Successful corporate event planning is not
for the faint of heart. Whether the event is for 100 or 3,000, there are all
sorts of challenges and points that must be carefully considered.
OBie O'Brien, Director of Sales at Manhattan Center, home of the
Hammerstein and Grand ballrooms, (both of which have housed major events like
Tech Crunch and others for AT&T, GM, Macy's, Fortune Magazine, HSBC and
more,) offers the following tips that can help make your corporate party or
event one to remember:
Planning is essential. Secure a
suitable venue as far in advance as possible. You also might benefit from
choosing a spot that is not just centrally located for ease of access and
parking, but one that can expand if your RSVPs go higher than originally
planned. Get your contract and deposit in early, as some venues book as far as a
year in advance.
Set your budget. Unexpected expenses
are sure to arise, but you need a strict budget.
Make double
copies of all contracts, seating charts, vendors or anything else
important. You wouldn't be the first person to leave that ever-so-important
folder in a taxi.
Invite early & avoid major holiday
weeks. Consider "Save the Date" emails. Insist on RSVPs for calculating
your headcount. Plan on doing late RSVP call-downs.
Decide on a
theme…or not. Is a theme necessary? Or does your organization carry the
day?
Seating or standing? Are seating charts required?
Who'll be in charge of those? Or is a more casual event planned where guests
will mix and mingle more freely? Get details on guests to avoid any
uncomfortable situations.
Equipment counts! Does the
facility you want to book offer in-house microphones, projectors, speakers,
video, recording or live air streaming? Or will you have to bring this all in,
at possibly significant additional expense?
Staff? Will
you need doormen? Servers? Bartenders? Does the facility offer an in-house
production team and/or staff to fill certain requirements?
Are
special accommodations required? Is there a hotel in proximity? Will
your talent or others require rooms or suites? Are they convenient to the
event?
Communication is key. Healthy dialog between the
planner and all vendors is paramount to a successful event. Make sure your
requirements are spelled out and that you give detailed instructions regarding
what you expect from every vendor hired. Eliminate major headaches by taking
time ahead of the event to clarify possible areas of confusion.
Source: MCStudios.com
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