Corporate events are all about bringing people together outside the office. Whether that be to launch a new product, celebrate a company milestone, or participate in a trade show, it’s all about building and strengthening relationships.
Below, we’ll look at the most popular types of corporate events. And we’ll discuss why it’s usually a good idea to book them outside the office.
Seminars and Conferences
Seminars and conferences bring together a targeted audience to share relevant information on a specific subject. An organization could host one for all its salespeople, as an example, to discuss future company goals and recognize their top sellers.
Seminars are typically short, anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Conferences, though, are longer and usually require overnight stays.
The goal of having a seminar or conference outside your typical office space isn’t merely to fit everyone in one room. By taking people out of the office, you remove them from their standard routines. This forces them to make new connections, opens them up to new ideas, and allows for a greater sense of unity.
Trade Shows
Trade shows typically host hundreds of different companies within a specific industry. Companies send representatives to them for lead generation. Organizations host or participate in them to establish their image or promote a new product or brand.
Trade shows typically need a lot of space and flexible setup, which is why they’re almost always held outside the office. They may require rooms for the business leader’s to speak as well as for networking break-outs.
Board Meetings and Shareholders Meetings
Board meetings and shareholders meetings are opportunities for managers and shareholders to meet, respectively. In those meetings, they make critical business decisions, review goals and plans, and forecast for the coming months and years.
It’s tempting to host board meetings and shareholders meetings in your company’s board room or somewhere else in your office building. But booking a board meeting at a venue might be a better idea.
Venues with catering services allow you to host your meeting around a meal. Food and drink connect people, which might make reaching an agreement on decisions easier. Plus, venues often offer equipment your company boardroom may not have, like large screens and podiums.
Team Building Events
Team-building events are meant to band a company together. Ideally, they boost morale and improve goodwill. Unfortunately, they’re often overlooked.
We’ll put it this way: excellent team-building events happen in great locations, not in the office break room. Group activities and workshops are great ways to bring people together. But to help employees relax, it’s better to host them at least a few miles away from their desks.
Company Milestones
Grand openings and significant anniversaries deserve celebration on a company-wide level. Hosting a party or meal to commemorate the day is a great idea for building employee morale and community presence.
Some company milestones might be most effective when held on-site, like the grand opening of a restaurant. But many do better when they function as employee appreciation events. That means hosting them off-site where someone else is taking care of their needs.
And, there’s no need to limit company milestone celebrations to employees. Many company’s use milestone events as positive PR. They invite top clients and community members to join in on the fun!
Product Launches
Product launches vary in size and objective. Some companies hold internal product launches to inform employees about a new company offering. A launch like that might have a setup similar to a seminar or a board meeting.
At other times, a company might choose to host a product launch to develop a buzz. In that case, the launch will look more like a party and may include inviting top clients, media, and community members.
In either case, hosting it away from the typical office space will give your product launch more pizazz. Employees will likely be more excited about it, if only because they’re out of the office.
And in the case of a full-blown party, a professional event venue is always the better choice. They’ll typically handle set-up, clean-up, and food and beverage options.
Final Thoughts
Corporate events come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, from smaller board meetings to full-blown anniversary galas. But regardless, they all have one thing in common.
Corporate events are all about bringing people together. And that’s often done best away from the desk!
