Hosting a successful corporate event may seem like a daunting challenge, with numerous details to manage before the big day. However, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. In just a few clicks, you can revolutionise your planning process, turning it into a seamless, enjoyable experience that ensures a truly memorable event—all with the assistance of Add To Event. Best of all, it's completely free for event planners!
Securing the perfect suppliers is the key to success for your corporate event. You deserve reliable and trustworthy partners who excel in providing top-tier services, from food and drinks to entertainment and AV equipment. Simplifying your search for these suppliers will significantly ease your planning process, so you can focus on the all important finer details.
We know corporate planners have a lot on their plate, juggling inclusivity, sustainability, budgets, and the "wow" factor. With Add To Event, you can delve into the latest event trends, discover brand new suppliers from Vegan Vans to Juice Bars, reserve your next virtual team entertainment, and even locate the VR headsets you’ve been hunting for to launch your latest product. Whatever you need, we've got you covered.
In this step-by-step guide, we will expertly lead you through the intricacies of planning a memorable DIY corporate event, featuring some of our trusted suppliers and presenting fresh event ideas to fuel your imagination for your upcoming office party, conference, or off-site gathering!
1. Hot Event Trends
Before we get started, it’s important to make sure your event is current and has the right focus, setting the right tone for the year ahead, so ensure you’re keeping up with fresh trends, not only in the event space but with your guest priorities too.
With 2024 well under way, trends from last year are still dominating as emerging trends unfold. Sustainability considerations are still at the core for most corporate events, alongside wellness and alcohol free alternatives which are ever increasing in popularity as the health and wellbeing of colleagues remains a focal point for HR and Employee Engagement teams. Add to Event has seen a big increase in requests for vegan dining, and suppliers that have sustainability credentials with locally sourced produce.
Define the innovative themes that resonate with your company culture, setting the stage for a memorable occasion with a strong cause.
2. Define your event goals
An important step in planning any event is defining the purpose! This will help make sure you have the right suppliers to deliver it.
What are you celebrating and who is your audience?
What’s the message and the tone?
Is it an internal party celebrating a milestone or end of quarter? Have you finally released that latest product launch? Or is this event about fostering Team Culture?
Start by asking yourself: why are you hosting this event and what do you expect from it? Once you’ve answered this, you can determine the type of event that will resonate with your event guests the most.
3. Finding the perfect space for a DIY event
The perfect venue will depend on your number of guests, location and budget but there’s other considerations in the mix such as accessibility, amenities, ambiance and infrastructure.
Alongside traditional event venues we’ve seen a shift in organisers using different dry hire spaces to tailor make their own experience including; BIG houses and Castles with accommodation, Farms and Pop up outdoor spaces, Party Buses and River Boats, Halls and Warehouses, Tents and Marquees and of course transforming your very own office space!
You may still be considering virtual events for remote employees, to reach a bigger audience and make wider teams feel included. Quizzes might not be top of the list, but there’s some brilliant suppliers who can help conquer Zoom fatigue or bring your monthly town hall meetings to life with interaction. Have a go at something more inventive and creative like a remote cocktail workshop or virtual cooking classes or bring in a Zoom host to do the work for you and deliver refreshments to their door.
4. Food glorious food
Ensuring your guests are well-nourished and properly hydrated is undeniably at the heart of every event! With hundreds of food choices to opt for at your corporate event, making a decision is the tricky part! Especially when taking into consideration dietary requirements, order of the day, where food will be served, how many serving stations you need to beat the queues and the formality of your event.
Think about how guests will move about and interact with each other while food and drinks are served. Bento Box style buffets are a big favourite for our corporate organisers, so guests can hold their box while networking and shake hands! Bright Starz Buffet creates the perfect feasts for any event, no matter the size.
Incorporating current event trends into catering can also be a fun way to play around with company culture such as sustainability, global delicacies based on your region of business, informal styles of dining such as buffets and canapés or getting teams involved by hosting ‘Cook a Course’ such as pasta cooking classes with The Dough House!
Chef Talks are also a brilliant way to kick off the dining experience and set the scene.
When making a decision on suppliers, opt for specific caterers that make your priority their focus. For example, if health, wellbeing and sustainability are top of your agenda, Taste Good Does Good is a sustainably focussed caterer that not only has a healthy approach but also benefits the environment by only serving their food in biodegradable and recyclable packaging and devoting 5% of their profits to feeding the homeless.
Event organisers can certainly get playful with food choices when it comes to dessert. Company branded cupcakes, cookies or cakes are a fun way to reinforce company culture with a difference, or perhaps a branded Candy cart.
5. Team Building & Entertainment
Team building is your one-way ticket to inspiring and uniting your colleagues during these corporate parties and they never go amiss when it comes to fun, challenge and commanderie! Whether you choose to host the event indoors or outdoors, there are plenty of team building activities available to get your team stuck in. Make it memorable and competitive with an element of gamification, some top prizes, and money-can’t-buy incentives.
If wellness and a focus on the wellbeing of your staff is a route you wish to take, invite your colleagues to join The Zen Project, the American School Bus that brings the wellbeing space to you, with classes for corporate staff in guided meditations, yoga and breathwork, sound healing and much more. Staying on the topic of wellness, you can encourage healthy habits with vegan or vegetarian caterers to join the day, as well as alcohol-free beverages throughout the event with juice bars and coffee carts to keep energy levels up.
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6. The Power of Company Culture, Celebrating Your Team and a Positive Outlook
Corporate events are not just about work. These well-thought out days are there to entertain, inspire, build team spirit, network and evoke a positive outlook for the future of your company.
Highlight the importance of fostering company culture by celebrating your employees, delivering accolades and boosting motivation within teams. Create your own awards and traditions that become a core part of your regular events.
This is the perfect time to celebrate company wins and express a positive outlook for the next business period and how everyone plays a part. These days are about reinforcing camaraderie and team spirit to get you and your team ahead of the game! Just don’t forget to document the day with your very own event photographer.
And finally, make it social and spread the word with Instagrammable Moments! There’s more choice than ever with Magic Mirrors, Twitter Walls, Bespoke Photo Booths and 360 Cameras ready to capture moments and deliver instant social uploads.
Your DIY corporate event is just a few clicks away with the help of the Add To Event Corporate Hub, so browse today to start boosting your company performance tomorrow!
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