Managing a corporate event can be stressful, especially when you consider how much planning is involved. As such, our corporate event planners have created a 20-step checklist, covering everything from picking your guests to arranging a venue.

Pre-Event Planning

For larger events like trade shows or conferences, this typically occurs 9 to 12 months before the event is scheduled to take place. However, if you’re holding a smaller corporate event like a Christmas party or a family fun day, 5-6 months out should be fine. During this stage, you need to determine:

1. The purpose of your event, including any goals and objectives
2. Where it will take place
3. When it will take place
4. How many people are expected to attend
5. The name of your event
6. Who is involved in putting it together
7. What your budget is

Once you’ve figured out the basics, you’ll need to start signing contracts with vendors, releasing early-bird tickets, coordinating accommodation options, defining your event structure, confirming food and beverage requirements and arranging speakers and performers, plus much more.

During The Event

Once you arrive on-site, whether this is days or hours ahead of your event, there will be certain jobs for you to complete to ensure the entire event runs smoothly. This includes:

8. Briefing all staff
9. Testing any technology that is required, including the Wifi
10. Checking toilets are clean and fully-functional
11. Confirming all timings with the catering manager
12. Conducting a final walkthrough of the venue
13. Making sure all speakers and guests have arrived
14. Posting live updates to your social media channels

You won’t be able to do all of this yourself, so make sure you delegate tasks to members of your team and ensure they all know what their responsibilities are.

Post-Event Tasks

If your event has gone off without a hitch, it’s finally time to relax a little. However, there are a few extra things you’ll need to do post-event, including:

15. Sending out surveys to gain feedback
16. Posting follow-up resources online for attendees to access
17. Opening up early ticket sales for next year
18. Finalising your budget
19. Catching up with speakers and performers
20. Thanking all your staff, vendors, caterers and exhibitors

This is why most companies turn to corporate event management companies for their professional services.

If you’re organising a corporate event and would like some expert support and guidance, contact us at What An Event today. As leading conference and event organisers and party planners in the UK, we’re ready to help you.