6 Tips for Your Next Corporate Event

Event planning can be a tedious task with endless bits of information and details to cover. Where to go, what to cover, and how to manage the logistics can all be overwhelming.  

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One way you can avoid the stress of planning your next corporate outing or social function is by leveraging an experienced out-of-the-box planner who has done it before for other organizations. But sometimes, those planners come with a high price tag. 

We sat down with Rebekah Meadows, head of corporate events at Twin Creeks, and asked for her top tips to help companies, fundraising groups, churches, and social organizations. Here's what she had to say. 

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1: Choose a unique location. 

One of the main benefits of hosting offsite events is escaping your day-to-day work environment and finding time to get together to think outside the box. In this fast-paced, competitive world, companies need to create opportunities for their employees to disconnect from daily work pressures so they can focus on the bigger picture. 

Booking a unique location goes a long way in helping organizations accomplish that goal. It provides an opportunity for attendees to meet new people, gain an understanding of other departments and get out of their regular schedules and comfort zones. 

You can always go to a hotel or conference center. But some of the best creative thinking can happen when you get out of the ordinary. When you're deciding where to take your group, look at options that aren't so common and try to find something unique.

2: Set event objectives. 

Like in every meeting you plan, be sure to get clear on your event's objectives so that everything you design is in line with your goals. Otherwise, you may end up with a lot of fun activities but with no clear direction. Team members need to understand why you’re meeting and the results you’re meant to achieve, or they may not buy into the event. 

Are you trying to serve a larger cause, such as raising money for a charity or boosting employee morale? Or are you just looking to get better acquainted with your team and build camaraderie? Whatever it is, make sure your objectives match the event's theme, so you don't go through the planning process and find out that these goals are secondary. 

3: Balance work and play.

When you plan an offsite, always try to balance work and play by offering different types of activities so that your group can reap all the benefits of getting together. You don't want every activity to be super-intensive, or you risk reducing productivity by causing unnecessary fatigue. 

One way to keep this balance is by holding an event retreat over multiple days, for example, by renting affordable lake homes villas for teams or families and holding a variety of indoor and outdoor events at your rental homes or in nearby meeting space. 

When you're not pressured to get everything done in a single day, you can make time for fun activities, such as sunset cruises, team hiking, scavenger hunts, and picnics. Spending time outdoors has been found to boost creativity and critical thinking, so try to plan for both indoor and outdoor activities. 

4: Create a comfortable space. 

Your attendees will be spending the better part of their time at your offsite and, so it's essential to make sure they feel comfortable. 

You can take this step by working with a venue that can create an inviting meeting space designed for a collaborative environment and is equipped with working space such as tables, chairs, and screen video conferencing or projector options. 

5: Don't sweat the small details. 

Preparing activities, planning meals and other logistics, and organizing audio-visual resources can make for a stressful event for facilitators. It's a good idea to choose an event venue with onsite coordination services. Meeting planners ensure that you have all the necessary resources for the event and that nothing goes wrong during the planning process. 

Share your event goals with your event coordinator and get advice on activities and ideas to help achieve those goals. 

For example, one recent Twin Creeks client wanted a way to encourage team collaboration while having fun. We coordinated an outdoor departmental scavenger hunt that encouraged teams to work together to solve puzzles and find clues. The teams had a blast, found new ways to appreciate each other's contributions and ideas, and the meeting planner was able to participate without worrying about the details. 

6: Enjoy yourself. 

Finally, don't forget to enjoy yourself because, after all, you're hosting this event for a reason - to raise money for charity or to boost employee morale, right? So make sure you take time to mingle with your colleagues and build new friendships or strengthen existing ones.

Planning your next event doesn't have to be stressful. With the right event partner or venue, you'll find that time away will be time well spent. We'd love to help you plan your next offsite or retreat. Take advantage of our complimentary event coordination services today and get ready to reap the rewards of an event well-planned. Contact us today for a free event planning strategy session.