There are a lot of factors and constantly moving parts to consider when planning a corporate event. Everything from the food to the seating arrangements, entertainment, pacing, sound, and visual effects has to be just perfect. With all of that pressure placed squarely on the shoulders of event planners, it’s easy to get stressed out and make a few rookie mistakes along the way. Working with a professional event production and audiovisual company can help you avoid some of these common mistakes.
Micromanaging and Carrying the Entire Load Alone
Don’t try to be a hero and do everything yourself. Remember, you have a team of professionals at your disposal to help you plan and execute every last detail of your corporate event. Avoid spreading yourself too thin as this can increase tension and stress. Delegating specific tasks to team members allows you to concentrate on running the main show. Follow up with team members occasionally to get updates and make sure that they have all of the support and resources they need to uphold their end of the bargain without micromanaging them.
Poor Time Management
One of the key benchmarks of a great leader is cultivating excellent time management skills. Procrastinating by putting important event planning tasks off to the last minute is a sure-fire way to shoot yourself in the foot. Every single aspect of your event from the decorations to the catering and technical equipment installation needs to be perfectly timed to ensure it goes well. Create an event schedule and cross off each task as it’s completed to help you stay on track.
Not Allowing Enough Setup Time
Preparation is nine-tenths of the law when it comes to planning and executing a successful corporate event. If you want every last detail to be in place and go off without a hitch, then you need to allocate enough time for you and your team to get everything in order. Setting up the equipment isn’t enough. You need to allow enough time to position and reposition each piece, do multiple practice runs if necessary, and ascertain that every single member of your team knows their place and what they’re tasked to do on the day of the event.
Using Outdated Technology
Old or outdated technology won’t cut it in today’s modern world. Aside from not having certain modern features that are required to make your audiovisual presentations pop, your venue of choice might not have the capacity to accommodate old audio and visual equipment. This is another thing that should have been determined well ahead of time with proper preparation.
Not Having a Backup Plan
No matter how much planning you do, you can’t always expect the unexpected—just like you can’t always control the weather. If your event is set to take place outdoors, always make sure you have a backup plan to move it inside or set up a tent in case it starts to rain or snow.
Lack of Communication
Communication is an important skill to have in virtually every line of work, but especially as an event planner. Not only do you have to do business with various event venues, distributors, and your corporate clients, but you also have to be able to delegate important tasks to your hired help as well. Keep the lines of communication clear and open so that everyone is on the same page on the day of the event.
Straight Street Event Services has over 20 years of experience as a top corporate event production company in Hamilton. We also provide live event production services in Hamilton and throughout the GTA. Contact us today to learn more or to get a quote!
