How to organise a corporate event that doesn't stall before it starts

Every corporate event needs a sponsor with a mandate. Budget. Decision-making authority. Usually that's the leadership, the HR director or the communications manager. Someone who simply "thinks it's a nice idea" isn't enough.

Without that backing, you'll grind to a halt at the first hurdle. Budget unclear? Things stall. No clear owner? Decisions get pushed back endlessly.

Here's how you win that buy-in:

Tie the event to a business goal. "We want a party" is not a business case. "We want to reconnect our 300 employees after the reorganisation" is. Make the link to retention, culture, employer brand or client relationships.

A rough framework helps the decision-maker: give an indication of guest numbers and a budget range (say €15,000 to €30,000), a preferred period and the goal. That gives them enough to say yes to.

Finally: put together a project team. A project lead who drives it and someone with financial authority. For larger events, add someone from communications, HR, facilities or an external project manager.

With this foundation in place, you can move on. Without it, you're building on quicksand.

The brief is the most important document in the whole process. It's the assignment to yourself, your team or your agency. And yet we see briefs that amount to six lines in an email. "We want something fun, around November, for about 200 people." That's not a brief. That's a wish.

A good brief for a corporate event contains at least these elements:

The goal. What should be different afterwards? Be specific. "Employees feel reconnected to the new strategy" beats "a nice party".

Describe the audience too. Are only employees coming, or partners and external clients as well? The mix sets the tone, the programme and the choice of venue.

Give an indication of guest numbers. A range is fine, but point in a direction. 80 to 100 is a different beast from 300 to 500.

The date or period. Is there a date already? Or a seasonal preference? Factor in holidays, busy periods in your sector and venue availability.

Budget: name a realistic figure or a range. Without a budget you can't plan. Not sure what's realistic? Reckon on €75 to €200 per person for a complete corporate event, depending on your ambitions.

Finally, the conditions. Think of an in-house venue, dietary requirements, maximum travel time or music after 11:00 pm. The more you share, the better the result.

Write the brief down. One side of A4. Share it with your project team and any agency. That way everyone works from the same starting point.

The question always comes up: can't we organise this corporate event ourselves? That saves the agency fee, right? The short answer: it depends.

When doing it yourself works: the event is relatively small (up to 80 guests) and the set-up is simple (a drinks reception or dinner). Someone internally can spend at least two days a week on it. And your team has experience coordinating suppliers.

When you're better off outsourcing: the event is bigger than 100 guests. Or it involves a complex programme: a plenary session, entertainment, dinner and after-party. You want a strong creative concept. Or your team simply doesn't have the hours.

An agency typically costs between 15% and 25% of your total event budget. That sounds like a hefty line item. But an agency saves you 200 to 400 hours of internal work. It negotiates better rates with suppliers and prevents costly mistakes.

A middle road we see more and more: outsource the concept and direction, keep part of the execution in-house. That way you keep an agency's creative firepower while keeping costs down. At Live Impact we regularly work together this way.

Whichever route you choose: decide this early. In week two, not week eight. The later you bring an agency in, the less they can do for you.

Organising a corporate event is no sprint. It's a structured process best split into four phases. The bigger the event, the earlier you start.

Phase 1: Foundation (10 to 12 weeks ahead)

Secure internal buy-in. Assemble the project team. Write the brief. Set the budget. Decide whether to bring in an agency.

In the second phase (6 to 10 weeks before the date) you develop the concept and select your partners. Finding a venue and locking it in. Booking your main suppliers: catering and entertainment. A first version of the programme.

The third phase (3 to 6 weeks ahead) is all about working out the details. The programme in detail. Drawing up the run sheet. Communication to guests: invitations and practical information (including RSVP). A technical walk-through on site. Aligning with all suppliers.

The fourth and final phase covers delivery and follow-up (the last 3 weeks plus afterwards). Final checks. Build-up. The event itself. Breakdown. And then: an evaluation of what went well, what could be better and what we carry into the next one.

Rule of thumb: start at least three months ahead. For large events (300+ guests, multi-day, complex production) six months is more realistic. Popular venues and artists are booked up fast in the autumn.

1. No clear goal. "Organising something fun" is not a goal. Without direction you end up with an evening nobody dislikes, but nobody remembers either.

The second mistake: starting too late. Throwing a corporate event together six weeks before the date? It can be done. But you pay more, have less choice and the result is mediocre. Start on time.

Problem three is too many cooks. A project team of eight people who all have an equal say produces endless meetings. One project lead and two advisers with clearly divided roles.

Fourth pitfall: not discussing the budget. We regularly receive a brief with no budget. "We'd love to hear that from you." That doesn't work. A corporate event for €10,000 looks completely different from one for €50,000. Name a figure or a range.

Forgetting the audience. Organising a corporate event for "everyone" is organising for no one. Know your audience. A party for the sales team calls for a different energy than a gathering for the whole company, partners included.

And finally: no evaluation. The event is over. Everyone returns to business as usual. But without an evaluation you miss the chance to learn. Send a short survey. Discuss the results with your project team. Document what worked and what didn't. That makes the next corporate event better.

Organising a corporate event doesn't have to be chaos. A clear goal and a solid project team are the foundation. We're happy to help with the rest.

At Live Impact we take on the complete process. From first brainstorm to the evaluation afterwards. Whether you're planning a party, a conference, a kick-off or an anniversary. We think along and build something your people will remember.

Call us on 085 401 40 14 or email hello@live-impact.nl.

Live Impact. Seriously fun.