Things to consider when planning a corporate event
‘Corporate event’ generally covers everything including training sessions, team-building away days, conferences and even company meals — sometimes even a combination of all of them. It’s always someone’s task to organise one of these events, and if it’s fallen to you then it might seem like a huge and daunting job that you’ll never get done.
At Simply Linens, we’ve been working with businesses across the country for years to help them organise their corporate events so we’ve gathered a few tips to help things run smoothly. This certainly isn’t an exhaustive guide, but it should get you started!
Picking the right venue
When it comes to choosing your venue, choose carefully as there are a number of factors you will need to balance. How many people will be attending? Will food be served? If so, is it a packed lunch, a buffet or a sit-down dinner? What facilities will you need? What sort of things will take place through the day? How many rooms will you need? Are there car parks and public transport links nearby?
Hotels can be a good choice, but so can corporate facilities at race courses and football clubs. There may even be a specific events venue near you so check out all of your options to find one that ticks all the boxes.
Décor
You may well not bother dressing the venue for your event but, equally, you may want to dress it up in your brand colours or include banners, etc., to really promote your team ethic. If your corporate event includes a sit-down meal, you could even incorporate these colours into your event linen hire, by looking for table linen that matches or complements your branding.
While this might seem like overkill, it can really help bring everyone together — particularly important for team-building days and conferences.
Menu planning
Chances are, there will be some kind of food served during the day, so think about what you require. If you’re asking participants to arrive early, some kind of breakfast (even if it’s just hot drinks and pastries) will usually be welcomed, for instance. Lunch-wise, a buffet lunch or a packed lunch can be useful for getting people fed in a short space of time, and the same goes for dinner. While a sit-down dinner might be nice, a hot buffet or carvery could be simpler for feeding large numbers.
Make sure your venue or caterers can cater for a wide range of dietary requirements and also ensure you get details for anyone who falls into this category.
At Simply Linens, we have years of experience in event linen hire across London, Essex and the UK as a whole. We offer a range of colours and styles to really set the tone for your corporate event and, since we deliver, collect and clear the linen, it’s one less thing for you to worry about. Get in touch to find out more.
