When you’re planning a corporate event in London, the task can be overwhelming. After all, you have so many venues, caterers, AV suppliers and support services to choose from. It’s hard to know where to start!
As a venue that delivers hundreds of corporate events each year, we thought it would be helpful to put together some top tips to take the hassle out of your planning.
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Choosing a venue
Before anything else, choosing a venue is the first step and possibly one of the most challenging. When you’re choosing a suitable corporate event venue in London, there is an abundance of choice.
The challenge is to find the right space for you!
Rather than defaulting to a traditional or typical venue, why not consider a space that has story and scale. A venue that can provide you with a talking point from the minute your guests arrive.
Forget boring corporate settings, with beige walls and matching curtains, consider something altogether more interesting. A space that will captivate the imagination of your delegates, giving them a reason to talk about your event long after it has finished.
Think about the size of the space that you will need and the capacity that it will need to hold. Also think about whether it’s a full day conference or better as several sessions that are delivered throughout the event.
The format of your event will dictate what you need, so be very specific when you are speaking with venues so that they can offer you the best advice possible. They may have ideas that you haven’t thought about yet.
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Getting the infrastructure right
Corporate events have changed over the years and so too have the requirements for digital connectivity. It’s no longer an added extra, it’s fundamental to the success of an event that will rely on WIFI access and a network robust enough to manage hundreds of simultaneous connections.
Should you have requirements for hybrid guests, those that are attending virtually, this must be discussed with your venue to ensure that they have the infrastructure in place to allow for this to happen.
What’s more, having on site AV support services will take the pressure off you, so again, it’s best to ask if that is possible. If not, it would be a case of finding third party resource, which will take time and require additional budget.
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Making catering arrangements
Catering can be an after thought when it comes to corporate events, but it shouldn’t be. The food that is served will stand as a lasting reminder of the day to the delegates that attend.
With that in mind, finding a venue that has a resident caterer can remove unnecessary problems. Not only can you guarantee that the food will be fresh, but what’s more, if the catering team are on site, it makes any last-minute changes or dietary requirements so much easier.
You can also work with the chefs to develop a menu that is specific to your event or request quirky items such as street foods or bowl foods to add some extra theatre to the occasion.
It’s also worth asking how ingredients are sourced so that you can fit this into any sustainability tracking or monitoring that you have in place.
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On site support (pre and post-event)
Event planning can be a lonely endeavour.
Finding a venue with an events and operations team can remove some of the burden and provide you with a second, third and fourth set of hands to make your life easier.
Relying on people that regularly run events at venues will give you access to ideas and suggestions that you may not have considered. Take the time to ask if there is a better way of doing something. An alternative could be the answer you’ve been looking for.
Make sure to ask if there is a dedicated account manager for your event. This will make communication simpler and will allow you to build up a good relationship with the contact, which can help should you choose to use the venue again.
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Attention to detail
The devil really is in the detail when you’re planning events. Not only do you need a plan for the event with a clear objective and KPIs to measure against, but also a thorough itinerary and running order.
Again, the events team at a venue should be able to help you with this.
Once you have your ideas on paper, set time aside to sit down with the events team to run through it with them. Having a second pair of eyes, and those that have the experience to pick up on any concerns, will be invaluable.
Some things to consider are whether you have left enough time between sessions. It is a common mistake to forget short breaks throughout the day that will give delegates time to process and to refresh before heading into another seminar or workshop.
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Location and accessibility
London venues are convenient but not always convenient.
What we mean is that they may be easy to get to, but are they easy to access when you have to set up and take down banners, branding and props?
When you are choosing a venue, make sure to ask about the access that you have and at what times. It can make all the difference to the choices that you make.
If you have a car or van that you need to unload, make sure that there are specific bays that you can use so that you are not blocking roads or streets. The last thing you want is a parking ticket or worse to be clamped!
Also consider how your delegates are arriving. Finding a venue that provides choices is often a good idea. So, as an example, somewhere that has accessible train and tram connections, taxis, and even water taxis from the City of London.
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Reducing your impact on the planet
Many businesses have sustainability policies in place. Make sure to consider this when you are planning your next corporate event. Even though you are off site, there are measures that can still be taken that will reduce the impact that you have on the planet.
Choosing a venue that has its own sustainability strategy could support your own goals.
Ask what has been done to reduce the impact that the venue has on the planet and if there are any specific metrics that you can take from hosting your event with them.
If sustainability is a fundamental factor for you, find out if they have any additional services that they can provide or suppliers they would recommend that could help.
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Have fun
While there is a lot of pressure when arranging corporate events, it should still be fun. Make sure to take the time to celebrate the wins during the planning journey and document everything you learn along the way.
On the day of the event, try to take everything in your stride. Remember that every event will come with its challenges, it’s just the way it is. Surround yourself with people that will help and support you when times get tough.
Once the event is over, focus on the positive feedback and the fact that you’ve delivered another corporate event and survived to tell the tale!