During our twenty plus years in the corporate event industry, we’ve dealt with our fair share of clients whose inadequate understanding of the corporate event planning process has left us baffled. Whether due to genuine or feigned ignorance, we’ve had some downright outlandish requests. Don’t get us wrong – we love what we do. That said, sometimes the queries we field are nothing short of preposterous. We may be corporate event maestros, but we’re not magicians.
Without further ado, these are the ways that corporates unwittingly sabotage their corporate events:
A sketchy understanding of the inner workings of corporate event management
Planning and executing a corporate event requires many (many) hours, a trusted network, a flair for the creative and a solid grasp on logistics. Myriad elements must all be managed in order to pull off a corporate event, and these elements must be managed in a way that’s realistic and humanly possible. No corporate event management company can pull a proverbial rabbit out of a hat at a moment’s notice. As the client, it’s your responsibility to understand and anticipate the scope of work required. It’s only when these expectations are mutual can we begin to plan a corporate event.
Budgets that don’t match requirements
Corporate events are expensive affairs – for good reason. From the venue and staff to caterers, engineers and health and safety officers (not to mention RSVP and registration management, security and decor), event budgets quickly add up. Whether due to a global tightening of purse strings or an unwillingness to prioritise their events, far too many corporates want champagne service on a beer budget. Before briefing a corporate event management company, decide on the non-negotiables of your event. If you insist on having a corporate getaway in the bush, bear in mind that a budget for travel costs is crucial. In the same vein, if you need to provide entertainment for plus-ones and offspring, know that these will cost you.
Vague creative briefs
Ever made dinner blindfolded? That’s exactly what it’s like attempting to quote for a corporate event with little more than a time and date to go on. A detailed brief forms the bones of your event: the more information we have to go on, the easier it is for us to come up with creative and plan a budget that’s in line with your requirements. Compiling a quote requires a lot of research and time, but if we only have a faint idea of what a corporate actually expects, the chances that we’re wasting both our time and yours are high.
An opinion that event managers are doing it for fun
As we mentioned above, corporate event management requires a skilled team of experienced individuals. It also requires a lot of time and attention to detail. Corporate events require a project manager at the helm, and as such, this service needs to be factored into your budget.
The best way to ensure that your corporate event is a success is by schooling yourself on the intricacies of corporate event management, and then providing your event company with an exhaustive creative brief and adequate budget.
