How to Create More Engaging Corporate Events

Each new quarter brings with it the opportunity for memorable corporate events that will refresh a company’s atmosphere and invigorate the people that work there. This is where the work of a corporate planner starts. The reason for the event ranges from the introduction of new products or services to team building and attracting new clients.

Choose an Event Theme First

Every good corporate event idea must first carry a theme, one connected directly to the purpose of the event. It is imperative to convey to your clients the importance of having a cohesive theme. That theme should extend beyond the decorations; it must be weaved throughout the entirety of the event, encompassing that company event’s purpose.

Whether the event is a single-day corporate party or is composed of several team building events, it’s important to keep every aspect fine-tuned toward the central theme. Attendees should be able to experience the intended theme clearly and succinctly. Even the most minute details should portray your theme and reinforce the overall message.

Be sure to relay that a good theme is generally one that is focused on modern trends, while still utilizing best-practices for getting that theme realized across the entire venue. Such themes include virtual reality, crowdsourcing, mobile technology, localization, socialization and the power of consumer choice.

Even if your client’s business is not specifically technology-centered, the surrounding event ideas should still be focused on the social experiences that are found in the personal lives and business engagements of the modern era.

Ideas For Your Client’s Next Corporate Event

Depending on what your client is trying to accomplish with their event, whether it is to release new strategies, show employee recognition, or to unveil new products, here are some tested corporate event ideas and the corresponding tools that may help alleviate the many challenges you may face when planning an event:

#1: Fundraisers

Fundraising might work well with any theme, but can work especially well with technology and socialization themes. Many consumers are looking for companies that are focused on the community. Giving back to the community is an excellent way to incorporate the theme and develop a socially-conscious corporate environment.

Pros:

• Offers a chance to build local community connections.
• Develops a positive image for the company.
• Provides an opportunity to engage with the community
• A venue sourcing tool will make finding the perfect event venue simple and easy.

Cons:

• Can be difficult to fit into the objective for some corporate events.
• Who or what cause to fundraise for can be a controversial issue.

#2: Musical Performance

Depending on the event, a musical performance is a great way to utilize a modern technology or social media theme. A theme playing off of social media in some way can be enhanced with a musical performance that draws attention to the corporate party through popular social media platforms.

Pros:

• Musical performances can get event attendees excited.
• Performances add a good backdrop to other activities and can occur simultaneously to other company events.
• With a big event like this, a seating organizer is great for allocating seats for your guests.

Cons:

• Musical performances can be costly, depending on the performer.
• Musical performances will require added space to use that could be used for other event ideas.

#3. Outdoor Excursions

Using good weather to your advantage can help make the technology theme more practical than you might anticipate. Socialization and technology are now focused on mobility. A theme that plays on the mobility afforded by technology and the social aspects of the outdoors could bring much needed life to a corporate event.

Pros:

• Taking the event outdoors can add life and excitement to the event.
• Use a survey module that allows you to customize surveys to gauge interest in various outdoor events.
• Good weather can improve the overall mood of attendees.

Cons:

• Larger events will find outdoor activities difficult to manage.
• Weather can easily change unexpectedly.

#4. Games/Contests

Games and contests are a perfect idea to include in an event that focuses on a modern tech and social media theme. Many technologies exist that allow for crowd interaction in big events, and technology exists that utilizes social and mobile technologies to make the crowd a part of the action.

Pros:

• Interaction and gaming are always crowd pleasers.
• Contests and games create a livelier atmosphere and provide a great vehicle for the theme.
• You can introduce your game through your event app. Today’s mobile event app providers offer gamification options that promote engagement such as scavenger hunts, digital badges, and much more.

Cons:

• Games and contests can become a logistical nightmare.
• Some contestants may get rowdier than desired, depending on the type of game involved.

#5. Live Cooking Demonstrations

Instead of a typical dinner, a live cooking demonstration is a great way to utilize a modern, technology and social media-centered theme. Culinary arts are becoming more and more popular, and live demonstration with event goer interactivity is a great way to place your theme front and center–even in the food.

Pros:

• Provides an innovative and unique way to feed the event guests.
• Adds a form of event entertainment beyond music.
• Relatively low cost. A budgeting tool will help you manage the costs and stay on track.

Cons:

• Food costs can be expensive.
• Food allergies are a major concern.

Remind Your Clients:

A good corporate event is about more than just a flashy show; it’s about building an effective company. Remind your client that a successful corporate event idea should focus on growing your client’s brand and the business.

This invariably starts with effective employees who are both happy and excited about where the business is going and the ideas that are on display. A company party that focuses simply on showing appreciation for a job well done, for example, can spur the desire of employees for better work overall and emphasize the value of teamwork.

This post was originally published in 2016 and was revised by Stova for relevance.