Are you planning a corporate event and want to keep the costs as low as possible?
When it comes to most business ventures, it is considered a win if it costs pennies, promotes the brand, and keeps all the guests happy. However, these three things rarely go together, and while it may seem counterintuitive, hosting a corporate event out of the office can be more beneficial for your business.
Why? Read on to find out!
Ambience and Atmosphere
Be honest with yourself. Do you really think people want to attend a corporate event in a place that is similar to where they already work?
It’s not likely! Thus, when engaging in corporate event planning, try to find a venue that offers both atmosphere and ambiance for the event. Many companies book spaces at art galleries or, if the weather is good, botanical gardens. This can mix things up a bit and help to create a more interesting and memorable event for all attendees.
Catering
Next, you have to think about catering. This is no small thing at a corporate event, even if you are only inviting a few people! The food makes or breaks the event, and when you host the event out of the office, you may have the extra benefit of having the venue provide the catering. This will take the pressure off of you, but just make sure that all food allergies are accounted for and that you have a full price breakdown from the venue of any food they provide, so there are no surprises.
Accessibility
No two corporate events are the same, and so, if you are having international guests come in, or if there are guests coming from across the country, you will want to make sure that they can easily find the venue. Having it at a gallery, a garden, or even a manor house is an easy way to make sure that everyone can find the place and will also ensure that all basic accessibility options are ticked.
Branding Opportunities
For corporate events and product launches, you will want to promote your company’s brand. By holding the event at a unique venue, you have the opportunity to showcase your brand in a way you may not be able to with a standard venue. You can tailor the event’s design to the venue’s style, or even create an immersive experience that will pique attendees’ interest and help to promote your brand.
Increased Engagement
Suppose your company is based in London, in the UK. Which venue do you think would get better engagement from your guests? Your traditional office space, or the main hall at an exquisite venue? The latter!
Having a corporate event at a venue helps to increase engagement as the novelty makes the experience interesting. Rather than rows of chairs, the non-traditional layouts can help to create movement, rather than making the space feel like a lecture hall. Going back to the Natural History example, environments like this also foster mingling and conversation with greater ease, making the event more successful.
