Corporate events generally get a bad rap for being predictable and boring. Company Christmas parties, partners’ dinners and client appreciation events all happen because of ‘tradition’. From venue to entertainment to the ‘rubber chicken’ served at dinner, an event formula that rarely changes has no chance to inspire employees, intrigue new customers, or promote the corporate brand.
Recently, however, the face of corporate events has begun to change. From celebrity entertainment to unique venues and themes, corporate events are becoming about reinforcing corporate brand and creating memorable experiences that get employees and clients excited about working with a company. Although this may sound too good to be true, it’s actually completely doable – the key is thinking ahead of the curve and engaging your employees and clients through an experiential event where they are involved in creating a memorable experience for themselves.
Of course, breaking out of the cookie-cutter formula can get confusing, thanks to thousands of different event ideas, trends and suggestions online all contradicting each other. The best solution we can suggest? Bringing in a pro to help you cut through all the clutter and create an event that both meets your goals AND shows your attendees a fantastic time.
A professional event manager can help you go above and beyond traditional events in finding unique venues, entertainment and themes that help your brand stand out from the pack and leaves your attendees begging for more. They can also help you when it comes to the technical side of events – from arranging for catering, writing talent riders, booking equipment, and dealing with vendors to find you the best deal for your money and event.
Bringing in an event planner or event management firm also helps you figure out ‘why’, a crucial step in ensuring your events are amazing. A great events manager will help you figure out the mission, the purpose, or the point of the event, by asking questions like ‘why is the event happening?’ and ‘what do you intend to achieve with it?’, as an event needs a mission and purpose to be a true success.
Once the ‘why‘ of an event is figured out, an event management firm can also help you chose event elements that will reinforce your corporate brand. A smart company doesn’t just look for flashy or trendy things to make their event stand out, but also looks for event elements that reinforce the messaging of their brand. From venue to entertainment to guest list, event management firms can offer a company unlimited ways to associate specific ideas, words, images and concepts with their brand, subtlety selling their product and increasing buy-in through engaging attendees.
A successful event is one where attendees are having fun. Creating a memorable experience with unique elements, such as an unusual venue or surprise entertainment, can engage your employees and clients and leave them not only with a positive experience but eagerly awaiting your next untraditional event.