Organizing corporate events can be quite time-consuming and challenging. You want to organize an event that is efficient but also fun and memorable. Here is how you can achieve that end goal.
1. Start It off Right
The very beginning of the event plays a huge role in the success of the whole corporate event. It sets the mood and gets the guests interested. The more spectacular the opening ceremony is the better. If you manage to catch your attendees’ attention and get them intrigued at the very start of the event, you will surely make the event memorable. A good opening lets the people know that the event will be worth attending till the very end.
In case the event is more formal and requires your guests to check-in, make sure you hire enough staff so that the process runs smoothly and on time. In addition to that, make sure to have greeters who will be welcoming your guests and guiding them into the venue while answering any questions they may have about the event. By doing so you are ensuring that each and every guest feels well-informed, welcomed, and comfortable.
2. Create an Immersive Experience
The first impression matters a lot. So make sure the entrance is special and wows your guests. The atmosphere needs to be immersive and make your guests feel like they’re entering a completely different world. For example, you can use dark inflatable tunnels decorated with twinkle lights that will make the entrance look surreal.
Be creative with how you arrange the seating area and all the other segments of the venue. For instance, you can have separate areas for congregating and other activities. You can separate an area where people can talk quietly, or have a corner decorated with flowing fabric and tons of balloons where people can take photos. Also, you can implement colors of your company’s logo to make the event themed and clearly signal who the event is being organized by.
Lastly, try to use technology in various ways to make the experience immersive. Think about how sound and visuals can complete the whole event and bring it to the next level. Think about what kind of atmosphere you want to create and use technology accordingly. Here are some fun ideas:
- Photo booths with branded filters
- AR displays
- Interactive whiteboards
- Crowd-responsive lighting
- Interactive touch screens that let guests navigate their own path
- Tweet walls
3. Create a Personalized Experience
Consumers these days appreciate personalized experiences. It doesn’t matter if you have 30 or 30,000 guests at your event. You need to find a way to make an event that will be inclusive to all people and that will make everyone feel like they are actively a part of the experience. This can be achieved in so many different ways. For instance, have a speaker go into the audience. Customize an app that will help the guests get all of the necessary information and help them immerse with other attendees before, during, and after the event. Prepare little gifts that your guests will take home after the event so that they have something that reminds them of the experience they had at your event. Not only do you show them you care about them individually this way, but you also have guests take something from this event with them. For example, it can be a set of selected photos from the event, a bunch of sweets, and so on. That will make the event even more memorable.
4. Look at the Experience through Your Guests’ Eyes
Try to see this whole event from your guests’ point of view. Think about what expectations they might have. Also, think about what takeaway they can have from this event. How can you make them remember this event and talk about it for days after it ended? Studies show that emotions have a lot to do with how we form memories. Here are a few ideas that you can use to evoke certain emotions and make your event memorable:
- Bring in someone inspirational to speak – like TED Talks
- Get an artist to preform and impress the audience
- Hire a well-known establishment to cater for the event
- Put some novelty into the food arrangements
- Create a gaming area
- Organize team-building activities
- Hold an award ceremony
- Organize exciting giveaways for everyone who’s attending
- Have a challenge or contest during the event
5. Remember Your Impact
Your event needs to have a certain impact. For example, having an environmental impact while holding a huge event shows that your company cares about the environment and is actively trying to be eco-friendly. So if you’re holding a huge event you want to create as little waste as possible. Try using recycled paper products, glass for drinks, and other reusable materials.
6. Work with Professionals
Organizing a huge event like this takes a lot of management skills, time, and patience. To make sure that everything runs smoothly, you can rely on professionals and hire companies such as Veritas Events to handle the event management for you. They have the necessary skills, experience, and connections to make sure your event is executed effectively and smoothly.
7. Get people talking
Lastly, a successful event is an event that gets people to talk about it for days or even weeks after the event has been over. Provide people with something to talk about and make sure they have a platform where they can do so. That’s where social media marketing comes in. So, make sure you are using social media wisely and starting important conversations even outside of the event.
Conclusion
In conclusion, organizing a successful event is all about making an impact, making sure people feel seen and appreciated, having great first impressions, and getting people talking. Staying on top of the game and making sure the organizing runs smoothly can be a bit overwhelming and challenging, but with the help of professionals, your event can be a total success.
