It's a lot of pressure knowing the quality of everyone's night is in your hands. The annual corporate party is approaching, and people have been looking forward to it for a couple of months. Business is going well, but it's completely drained some of the people in your office. You know since they've worked hard, they want to party harder. You've volunteered to plan the entire evening for the party, but you're terrified of messing it all up. Don't worry because we are here to give you some guidance. Below are 8 corporate party mistakes and how you can avoid them.
Make sure to read them to start the planning off on the right foot.
1. Lacking Food
Let's be honest here, food is a huge factor in enticing people to show up to something. Good food brings them to the party, and all of the other stuff convinces them to stay. How do you get them to come to the party?
Before you do anything, develop a corporate party budget so you know what you're working with. The key to having great food is sectioning off a pretty decent amount of your party budget off for catering. It's not the time to host a halfway decent potluck.
Talk with local caterers or food businesses in your area, and see if you can even work out a deal. Tell them you'd love to advertise for them if they can give a discount.
When it comes to food, you also want to be aware of dietary restrictions. Have delicious vegetarian options and gluten-free options.
2. Allowing Too Much to Drink
We've all met people that take the open-bar concept too far. While it's great to allow a few drinks per person, you don't want things to end up in a mess because everyone is drinking past their limit.
Try handing out drink tickets to each guest. Allow them 2 or 3 free drinks, and tell them they have to pay for the rest. By making people pay for their drinks, they'll be less likely to indulge.
Make sure to ID everyone in case you have employees or guests under the legal drinking age. You don't want any legal trouble on your hands.
3. Choosing the Wrong Venue
Aside from food, most money in a corporate party budget goes to booking a venue. Choosing great venues for events is crucial. The environment sets the mood for the party.
Tour some venues before making an official decision. Ask the event manager of each location how many people can comfortably fit in the space, sitting or standing. You want to make sure everyone can move around easily once they're inside.
If you're going to have live entertainment, try to snag a venue with a stage. If many of your employees are older, try to avoid venues with tons of stairs.
4. Having No Goals
It's important to define one or two overarching goals for your corporate event. Once you define them, stick to them.
If your goal is to celebrate a great work year, do just that! Have fun while recognizing the hard work of everyone around you. Take time out of the night to give personalized shoutouts or present awards.
Are you wanting to build connections with other businesses in the community? Create an event that allows for networking. You can do this by setting up cocktail tables and small tables of appetizers, things that allow people to mix and mingle.
5. Not Informing People of Details
When planning the corporate event, don't forget to focus on the details. Are you creating a theme? Is there a dress code?
It can ruin someone's night if they show up in a nice blouse and jeans while everyone else is wearing cocktail dresses and suits. Make sure to effectively communicate the tone of the party to everyone in advance.
When communicating things like dress code or theme, do so at least a month or two before the event. People will want time to go shopping if necessary.
You can either make announcements to the office through emails, or you can purchase personalized invitations to send out. A tangible invitation is a good idea because people can hang it up in a visible spot.
6. Having No Set Schedule
Even if most of your night consists of everyone mingling and chatting, write it down on a schedule. A schedule will keep you organized.
Schedule blocks of entertainment, speakers, or little moments of things like when the dessert is served. A schedule is especially helpful for any hired staff that is helping run the party. Everyone needs to be on the same page.
7. Hosting the Party Too Late at Night
When choosing what day and time to host the party, choose a time that works for everyone. It's best to avoid late nights and Saturday nights.
People most likely already have plans on the weekend, and employees who are parents won't be able to stay out too late. It's best to host an amazing party with everyone there, and then people can form individual groups to hit up another bar if wanted.
8. Not Encouraging Responsibility
Even as the planner of the event, you want to have some fun too. However, you must remain alert and encouraging responsible partying etiquette.
If someone is appearing to be too intoxicated or aggressive, privately pull them aside and speak with them. Make an announcement about rideshare options like Uber and Lyft. Keep an eye out for any unwanted guests.
Hire security for an event if you suspect any trouble.
A Night of Success: Avoid the Above Corporate Party Mistakes
A large corporate event can be a night to remember or a night people want to forget. Make it a night to remember by avoiding all of the above corporate party mistakes.
Always have a large selection of food and drink, but avoiding allowing too much drinking. Keep your budget and goals in mind, and always have a schedule on hand!
Another part of throwing a successful event is having a team behind you that pays attention to details, gets the job done on time, and listens to your wants and needs! We can provide that sort of support for your next event so check out our page. Contact us to chat with a consultant.