A lot of thought needs to be put into planning your company’s networking events. If, like most businesses, you only put on company event once or twice a year, it may be best to make use of a party planning company, rather than trying to put it together in house. That being said, you might have somebody in mind in your company who would enjoy the opportunity to be the company’s network event organizer. There are of course many advantages to doing things in-house either in terms of planning or venue selection. It makes it easier to control the budget, manage your location, and you don’t have to explain your companies culture to an event planner or manager who may not understand how you want the event run.
Once you know the details about the number of people coming and you know what kind of event you want to host, you’ll need to pick a venue. Hosting events off site can be a good way to let your staff relax and socialize outside of the work place. On the other hand, you may be looking to keep costs low and host the event in your own office space either using equipment you have on hand or by renting.
Putting on an event at an exclusive bar restaurant can lead to a fabulous day out for your staff. Image by Andrew Hyde CC.
In the summer, you should consider throwing an outdoor event either at a bar or restaurant with a patio area or at a public park’s barbeque area. If you are planning to have alcohol at the event, make sure to check with the local authorities to see what the liquor laws are in your area. This is especially important if you are going to host the event in a public area. It may be the case that you have to host events on private property in your state, county, or city. This could be your own office space or at a venue you rent out. Again, check your local laws.
If you are planning to put on your own event then you will need to buy portable catering and bar equipment. If you are hosting a one-off event then it’s easiest to rent out this kind of equipment. However, if you are planning on throwing events throughout the year or even annually then it probably makes financial sense to purchase your own equipment. It will be less expensive in the long run and portable equipment is set up to store easily. Whether it’s bar equipement or catering equipment, know that you’ll be getting what you pay for. Cheaper equipment works fine if you plan to use it once and throw it out, but likely won’t last.
A further advantage of buying a portable bar for your event is that you will be able to customize it. Having a bar that has your company logo on it will make your event look much more professional in the eyes of all who attend.
