Corporate events, be those held in the office building or else in a larger conference center further afield, obviously require a significant amount of planning.

As with most other aspects relating to the world of business, the more organized you are, the better, and in an effort to ensure your event is a complete and unmitigated success, this guide is for you.

Read on to learn everything there is to know about organizing a corporate event.

Determine Your Key Objectives

The main difference between a corporate shindig and a party filled with friends and family is that the former needs to have a clear direction, so before you do anything else, it is essential to establish the core purpose of your event.

These questions will help you crystalize your vision:

• What does every guest have in common?
• What would you like to ‘get out’ of the evening (both personally and for the business)
• Will the event include remote attendees?
• How many people do you intend to invite?
• Do you want to make a profit? If so, how much?

Be Realistic with Your Budget

Unless you are the manager or owner of the business, it is likely you are not solely in charge of setting the budget, so you need to ensure you do not go a cent over, and the best way to do this is to always leave ten percent of the total budget in reserve.

Make sure you compare the costs for everything and that you are not seduced by experienced salespeople who are trying to get the most money out of you as possible.

Spend time looking into catering companies that specialize in corporate and more formal events, as there is nothing worse than inexperienced or too ‘hands-on’ caterers and servers who are not used to a professional setting.

Work to a Project Timeline

Approach your organization schedule in the same way you would for an important pitch meeting, and make sure you prioritize the most important facets and work toward a formal project timeline.

For larger events, you may want to consider investing in leading project management software, which would also be a shrewd move if this event is just one of many you have in the pipeline.

There are a host of advantages to investing in such software, not least the ease at which you can delegate to other members of your team and the heightened levels of communication offered. Additional benefits include tighter resource management, simplified access to work remotely, and improved budget management.

Remember: Venues can be double-booked; transportation can be delayed or unexpectedly canceled, and printing stores could make a mistake on your company name or phone number.

Your Venue is Everything!

Perhaps the most stressful element of corporate event planning is finding the ideal venue for the right price, so bringing along an evaluation checklist for each space you view will help you narrow down the options.

Ask how long the waiting list currently is, whether or not the venue can supply you with A/V facilities, the strength of the Wi-Fi signal, the deposit required, and, of course, a simple list of what you do (and do not) have access to.