Corporate and Private Event Planning

For large corporate parties and charity events it can be very easy to assume a professional event planner will make it all happen. However before hiring professional help we recommend that you clarify in your own head the answers to five important questions namely the Who, What, Where, When and Why of the event. For smaller social events you will not need to get tied up in formal planning but you will certainly need to have a clear focus on how the party will run. In the remainder of this article we will look at the 5 W's in more detail.

The Guests and Who They Are: Understanding your guests is very important when planning an event. For informal occasions with friends and families it is not so important but for larger parties you will need to be very aware of the composition of the guest list. For example your choice of entertainment will be heavily influenced by the age of those attending. If there is a wide spectrum you will need entertainment for children as well as adults.

Event Type: You may have hosted events in the past but be very careful about applying a "one size fits all" template. Not all events are the same and to help clarify the type of event you are planning you should classify it as one of the following, corporate entertainment, charity event or social event. Organising a family reunion is completely different to hosting a company away day. Yes, there may be common elements but assuming that you can simply copy arrangements from one to the other will lead to problems.

Timings and Dates: When deciding on the timings for your event you need to consider it on two levels. The first been the general season / month. Some events are more suited to a particular time of year, for example an Hawaiian party works much better during the Summer. Once the date is confirmed you can then get down to the "nitty gritty" of the event schedule.

Event Location: When selecting a location for your event there are a number of factors to consider including accessibility and the availability of accommodation but top of the "decision tree" should be the weather. Outdoor activities / options always add to an event so choosing Nebraska in the middle of Winter may not be the best choice.

Reasons for Hosting The Event: There are three main reasons for hosting an event, corporate entertainment, fund raising and social occasions. Hopefully as host you will know what category your event falls into. It may seem like a basic question but it is important to define the main purpose of the party before embarking on arranging the details.

Hopefully after reading this article you will understand the importance of taking time to consider what exactly you want your party or event to achieve. For smaller private occasions there is no need. The top priority should simply be the enjoyment of your guests but for those involved in corporate entertainment the stakes are a little higher. Treating staff and customers in an appropriate manner will pay dividends in the long run.

Organising a big event can seem like a daunting task. It can be very easy to make excuses not to host an event. If that is the case don't rule out the option of hiring professional help. It will save money in the long run.