Here are some tips (from Seekers at Buzika.com) on planning and organizing a corporate event :
Planning. Initiate meeting together with the key persons to plan the event. Know the basic details : type of event, budget allocation, number of target attendees, preferred venue and other specified details. The goal of the event and the role of each person involved in a team should be clearly defined.
Prepare a checklist and calendar of all activities specifically the deadlines of each task.
Set regular meetings to keep tabs on the progress of the event or do it on-line to save time. Have a quick directory of resource people, suppliers, and other vital information needed.
Venue Selection. Search for the venue best suited to your type of meeting. Plan a in-person visit to personally tour the meeting facility. The Solution Center in North Carolina, for example, has been touted by many as the best among Durham conference rooms.
It is important to meet your point of contact face to face. Once a location has been chosen, closely coordinate with the person-in charge and review thoroughly the details of the contract.
Ways of Distribution for Invitations :
Create a webpage for the event. On-line registration is the fastest and a more economical way of drawing attendees.
Email blast. An effective and a more personalized distribution but if the recipient is not part of the of the existing database, make sure a disclaimer is indicated at the bottom of the invitation.
Direct mail. For traditional invitations, direct mail may printed out and sent to targeted attendees. Though it is more costly, it still makes a good impression to the recipient since it is personalized and tangible. The downside is it requires a timely distribution, make sure that you hire a trusted courier agency to do the job.
Equipment and Collaterals. One major detail to be handled efficiently is the equipment specifically the audio and video requirements. No matter how good the speaker and presentation are, the event will not be successful with bad audio or malfunctioning equipment.
Technical interruptions are a unacceptable for any event.
Resource Speakers. Prepare an honorary token for speakers and attend to their needs.
Post-Evaluation of the Event. Prepare a feedback sheet for the post-evaluation meeting. Were the goals achieved? Evaluate the performance of each participant in the team, decide on actions to be taken for improvement in future events.
Managing a corporate meeting can be challenging and stressful but with careful planning and efficient execution, your goals can be achieved. An event planner should have the following traits : leadership, attention to detail, resourcefulness, ability to deal with different types of people, time management skills, ability to handle pressure, highly flexible and optimistic.