Planning the perfect event

A company event is a great way to thank your employees for their hard work, celebrate key milestones, and show off the business you’ve worked so hard to build.

With the Christmas season just around the corner, it’s time to start considering how you can make the most of the festivities and pull off an unforgettable event to make this year one to remember!

Top tips for planning the perfect event

1. Know your ‘why’.

When thinking about corporate events it’s a good idea to start with your why. Why do you want to organise these type of events, and what are you hoping to achieve from it?

Whether thanking your employees or securing new business opportunities – knowing why the event is important will help shape the rest of your planning decisions. This is also the time to come up with a party theme so put your creative hat on and get thinking!

2. Establish your event budget.

Before you even start hunting for venues or booking caterers – establish a budget! There’s nothing worse than having high hopes for an event only to find the budget won’t stretch to cover it, so save yourself the hassle by allocating funds right at the start.

We’ve put together a simple spreadsheet to help you track your spending – you can download it here!

3. Save the date.

No one wants an empty table, dancefloor, or bar – so choose a date early on in your planning process and get the word out! Not only does this mean you’ll keep your numbers up, it also saves you money that could be wasted on empty spaces or surplus food and drink.

4. Create an event timeline.

Planning the perfect event involves a lot of moving parts, and keeping everything organised is essential to pulling off a spectacular party. A top tip here is to plan backwards – start on the day of your event and work your way back to today.

This will help you see what needs to happen when, and what tasks you can be getting on with to make things easier further down the line. The trick is to not skim over any details!

5. Location, location, location!

Think carefully about what kind of venue you will need for your event. As well as the venue size, keep in mind any requirements for accessibility, parking, or transport that may be needed. You may also want to enquire about insurance, just in case something goes wrong – it’s better to be safe than sorry!

6. Organise your team.

Planning a successful event can take a lot of effort, but you don’t need to do it alone! Consider assigning individual roles to members of your team, or delegate tasks to a group of trusted employees.

Now is also the time to check in with your party planner and any guest speakers or special guests you may have coming in for the event. Establish good contact with your team and check in regularly to make sure everything is running smoothly.

7. Market your event.

Now you know why you’re hosting an event, what to expect at the event, and where your event will be held – it’s time to get the word out! Marketing your event may be via email, a social media post, or a full-scale marketing campaign but no matter what – make sure you get your event in people’s diaries ASAP, especially in the run up to Christmas!

8. Branding.

Depending on the type of business, business owners may want to consider flexing their marketing muscles by branding the event. A room busy with people having fun is excellent advertising for your business, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to show off your company and the work you’ve put into it.

9. It’ll be alright on the night.

The planning doesn’t stop on the day of the event! Make sure you have a detailed itinerary for the event itself including all the information on numbers, timings, catering, and closing time.

Even if your event is on a smaller scale, a full agenda will keep everything on track and seal the deal on a successful event!

Planning Christmas Celebrations

As we head into the Christmas party season it’s time to start considering how to apply these tips to your next event with a fun festive twist. A Christmas party is an amazing opportunity to get everyone together to celebrate a successful year and say thank you for all the hard work your team have done – so how do you make sure your Christmas party is truly magical?

1. Keep it fun!

Give your employees a night to remember with fun and interactive activities. Got some big personalities in your team? Get them involved in playing festive party games, leading scavenger hunts, or breaking the ice on the dancefloor – not only is it fun, it’s also a great opportunity for some team building!

2. Bring in the professionals.

Professional entertainment can elevate your event from average to jaw dropping so take this opportunity to make this year’s Christmas party one for the books.

Once you’ve established a budget, think about your target audiences and cast your net wide to find entertainment to keep everyone happy – think DJs, a live band, or even a magician!

3. Get personal.

They say the true joy of Christmas is in giving, and we certainly believe that to be true. Get to know your employees and say thank you with a personal gift. This could be a gift card for their favourite shop, a tasty seasonal treat, or even a paid day off for them to sort out their own Christmas shopping.

A little goes a long way – and your employees will know you care about them and their happiness as part of your company. If you already have a lot on your plate, consider setting up a secret Santa as a budget friendly way to spread some cheer!

4. Say thank you.

Office Christmas parties are the ideal time to thank your employees for all their do as part of your business. No matter the scale of your event, take some time to thank everyone in the room for their efforts over the previous year. Christmas brings people together, and now’s your chance to let everyone know how much they mean to you – so don’t be shy!

Event Planning at Tyck

If you want to plan a corporate event around Christmas, you already know you are heading into a busy time of year when everything seems to be moving a million miles an hour! If you need a helping hand with your next company event, whether Christmas or otherwise, then get in touch with us to see how Tyck can help you.

Lois is our resident Event Planning expert and has over 10 years of experience to help you turn up the fun while keeping costs and stress down. While writing this blog we asked her about why she chose to study event management and what she loves about the job, here’s what she had to say:

“I chose to study event management because of the varied nature of the industry. No two events are the same and every day is filled with different skills and problem solving: from managing budgets, logistics, and marketing, to getting creative with themes! I love seeing people’s ideas come to life and groups of people coming together to have fun!” – Lois, Event Planning expert at Tyck.