Planning a conference or other corporate event can be stressful, especially if it’s your first time. But don’t worry. Event planning is a team effort, and a big part of the process is simply knowing who to go for when you need help or specialized knowledge. It’s crucial to be able to delegate tasks when necessary. You can also hire third-party vendors for complex or technical tasks.
Working with a team of reliable professionals and helpers can help make the process a lot easier and smoother – so can thorough pre-planning research. We’re here to help. Here’s our all-inclusive guide to corporate conference planning for first-time organizers.
What are you hoping to achieve at your conference? Who do you want to reach? You should always tailor your event planning to the specific needs of your audience.
For example, if your main goal is training and education, you might want to include panel discussions and workshops. If your goal is team-building, consider incorporating some ice breakers and games.
Practical constraints are an important consideration for event planners. How much can you reasonably spend? Do you have access to sponsors or volunteers? You should always create a detailed budget and stick to it as much as possible.
You’ll need to decide if you’re hosting your function in-person or online. There are pros and cons to each option.
Live events can be electrifying, so they’re great for product launches and immersive experiences. But virtual and hybrid events allow you to welcome a more diverse and global audience, and digital collaboration tools enable more audience participation than you might think.
When choosing a date and time for your event, you should coordinate with key stakeholders to ensure you’re respectful of their schedules. Consider whether or not guests or presenters will need to travel to attend, and give them plenty of notice so they can organize transportation and accommodation.
Selecting a venue is one of the most important aspects of the corporate event planning process. It’s important to find a balance between aesthetics and practical considerations.
You want to find a venue that matches the vibe or your event, but you also need to make sure it has good bandwidth and connectivity, is close to hotels, and provides parking and accessibility accommodations.
You need to make sure you have the right audio-visual equipment to ensure your presenters are seen and heard. If you’re planning to film your event for live-streaming or broadcasting purposes, you’ll need more advanced equipment. At minimum, you’ll probably need microphones, speakers, and visual-display technology.
Permits are often required for large gatherings, especially those that serve alcohol, are noisy, or take place on public property. It’s a good idea to work with an attorney to ensure you have all your bases covered and adhere to local laws and regulations.
You should also consider purchasing liability insurance to cover you in case of unforeseen complications or emergencies.
Weather forecasts are a major consideration for outdoor conferences. Nothing ruins a big conference like never-ending rainfall or blazing heat.
Weather is a less important factor if you opt for an indoor venue or you're planning a virtual event. However, extreme weather can impact transportation for crew and attendees, so be sure to think about the time of year and check the weather forecast before finalizing your date and venue.
The planning stage starts with figuring out your goals, objectives, target audience. Once you have a clear understanding of your overall vision and theme, keep track of all the logistical aspects of your conference.
Major planning tasks include creating a detailed schedule, booking a venue, hiring vendors, and designing a marketing campaign. Use an event planning checklist to ensure you meet your objectives and stay on track.
The day of the event can feel overwhelming, but as long as you stick to your plan and communicate clearly with your team, it will all be okay.
Always arrive early and do a final walkthrough of your venue to make sure the setup runs smoothly. Check to make sure your AV equipment is working and your presenters and vendors have a copy of the event program.
Stay in touch with your team via a group chat or walkie-talkies, and make sure you check in regularly with key members of your team throughout the day.
The most important part of event management and execution is just staying calm. If something goes off track, you’ll be much better prepared to handle the situation if you’re able to remain calm and work with your team to get it fixed.
The planning process doesn't end when the venue door closes. In fact, post-conference evaluations can be immensely helpful for future planning. Consider sending out a post-event survey to your attendees. This can help you measure event success, identify areas for improvement, and gain valuable demographic insight.
Having the right people in your corner can make the event planning process easier, smoother, and a whole lot more fun. Catalyst is your one-stop-shop for all your AV event planning needs. From designing the perfect staging setup to live-streaming and broadcasting services, we’ve got you covered.
Let us handle the technical stuff so you can focus on giving your guests an experience they won’t forget.
Contact us to get a free consultation and let us know how we can help!
Planning a conference or other corporate event can be stressful, especially if it’s your first time. But don’t worry. Event planning is a team effort, and a big part of the process is simply knowing who to go for when you need help or specialized knowledge. It’s crucial to be able to delegate tasks when necessary. You can also hire third-party vendors for complex or technical tasks.
Working with a team of reliable professionals and helpers can help make the process a lot easier and smoother – so can thorough pre-planning research. We’re here to help. Here’s our all-inclusive guide to corporate conference planning for first-time organizers.
What are you hoping to achieve at your conference? Who do you want to reach? You should always tailor your event planning to the specific needs of your audience.
For example, if your main goal is training and education, you might want to include panel discussions and workshops. If your goal is team-building, consider incorporating some ice breakers and games.
Practical constraints are an important consideration for event planners. How much can you reasonably spend? Do you have access to sponsors or volunteers? You should always create a detailed budget and stick to it as much as possible.
You’ll need to decide if you’re hosting your function in-person or online. There are pros and cons to each option.
Live events can be electrifying, so they’re great for product launches and immersive experiences. But virtual and hybrid events allow you to welcome a more diverse and global audience, and digital collaboration tools enable more audience participation than you might think.
When choosing a date and time for your event, you should coordinate with key stakeholders to ensure you’re respectful of their schedules. Consider whether or not guests or presenters will need to travel to attend, and give them plenty of notice so they can organize transportation and accommodation.
Selecting a venue is one of the most important aspects of the corporate event planning process. It’s important to find a balance between aesthetics and practical considerations.
You want to find a venue that matches the vibe or your event, but you also need to make sure it has good bandwidth and connectivity, is close to hotels, and provides parking and accessibility accommodations.
You need to make sure you have the right audio-visual equipment to ensure your presenters are seen and heard. If you’re planning to film your event for live-streaming or broadcasting purposes, you’ll need more advanced equipment. At minimum, you’ll probably need microphones, speakers, and visual-display technology.
Permits are often required for large gatherings, especially those that serve alcohol, are noisy, or take place on public property. It’s a good idea to work with an attorney to ensure you have all your bases covered and adhere to local laws and regulations.
You should also consider purchasing liability insurance to cover you in case of unforeseen complications or emergencies.
Weather forecasts are a major consideration for outdoor conferences. Nothing ruins a big conference like never-ending rainfall or blazing heat.
Weather is a less important factor if you opt for an indoor venue or you're planning a virtual event. However, extreme weather can impact transportation for crew and attendees, so be sure to think about the time of year and check the weather forecast before finalizing your date and venue.
The planning stage starts with figuring out your goals, objectives, target audience. Once you have a clear understanding of your overall vision and theme, keep track of all the logistical aspects of your conference.
Major planning tasks include creating a detailed schedule, booking a venue, hiring vendors, and designing a marketing campaign. Use an event planning checklist to ensure you meet your objectives and stay on track.
The day of the event can feel overwhelming, but as long as you stick to your plan and communicate clearly with your team, it will all be okay.
Always arrive early and do a final walkthrough of your venue to make sure the setup runs smoothly. Check to make sure your AV equipment is working and your presenters and vendors have a copy of the event program.
Stay in touch with your team via a group chat or walkie-talkies, and make sure you check in regularly with key members of your team throughout the day.
The most important part of event management and execution is just staying calm. If something goes off track, you’ll be much better prepared to handle the situation if you’re able to remain calm and work with your team to get it fixed.
The planning process doesn't end when the venue door closes. In fact, post-conference evaluations can be immensely helpful for future planning. Consider sending out a post-event survey to your attendees. This can help you measure event success, identify areas for improvement, and gain valuable demographic insight.
Having the right people in your corner can make the event planning process easier, smoother, and a whole lot more fun. Catalyst is your one-stop-shop for all your AV event planning needs. From designing the perfect staging setup to live-streaming and broadcasting services, we’ve got you covered.
Let us handle the technical stuff so you can focus on giving your guests an experience they won’t forget.
Contact us to get a free consultation and let us know how we can help!
Are you planning a shareholder meeting, conference, product launch, trade show, or other type of major event? You need to make sure the production value matches the quality of your event’s content. Working with a reliable, proven leader in audio visual event production like Catalyst ensures your event runs smoothly, exceeds the expectations of your audience, and has the impact you want.
Get in touch today to schedule a free consultation, learn more about our services, and tell us about your event.
We work events both nationally and internationally. No matter where you are, Catalyst can come to you.
(818) 818-6117
info@thecatalystcompanies.com