustrated attendees who sacrificed their own time to attend.
Yet when everything runs according to plan and technology does its job well, it’s a legitimate add-on; therefore, events should never plan without technology in mind, but ensure solid strategies for backup plans long before they are needed.
When Should Venues Be Chosen?
Selecting an inadequate venue only compounds any other problems stemming from poor planning. A space too small makes networking impossible. If it’s hard to get into via public transportation, attendance dwindles. If there’s no parking or accessibility for those who are late or incapacitated, it creates a negative first impression – before attendees get started with anything else.
Companies often choose spaces with too much regard for budget instead of proper area logistics. A space that’s $300 more but centrally located and has all the tech capabilities needed trumps the location that’s been highly discounted – but begs attendees to navigate across town and back again.
Good planners visit their potential venues and check in with others who are using them at similar events to see how they work in real time. They ask specific questions about setup times, available tech solutions and limitations, catering partners, and common issues with which contingency plans must be had.
Why Do Companies Fail to Follow Up After an Event?
Even when all else goes well, many companies fail at follow-up; they collect business cards but do nothing with them. They gather contact information, but they get distracted by their next project without determining who has been brought together in a room for shared value.
Proper follow-up begins before the event ends; smart planners determine their follow-up game plan on day one; it’s not an afterthought. They prepare collateral that continues conversations started within the walls of the event space, and they have systems in place so they can avoid redundancy but still make sure that each conversation tracked corresponds with those in attendance who seem to pose the best value.
What Makes Corporate Events Successful?
Companies have certain qualities that continuously yield successful events. They start planning early, 6-12 months before significant events are commonplace. They plan ownership and accountability since one person cannot do it all. They document every detail in project plans that can be referenced along the way.
Most importantly, they hold event planning as a skill that relies on proper tools and processes instead of convenient loading. They train their teams and use systematic approaches known to work.
Success only happens when corporate events are considered! The most successful corporate events do not happen by chance; they happen because adequate time is put into each part of planning – communication management, budgeting, venue selection – and professional consideration is taken into each aspect based on what needs to happen when. If one would apply the same due diligence rigor given to other business processes, then successful results would be guaranteed at corporate events – the most effective tools for new business development and relationship building when done right!
