Organization of a company event

How do I create an original concept and plan an exciting program?

The managing director of Sand-Art creative agency shares her experiences.

Svetlana Koese

Managing Director of Sand-Art Creative Agency

So, it is your task to organize a corporate event? As you know, every preparation needs to begin with planning. Let’s walk through each step and highlight important aspects of each specific point which needs to be taken into account when organizing a corporate event.

Event budget

There are no small budgets when there are great ideas. An excellent corporate event is not characterized by remarkable finances; it stands out with successful ideas and competent planning. In case there is not enough money for all of your wishes and plans – do not try to grasp the immensity. Instead, agree to omit less critical issues, and strive for the following: “put quality before quantity”. As experience shows, this strategy has proved particularly useful, compared with “a little bit of everything”

Creating a concept is an art

Try not to google the turnkey solution! Look at the newest events in the industry – yes, ask for trends – of course, but all this should help you to facilitate the organizing and should not serve as guideline for the imitation of a concept – Your company and your team are unique! Believe me, there is no universal method. The best solution is to make a clear list of tasks to be completed, to identify the expectations regarding the event, and to have a look at the trends in the area of event organization (sand painting – trend 2020). Afterwards, create a complete protocol. Plan the event, and take into account the specific features of your company. Answer the following question: “What could surprise my colleagues and co-workers?”, and just do it! Success is guaranteed.

But what about the location?

The importance of choosing an event location is hard to be overestimated. Therefore, do not stop once you find the standard options and offers. New, interesting and original locations are popping up with enviable speed. If a location doesn’t fit the needs of your event, why not try something new and extraordinary? For example, a cinema, a theatre, or even a museum, a restaurant with a stage, or a roof terrace with city view. There might be many options available! The most important thing is that you book a suitable location in time so you do not have to be satisfied with what’s left.

Event scenario

As most corporate events usually consist of an official and an entertaining part, it is important to combine those sections in a harmonious way. Plan the event in such a way that the individual parts harmonize perfectly: Switch between planned speeches given by the upper management and the entertainment programme in areas of activity. Surprise your guests and let them admire the program. Integrate the trend of the coming year, 2020, in your event – sand painting. Show the history of the company in the form of an impressive sand show, after which everyone will give standing ovations! The moderator stares at his phone and the DJ looks for suitable songs, which takes him a lot of time? Have a so-called “plan B” in case of an unexpected problem or gaps that need to be filled. Prepare the program as a fascinating competition or a game; this will help you to entertain the guests. Do not plan according to a strict schedule. It should be used freely and universally.

Moderation and entertainment program

If you want to ensure a good atmosphere, it is useful to hire a moderator. Keep in mind that this person will guide the guests through the event. As such, it is very important that the style of his or her performance matches the business concept and the mentality of the company. Try to arrange an appointment for the personal discussion with the moderator in due time. The content of the show program depends on the size and the format of the event, the preferences of the organizer, and the budget. Contributions to the programme can be made by employees of the company, or artists and showmen can be hired. Usually, a sand artist does not cost more than any solo entertainer but the show that he creates is as astonishing as if a whole group of artists participated.

The dinner

In case the corporate celebration takes places at a restaurant, the menu needs to be discussed when choosing a location for the event. As such, you can discuss the average bill per person, plan the menu, and conduct a tasting to ensure the quality of the meals and the restaurant. In case the event location does not offer a banquet buffet you will need to organize the catering. Here, it is also advisable to check some options in order to opt for the best price-performance-ratio.

Photo corner

In times of selfies and social networks it is absolutely recommendable to include a photo corner. Alternatively, you can organize a spectacular selfie zone, define a hashtag for the event and not only provide your guests with great photos but also present them with a common album of the event. It is advisable to harmonize the colour scheme of the photo corner with the scenery.

Contributing factors

When preparing a corporate celebration, you will most probably have to deal with the production of handouts of all kinds: invitations, tables/place cards, lottery tickets, souvenirs, and so forth. It is your task to make sure that all those elements are not too colourful and that they are in line with the concept of the event.

Summary

As you can see, it is not easy to organize a good corporate event. However, the task it still doable. Try to plan every phase accordingly and to stick to the plan. If your colleagues and co-workers had fun at the event, the great impressions will remain in their memory for a long time! Good luck and prosperity!