Corporate Events: DIY or call in the professionals?
The task of organising corporate parties and corporate events is usually welcomed by a unsuspecting member of staff who believes that this is an exciting assignment to be handed and that they will enjoy every moment of the task in hand. That is until the task becomes overwhelming and extremely time consuming to manage on top of managing their own day to day role.
Notwithstanding this, everything is possible and is of course imaginable to plan your own Christmas party without having to call in a corporate events management company to assist. Just make sure you have the time and resources to see it through from start to finish. AND make it a night to remember, for all the right reasons.
Tips & Tricks
So where to start if you decide to do it yourself? These are the key points that you need to know before you start investigating all aspects of the corporate events Christmas Party.
What date is the best for your Christmas party?
How many people are invited and will partners also be invited?
What are the venue criteria in terms of location, access to smoking area, immobility accessible (if needed), near to nightlife and public transport etc?
Making sure that the venue is the correct size for your number of guests is key to the atmosphere of the event.
What entertainment will fit your budget and will it suit everyone? Remember to think outside the box for this and try to do the unexpected as this really wows the guests.
What is your budget? This will determine how much you have to spend on the meal/drinks and then help you work out what is left for entertainment and decorations?
What message are you trying to convey in the event and what outcome are you looking for?
However calling in the professionals to theme your event, work out budgets and source the right venue will save you time, money and resources. A reputable event management company will have an initial consultation with you to find out the above criteria and focus your thoughts into what are the most important factors of your event lie. Initially, they will want to learn about the company, the people attending the event and the reason for having a Christmas party. If this is a staff appreciation evening, then maybe consider an awards ceremony? If this is a client appreciation event, it has to have the wow factor from the invitation starting point as don’t forget, they are not staff and no not need to attend! So you have to make it attractive enough for them so they genuinely don’t want to miss the event.
Whether you decide to do it yourself or have the professionals do it for you, make sure that you have the time and imagination to pull off a night to remember and most importantly remember to enjoy the night itself…