Corporate events planners have a lot on their plates. There are products to launch, clients to wow, and plenty of fun to fit in. Oh, and don’t forget it all has to stay under the event budget!
So how can corporate event management software streamline the whole planning process? Also, what can an event management platform do to make corporate events an amazing experience? We’ll get into all this, but in short, event software makes it easier to plan engaging and inspiring events. For more, this is why event software is a must for corporate event planners.
How to Plan a Corporate Event
Corporate events are all about strengthening business relationships. There may be a lot of tasks to get done (venues, speakers, marketing, etc.) but the end goal is simply helping clients and colleagues connect on a deeper level.
These are some key tasks, including securing the right event management software, that will help create a successful corporate event. Note: There is a rough order to these tasks, but feel free to modify them for your needs.
Know the Why?
Attendees, stakeholders, and speakers all have to know Why the event is happening. There needs to be a clear reason to invest energy, money, or both, into the experience.
Maybe the goal is networking, inspiration, promoting a new product, or some kind of combination. Whatever it is, this reason will guide your planning from beginning to end.
ProTip: Use the Why as the basis for your brand. For example: If the reason for the event is to inspire – then the brand itself should be compelling and get people talking.
Get buy-in.
Reach out to key stakeholders and investors and get buy-in early on. You want the event’s most influential people to be on board and excited to help in any way.
It’s also important that key stakeholders put the event on their schedules. People are working remotely and will need to make sure they are in town for the event to be a part of it.
Book a venue.
Your event needs a venue, this is obvious, but it’s also time sensitive. The faster you start looking for venues the more options you are going to have.
Let your event goals guide your search. If attendees will be working together in smaller groups, look for breakout rooms that will inspire (think big windows and plants). If you want more networking, look for open floor plans with nooks for people to connect and relax.
Choose an event technology platform.
The event technology platform is where you can create an event registration page, launch an event website, collect attendee data, employ onsite badge printing, and much, much more.
There are many event technology options out there, Expo included, the important thing is that it’s easy to use, in-budget, and does exactly what you need it to do.
We recommend looking for software that makes it easier to meet and creates more face-to-face time with attendees. Which is the goal of all events.
Plan the event day (or multiple event days).
Create a clear plan for the event day (or multiple days). This is literally the schedule for your event, including speakers, breakout sessions, food services, and anything that will happen.
It likely won’t be the final schedule, but it will start to give you an idea of what’s possible, and what you won’t have time for. The more you can focus on what you can accomplish at the event, the easier it is to plan.
Market your event.
You need to market your event to attendees, stakeholders, and potential speakers. This means launching your registration page, sending emails, social content, and a consistent marketing campaign.
Start your marketing campaign early, even when you don’t have an event theme yet, and maybe just a logo or tagline. This will build interest and intrigue. Then, incorporate more and more about the event’s brand as you book speakers and add vendors to the event website.
For more about event marketing, check out: Pump up your attendance with a top-notch event marketing strategy.
How Corporate Event Management Software Can Help
Corporate event management software makes nearly every part of your corporate event easier to plan. Here’s how:
Registration
The right corporate event software will make the registration process simple, secure, and lightning fast. This means no sketchy pop-out windows or lengthy merchant agreements. Attendees just click a few boxes, pay, and they are set for the event.
The registration page is also where you can collect important attendee data such as food preferences, event expectations, or even just their shirt size for some free corporate swag.
Virtual event platform
Look for an event management platform that offers a stunning, easy-to-use virtual platform. This is where vendors will set up profiles, upload marketing materials, and purchase advertising space.
The event platform is also an important resource for attendees to see who will be at which booths, review speaker schedules, and download any supplemental session materials.
Onsite Badge Printing
Corporate event software can also facilitate on-site badges, which means attendees simply have to show up, type their name on the check-in kiosk, press print, and they get their badge. All in a matter of seconds.
The check-in kiosks, (an iPad and printer loaded with blank badges), are sent to the venue beforehand. Organizers just plug in and set up the kiosks and they are good to go. The iPads are connected directly to your registration platform and ready to get people checked in or registered instantly.
For more about onsite badge printing, check out: This is why you need onsite badge printing at your event.
Event App
The corporate event app is where attendees can see event schedules, find speaker info, get venue directions, and download session materials. It’s a one-stop shop for finding out everything they need to know about the event.
Attendees can also use the app to see who is attending or which of their colleagues will be at a vendor’s booth. Corporate events are all about meeting and talking, the app can jumpstart that process.
For more about events apps, check out: The must-have features you need on your event mobile app.
Lead Retrieval
Lead retrieval is an essential part of how vendors instantly collect attendee contact info at corporate events.
The best way to do this is with a QR code on the event badges. The vendors simply use the corporate event app to scan a badge and the contact info is saved instantly. And at the end of the event, just upload the leads to your CRM database. Simple.
Vendors can also pose qualifying questions to new leads so that the best leads always rise to the top.
For more about lead retrieval, check out: Lead retrieval for exhibitors, this is why it’s great.
Attendance Tracking
Attendance tracking tells you who is registered, checked in, or in a session, and gives you the general pulse of the event from planning to take down.
Corporate event organizers can use this real-time data to guide their marketing team. This means making sure ads are boosting registration, or even getting people to go to different sessions.
Attendee tracking data is also essential to understanding what worked and what you want to improve next time. For example, if a session did surprisingly well – push more content like that on social media, or use that session in marketing materials for next year.
For more on attendance tracking, check out. Event analytics, Explained.
How much do companies spend on Corporate Events?
Companies spend a wide range of money on corporate events. This could be anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 dollars for a dozen or so people, to tens of thousands of dollars and up for hundreds of people.
The best way to think about your corporate event budget is as a percentage of your marketing budget. If your event is the biggest marketing push of the year, then you should allocate more money for it. If not, then adjust accordingly.
One thing to note is that corporate event management software only takes up a fraction of the total event cost when compared to big-ticket items such as venue, staff, and hospitality.
Event software will also save money in the long run. With onsite badge printing, organizers can hire less staff to run check-in, and remove outside design or printing expenses. The event app will also save thousands on printed schedules and marketing materials.
Event software works for any type of Corporate Events
Event software will make planning easier for a variety of corporate events, including: Conventions, corporate events, sales kick-off meetings, seminars, trade shows, product launches, trainings, or anytime colleagues and clients need to get together.
Whether you plan on hosting a few dozen attendees, a few thousand, vendors, or no vendors, corporate event software is the key to streamlining the entire experience.
Event software is a must-have for corporate events planners
Event software simply helps corporate event planners create better events.
With services like onsite badge printing and lead retrieval, attendees will spend less time waiting, and more time connecting. Live attendance tracking will give the marketing team the tools they need to succeed now and in the future. And you’ll save tons of money on printed materials with an event technology platform. So if you want to create an awesome event and stay on budget, corporate event software will get you there!
