After two years of uncertainty, restrictions and limitations, corporate events are back in an upgraded, more engaging form. Corporate events are essential for companies’ success. They communicate new leadership changes, announce new products or just bring people together to foster a sense of connection.
Endless Events specializes in helping event planners create memorable corporate events. We have compiled the top tips for corporate event planners to ensure success. Knowing the purpose of your event and your audience is the first step. Let that guide you in your corporate planning.
Establish Corporate Event Goals & KPIs
Corporate event planning begins with clearly defining the goals. The event will quickly become a money pit if it lacks vision. These are the most common corporate event goals:
- Loyalty and brand awareness
- Lead generation,
- Thought leadership
- attendee engagement.
Your event goals must be specific, measurable and achievable, relevant, time-bound, and attainable. In order to plan a quality corporate event, it is important to establish event KPIs that allow event planners to know if they have achieved their goals.
How? Event technology can be used to automatically track KPIs, create detailed reports and help corporate event planners. They also help event planners achieve their goals by providing features such as seamless registration, communication channels and gamified challenges.
These diverse goals have led to many types of corporate events .
- Conferences,
- Seminars,
- Trade shows
- Fundraising events,
- Product launches,
- Board meetings,
- Events for team building
Choose Format and Size
Corporate event planning is guided by KPIs and event goals. These goals can be achieved in a variety of formats, including virtual, hybrid and in-person. An event planner should consider whether or not to host a virtual event based on event KPIs.
Event planners can then begin to determine the budget required to achieve their goals and create memorable experiences for their attendees. Event Management Companies can help you create a strategy for your event that will deliver a return on investment regardless of the budget.
In-Person Corporate Events
In-person events have been a hallmark of the events industry since their return in 2022. Planners still hesitate to plan large-scale corporate events. Participants are also cautious about flying around the world for conferences. Although smaller in number, in-person events are more common in 2022.
Hybrid and Virtual Events
Hybrid events bridge between virtual and in-person events. Large-scale events, for example, can be done as a hybrid Sattelite model in which many smaller venues are connected via live stream.
Although they might seem difficult to implement from an operational standpoint, hybrid events offer many benefits. The attendees can choose how they wish to attend corporate events. hybrid events and virtual events are based on event technology, which allows planners to accurately calculate event ROI and provide sponsors and exhibitors with more exposure and leads.
The Best Venues for Corporate Events in 2022
In the past, corporate event planners sourced venues in hotels and ballrooms. New venue trends emerged after the pandemic. The venue’s main purpose is to impress attendees and offer new experiences. This in turn improves the attendance rate and long-term ROI.
Our 2022 Event Trends Guide outlines that venues for corporate events in 2022 should be unique as well as representative of the local spirit. These are the essential elements that make a corporate event a success:
- Great internet connection (especially when you include a live stream to hybrid audience audiences),
- Safety and security measures (COVID-19 compliance cybersecurity, etc.),
- Unique Catering (no Buffets in 2022).
2022 will be the best time to try out venues. attendees are more open to meeting new people and more willing to work with event planners. Surprise them with ideas that go beyond the usual corporate event format. Consider offering attendees lunch outside of the venue so they can explore the area and build relationships.
Experiential Corporate Event Planning
Events for corporate events are more boring if they follow a set pattern. Events are not flexible in terms of content delivery, networking opportunities and schedules. Corporate events should be more experiential and made to leave a lasting impression.
Content delivery Content should engage. Hire keynote speakers that make short and powerful presentations. They encourage the audience to ask questions, vote, and participate in any discussions.
Create a community: The best place to create a community around your company is at the corporate events. Event platforms can help you keep the energy going for several weeks or even months after your event. Community platforms promote year-round engagement of the audience and help to market large-scale, in-person events.
Make sure there is enough space for everyone. People love to meet up again in person. Allow them enough time to get together and chat at their own pace. You don’t have to pack your schedule back-to-back.
Do not forget about sustainability
Although corporate events can be extremely wasteful, there are ways to make them more sustainable. They should. A major study found that 60% of global consumers consider sustainability when purchasing major items. Even though events aren’t a product but an experience, the same logic applies.
Hybrid and virtual events are more environmentally-friendly in design. Planners have the option to create paper-free and plastic-free events. This can be achieved easily by moving all communication and signage to event platforms and apps.
Final analysis: Analyze the success of your corporate event
The last tip for corporate event planning is to go back to the beginning. We need to look at the KPIs and event goals in order evaluate whether they were met. To plan better corporate events, use event data and feedback from attendees.
Endless Events is a strategic partner in event management that creates memorable experiences for event professionals.