Book Now: The First Steps Toward a Successful Corporate Event
Are you planning an event for the fall season? Look to book now. We’re bracing ourselves for a big comeback this fall and the floodgates have already opened. In-person events were canceled left and right over the past couple of years and now both clients and attendees alike are eager to return and make up for lost time. In fact, many venues are already at capacity for the coming season.
Of course, we always encourage our clients to take some time to process their last event: what worked, what didn’t, and what to try next time. Once you’ve had some breathing room, the time to book venues, vendors, sponsors, and event management is as soon as possible. Here are a few of the top reasons why—in the event world—the calendar waits for no one.
Venues … Because a Corporate Conference Can’t Happen in Your Conference Room
Whether you’re planning a holiday party or a sales conference, you can never plan too far ahead if you want a specific date or location. Despite the number of actual venues, most major cities have limited quantities of venues large enough to accommodate guest lists that exceed more than 500 people—especially if you want something other than a hotel ballroom—and many popular venues book up fast, often months in advance. It’s more important than ever to plan ahead and secure your location as soon as possible. When your guests get to enjoy your holiday party on a Saturday instead of a Monday night, you’ll be glad you did.
As the hybrid format is overwhelmingly embraced by the industry, there are a few considerations to factor into your planning efforts if you plan to include a virtual element. Balancing both the in-person and virtual realms for your event can be overwhelming. Whether you’re struggling to pick the right virtual event platform or how to bring together the right virtual event team for your event, these are the biggest challenges to overcome when planning a hybrid event to prevent pitfalls.
Vendors … Because There are Only So Many Chairs
Do you have a vision for your event? Great! Does it involve delicious food, impactful colors, and awesome swag? Of course! If you want the best for your event—whether that’s mouth-watering vegan canapés, the band that can get people on their feet, or the luxe red couches for intimate seating areas at your company retreat, there are limited quantities available. Once they are booked, you may be out in the cold. Your event may be about you, but your vision is fulfilled by your vendors.
The time of year you hold your event will play a significant role in what you’ll find available. Whether you’re thinking about the conference season in the fall or planning holiday parties, you’ll be competing against many other groups with the same idea. Take some of the stress out of the equation by making sure that the essentials are secured well in advance. Everything from chairs and caterers to AV companies and musicians, even experienced wait staff, are all known commodities when it comes to event success.
Sponsorships … Because Annual Budgets Aren’t Planned One Week at a Time
If you’re producing a sponsored event, there’s no better time than the present to secure your sponsorships. Whether your sponsors use a fiscal year or a calendar year, their marketing budgets are typically planned out well in advance. A sponsorship ask in the eleventh hour could easily be denied, whereas a long-range plan shows foresight and savvy. In the same vein, send out “Save the Date” invites to potential guests as soon as you set the date. When travel is required, guests always appreciate the advanced notice.
Event Management … Let the Experts Make You Look Good
When you’re looking outside of your organization for help, you want the best but so does everyone else. For large-scale event management and planning, an experienced event company is essential. It will encourage you to stay on schedule and on budget, not to mention providing the advantage of a partner who can leverage their established relationships with those sought-after vendors. Like everything else, experienced event planners book up fast; there are only so many hours in the day and bodies on the team. Get us on your team now and know that your event is priority number one.
Book Now!
Do you have a conference, company party, or another large-scale event in the future? If you’re looking to lower your stress while creating a memorable experience for your guests, Kennedy Events would love to chat. Drop us a line and we’ll be touch in soon to talk timelines!
MAGGIE KENNEDY
Maggie Kennedy is the co-owner of Kennedy Events is a large-scale event management company based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. Our team creates stress-free conferences and events with a positive impact, which allows our clients to resonate with their audience. Kennedy Events specializes in producing flawless product launches, award ceremonies, fundraisers, and multi-day conferences while keeping our eye on retention and engagement goals.
About Kennedy Events
Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.
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