It’s time to bring organization and fun back to corporate events! While you can handle many of the responsibilities in-house, your local printer can help save time and meet your needs for custom signage and promotional materials.
If you’ve ever planned corporate events, you’re familiar with the behind-the-scenes work that goes into a smooth day-of experience. You’ll want to give yourself as much planning time as possible for brainstorming, theme selection and branding, ordering of materials, preparation for distribution, setup and last-minute details. Here’s a quick guide to help you plan your next corporate event.
Consider how you can connect with your attendees and what your end goal is for the corporate event. Are you informing the community? Are you recruiting new employees or donors? Are you bringing together multiple vendors in the same field? Are you celebrating your staff members?
While you are busy booking your venue, caterer, photographer and bartenders, there are other items on the checklist that can be handled by your local print shop. Let your professional printer handle the creative designs and production of flyers, save-the-date cards, invitations and event tickets.
When planning the logistics for your room setup, signage plays an important role. Your printer can create custom banners, floor graphics, stage signs, centerpieces, directional signs (for the sign-in table, restrooms, auction tables, etc.) and any other needed signage.
HINT: Be sure to review your venue contract to determine any restrictions.
Your printer can also help with your outdoor signage, event tents, A-frame signs, yard signs and banners.
1. The Sign-In Table: One of the most important spots for corporate events is the sign-in table. Often, it provides the first impression of your event. You’ll want to be organized in advance – make your attendees feel like you prepared this event especially for them. The sign-in table is the perfect spot to give out name badges, seating information, booklets or programs, swag bags and a heartfelt welcome to the event.
2. The Comfort Items: Consider the location, weather and temperature for the event. If your event is being held outside, would your guests appreciate handheld fans or a water bottle at the entrance? Do you want branded lotions in the bathrooms or breath mints on the tables?
3. The Guests’ Perspective: When you are planning for the room setup, look at the space from the guests’ perspective. What is the best flow of information and space? Do your guests know what to do once they leave the sign-in table? Are your points of interest clearly marked with signage?
4. The Quiet Activities and Messages: While many of your guests will enjoy mixing and mingling, others will spend more quiet time at their individual tables. Do you have an activity for them to do or information for them to read at the table?
In addition to your table settings for centerpieces and a meal, think about how you can include further information about your company. It could be a simple brochure or stand-up tent that provides quick bullet points with a QR code for more information.
5. The Recognition: If your event is sponsored, you’ll also need to decide how your sponsors will be recognized. Will they provide their own materials, or will you need to create items with help from your print shop? Decide how you want to recognize your volunteers or corporate event committee, too. It’s important to follow through on any commitments regarding signage, recognition and appreciation.
With corporate events, attendees always appreciate when companies bring a bit of fun and stand out from the crowd. You can do this through entertaining items in your swag bags, creative photo props and memorable activities.
It’s also a great way to match branded items to the theme.
Don’t underestimate traditional giveaways. Everyone loves a great pen or fun highlighter, lip balms are always appreciated, and branded USB drives and power banks are extremely popular.
Your goal is to provide branded items that say, “Thanks for coming. We appreciate your support.”
If you can find the right mix of fun and functional, they’ll use these items for years to come and remember your corporate event.
When you plan your photo props and activities to match your theme, your print shop can help. Whether you need signage or a backdrop, handouts, or kits, your printer has you covered.
When making your plan, don’t forget the follow up that’s needed after a corporate event.
Take the time to evaluate the event’s success, make notes about changes for next time and follow up with your attendees in some way. Get input from your committee members, employees, vendors, sponsors and attendees. Determine if you will need custom-printed thank you cards, volunteer and sponsor recognition materials or supplies for a thank you event.
It’s never too soon to start planning for the next event, and you’ll want those experienced volunteers and sponsors to return.
At Target Print & Mail, we want to relieve some of the stress that can go along with corporate event planning. While we handle your print and promotional needs, you can focus on the other details to create a memorable event. Wow your guests by working with Target Print & Mail, your corporate event planning headquarters. Learn more about ways to incorporate organization and fun and request a quote today.