Before we get into this, let’s clarify something first: When we talk about corporate events here, we are talking about the fun ones. You know, the client-entertaining events where you go to watch something – whether it is a football corporate hospitality or a concert – that kind of thing.
Not a boring corporate event, with break out sessions, team building sessions and keynote speakers, but a sport corporate hospitality event where you can get to know your business associates in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. We believe that in this type of scenario, better connections are made, and deeper relationships can be formed.
There is a bit of pressure on you when you are planning this type of corporate event though – you want to make sure that you are going to make the most of the opportunity and that you don’t waste your time and money. So we have come up with this handy guide to corporate hospitality packages so that for all of your future events, you can make sure you have all of your bases covered.
Why organise a Corporate Event?
There are many reasons why it is useful to host a client entertainment event, but it is important to establish exactly your reason before you start the event planning. This isn’t just as a jolly for you and a few colleagues (although enjoying yourselves is an important part of these events), there needs to be a real purpose or goal.
You might want to be entertaining customers, in order to develop a deep-rooted relationship with them that secures their business for years to come. Or maybe you want to host potential clients in an effort to stand out from the competition. Perhaps you just want to show your team that you appreciate them, maybe to reward them after a particularly busy period.
Whatever your reason for it, there are plenty of steps you can take to ensure it is a successful event.
Choose the right corporate hospitality event for the right guests
This one might sound obvious, but the most crucial step in event planning is planning the right event. So before you book the UFC fight tickets, maybe do a little bit of digging to work out whether your customer or client would actually enjoy watching two people pummel each other in a cage.
Horse racing events can be great as you will have the whole day together, and there is plenty of time in between races to talk business. You can impress clients with tickets to sold-out concerts, and tell them to bring their families along – that sort of impression can go a long way. Or how about Premier League tickets at Anfield or Old Trafford, where tickets are hard to come by?
Speak to your proposed guest
First of all you want to establish whether it would be worthwhile taking them to any corporate event – make sure you have a realistic objective for your event. If someone has shown no interest in your product, for example, will one event change their minds?
Once you have established that it would be worthwhile taking them to an event, speak to them about their interests. Some won’t take much probing at all, especially if they are an Arsenal fan at the moment! Others, you may have to dig a little deeper – do they like Formula One, are they huge fans of Peter Kay or is Harry Styles more their cup of tea…?
How many guests?
As part of the planning process, you’ll need to establish how many guests you want at this corporate hospitality event. Do you want a quiet meeting, so you can go over intricate details? Or is it more of a general meet up, with plenty of people to create more of a relaxed atmosphere? The amount of guests will also likely determine the type of package on the day and will of course be determined by the budget you have to spend.
Choose the right venue for Client Entertainment
This will be partially informed by what sort of event you are planning, but you may have a choice within that. For example, you want to take them horse racing – is the Cheltenham Festival or Royal Ascot a better option? It’s not just about location – will each venue cater for what you want to provide? Will you require hotel accommodation nearby and can they help you with that?
Premier League football will offer you the best choice – venues all over the country, with so many options in terms of football corporate hospitality packages and facilities. A lot of stadiums offer venue hire when there isn’t a match on, for corporate parties, award ceremonies and other types of corporate events, so it could be beneficial to develop relationships with individual venues.
What sort of atmosphere do you want?
Different venues and events will have a different feel. What is your event’s objective? Do you want table discussions with your guests, where you can go over budget reports and detailed business strategy? Or do you want it to be a relaxed gathering where people can unwind and connect on a more personal level.
If you are looking for a suitable venue and struggling to know where to start, speak to our events team and we can help guide you to the perfect event for you and your guests.
Leave nothing to chance
You don’t need a team of event planners to pour over the finer details, but you should take time to ensure that you are going to get what you want from your event, and that it lives up to attendee expectations.
Communicate with your guests
In the weeks leading up to it, after you invite attendees, make sure you follow it up with event details so that they know what to expect.
Nothing makes people uncomfortable like turning up for an event and not knowing what to do, where to go etc. They will arrive tense, and a group of tense attendees probably isn’t going to help you run a successful corporate event.
Let them know every detail – dress code, parking situation, how to get to the event venue, when they will eat, what they need to bring with them (tickets, ID etc), details about hotel accommodation, links to the event website – maybe even an event planning checklist so that they know that they have everything.
Whatever you do, don’t just invite them and expect them to turn up without any other communication. You run the risk of them being flustered and uncomfortable on the day, or even worse – a no show.
Book through a company you can trust
Many hospitality packages are available to book directly through the event venue, which can cut out some of the hassle. However, if you are looking at a few different options, it can be beneficial to book through events industry experts – they can guide you through those options, and over time you can build up a relationship with them which can help you get the best deals at the best events.
After the event
As with any project, it is important to review how it went. Did you achieve all of your pre-event objectives? Did it live up to pre-event expectations? What would you do differently next time?
Gathering feedback from your attendees can be incredibly useful, but try to keep it informal. It’s a great chance to call up someone to ask whether they enjoyed it, and then move on to business matters.
All of this will help to ensure that your next event will be another success, and that as event organiser, you are making the most of your time and budget.
Where to book Corporate hospitality Events
If you are looking to host a corporate event in the near future, we can help you. We have a huge array of different events for you to choose from. Whether you want to watch live Premier League matches, secure tickets for sell-out concerts or have a luxurious day at the races – we’ve got you covered.
We can provide you with tickets to events all over the country, and our expert events team can talk you through all of your options so that you can plan the perfect corporate event. Get in touch with us today to find out more.
