How to Plan a Corporate Event

Plan your next Corporate Event with Special Events

Corporate event planning in San Francisco doesn’t have to be as involved as the press conferences scheduled by giant tech companies. Small businesses can plan and host engaging events for staff, customers, industry partners, or any other audience without exceeding their budgets. If you are planning a corporate event, consult the guide below for help with streamlining the process.

Identify Your Audience

If you are planning your annual company holiday party, this is easy: the audience is your employees. Your party planning won’t need to extend beyond hiring a caterer and identifying a venue. Events that target the public to spread brand awareness, however, will need to have a specific structure and focus, as will events that are designed to attract investors or industry partners. Consult with a corporate event planning specialist if you’re not sure where to get started.

Make a Game Plan

At events targeted at customers or investors, you will need to give your target audience an incentive to attend. If you produce a product, you will need to arrange for attendees to receive a sample or prototype. If your product is large and expensive, it is best to arrange for a demonstration. If your business offers a service, your event should highlight that service through active demonstrations or simulations. Performances, food, and other forms of auxiliary entertainment can help you generate buzz to augment that surrounding your product or service.

Choose a Venue

Once you have your audience identified and your game plan outlined, it’s time to select a venue. Don’t rule out venues because you think they may not have the equipment you need; you can always contact a party rentals company to obtain all of the equipment you need, from stages to seating. Consider an outdoor venue as well, especially if you are hosting an event in the Bay Area during the summer. For an outdoor event, you will need to add tent rentals to the list of equipment, but this will have a good return on your investment. Outdoor event planning can be especially helpful if you want to allow walk-ins since outdoor festival-style events often attract heightened interest and enthusiasm.