Are you planning an event? Are you worried you might have forgotten something when planning your corporate event? We've got a quick checklist for you to make sure you haven't missed anything. Combined with our 7 tips for event organizers , it's a surefire recipe for your event's success!
1/ Age of participants – it's crucial to tailor the event to the age and expectations of the group. Men over 65 may not be comfortable running an ultra-difficult obstacle course with night vision goggles…
(This point is connected to a story from our company... We once organized an event where the client assured us that most of the group were people aged 35-50, eager for various activities. After arriving at the venue, it turned out that the overwhelming majority were men of advanced retirement age :). We had two hours to change the format of the integration on-site to one that would properly engage everyone... Fortunately, we succeeded! But what we've eaten in stress is ours :))
2/ Duration – sensitivity is key here. We've met people who want every minute of their trip to be planned and packed with attractions. Not only does this generate costs, but it also doesn't give participants a chance to relax. On the other hand, don't drag your team 400 km from their workplace just to show them something that will take 30 minutes… At virtually every event, it's worth giving participants a little freedom – to break the ice, have casual conversations, freshen up, relax at the hotel spa, or take a walk around the neighborhood.
3/ Keeping participants well informed. The flow of information between you – the Corporate Organizer – and the participants is crucial. It's important that everyone knows where they're going, how they're getting there, and what they need to bring. Any practical advice is greatly appreciated: whether there's cell service at the venue (you don't even know how often great locations, not so far from civilization, still have problems!), how long the event will last, whether there'll be room to sit, or whether we'll be doing different activities throughout. Providing this information won't spoil the surprise, and it will take the burden of asking everyone the same questions (you know what we're talking about :)).
4/ Weather – We've written before that there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. This doesn't change the fact that it's worth informing participants that it's worth bringing raincoats or something warm. You have no idea how often it happens that at the meeting point, before heading out to the attractions, etc., people go outside only to discover they didn't notice the rain/snow (seriously!) or check the temperature.
Bonus: We always check the weather on the ICM UW website . It may not be the most readable, but after some practice, it provides really specific information about what awaits us in the near future (weather permitting, they haven't predicted the lottery results yet :)).
5/ Dress code – this is partly related to the weather, but here we'd like to draw your attention to another aspect. Corporate events vary in style. Some are casual, while others have a strict dress code . It's important for attendees to know (see point 3) what type of event they're attending! If someone arrives in a different style than the others, they'll not only find it difficult to participate in the planned activities, but also feel uncomfortable. But that's not the point!
6/ Parking – If guests arrive at the event by car, it's worth finding out where they can leave their vehicles :). Finding a parking space is part of building a first impression at the event – it's important that it goes smoothly. Sometimes the main parking lot is a short distance from the main venue. In such cases, it's helpful for attendees to be able to, for example, drive up and unload nearby, and then be informed if they need to re-park. Important! If parking is paid, make sure your guests have access to it. In the context of the event, it's not a huge expense, and it will show that you really paid attention to such small (but sometimes annoying) details!
7/ Pass on key information to another person – misfortune happens to everyone! It's important that in the event of your sudden indisposition, someone else can take over the event! Of course, you'll handle it best (:)), but even eagles can be struck down by a 40-degree fever. Don't let yourself be the weakest link in your event!
Finally, we have one more, most important tip for you! One that will save your event more than once: bring a power bank . At practically every event, we save someone whose phone has run out of battery!
We hope you enjoyed our tips and found them useful. We want your corporate event to be a success! If you have any questions about event organization, feel free to contact us at biuro@cudotwornia.com – we're here to help!
