NH Hotels Feb 08, 2023
When we think about corporate events, sometimes the first thing that comes to mind is a big group of people sitting in an auditorium listening to a speaker. Well, that does happen, but there are many ways to make this more entertaining and bring attendees closer together. Let’s say a company has people working for them all over the world and they are bringing them all together for an event. You want this event to be educational and helpful of course but also fun and entertaining for everyone. This is the perfect opportunity for the team to get to know one another and to come together. Having a corporate function in a new city or country will get everyone excited for the event. If the event takes place in a foreign country, it will give employees something else to look forward to and to discover and learn about a new culture.
When planning your entertainment for corporate events, make sure to ask yourself the following:
– How can I ensure everyone has a great time?
– What is the total cost of everything involved?
– Will it be easy for people to communicate?
– Is there a cohesive theme tying things together?
– And most of all, what is the main purpose of the event?
An informal pre-event survey is a simple way to learn more about your guests’ tastes and preferences. You can ask questions about their taste in music, food and activities, and then use the answers as a jumping off point for your plans, and as a rough idea of the budget. Additionally, it’s an opportunity to learn more about your employees.
There is always an event budget and there should also be an entertainment budget. Entertainment can be expensive but of course worth it. You need to think about the costs for the organizer, whether they need certain props, and transport for the participants. It won’t hurt to have a little money put aside for any unexpected surprises. We know how fun planning a great time can be but don’t get carried away and stay within your budget.
Now on to the fun part! What kind of entertainment can be done at a corporate event? We have created a list of essentials to bring any company together.
Let’s start with appetizers! Depending on your venue, consider hiring a catering company that offers buffet style service with a variety of different selections for everyone to enjoy. If the event is out of town or in a different country, bringing in a local restaurant is also a great possibility! Just make there are food options for those with dietary restrictions, and that the food is easy to eat so people can continue to walk around and mingle.
Hopefully, the pre-event survey came in handy, and you were able to find the right kind of music that everyone will enjoy! Remember, after a long day of sitting, attendees will want to move, interact, and just have fun! There is nothing like music to bring a crowd together and to the dance floor. To really get the party started and everybody moving, bring in a famous and well-known artist, dj or cover band. Any of these will be a hit among the crowd!
Name one person who doesn’t like magic. Everyone loves magic! A magician can be a great icebreaker and while attendees are standing around having drinks or a few nibbles, a magician is a perfect way to get people talking and to be astonished. It doesn’t just have to be a magician, this could be an illusionist, a hypnotist, or a mind reader. If you have ever seen a hypnotist live, you will know that this can be very entertaining at corporate events. Your attendees will be shocked while having a magical time.
Cooking classes are always a big hit, especially when held in another country with a foreign cuisine. Depending on the venue, you can either bring the chef on-site, or everyone can head out to the cooking school. Either way, the attendees will have an amazing time working together and getting to know one another in the process, while of course learning new recipes and cooking tips for the future. Best of all, everyone gets to eat and share their meals at the end of the class.
After learning how to cook, why not learn how to mix some drinks? A mixology class teaches participants how to make and mix cocktails, from popular recipes to creating their own inventions. People will have a blast sampling homemade cocktails and getting to know their coworkers.
A little competition never hurt anyone! Turning your event into a game show, will be sure to bring interaction, engagement and of course a bit of rivalry. If this isn’t within your budget here are some of our other favorite games to play at corporate events: board games, relay races, scavenger hunts, trivia, and playing cards.
Now if you throw in a few prizes with these games, they will really take off and everyone will want to get involved. They don’t have to be expensive; people will be happy just to have won and had a great time. Casino nights are a big hit as well! With no money on the line, everyone can safely join in on the fun.
Escape rooms encourage working together, getting to know one another and problem-solving. A perfect combination while trying to escape a room. By combining fun and wit, they can solve riddles faster together, which is a perfect example of teamwork! Attendees can be brought to the location of the escape room but nowadays you can bring escape rooms to your event and have them match the theme. They have even made an Escape Box, where each team needs to figure out how to get inside and unlock the box while thinking outside of the box.
Your event will be remembered for years to come! A photo booth is an excellent way to share memories, make new friends and to strike a pose. To add an extra bit of fun, be sure to include different backdrops, costumes and props. This will be a blast, but they will also go home with a party favor that will let them remember this event for years to come. This is also a great marketing tool! People will tag where they are and with whom. The event will trend, and more people will know more about the company.
Hiring a photographer to take photos during the event and entertainment is a great reminder about who spoke at the event and of course great memories! These photos are great for posting on your channels where you can share all about the latest news in your company. You will be able to tell and show everyone about the latest corporate event that you put on. The pictures could be during talks in the auditorium, people bonding and having a great time. Your team will love the memories after the corporate event. If you have an annual event looking back at the photos from a year ago will show how the company has learned and grown together over the years.
Get creative! This could be anything like a sip and painting, pottery, wreath making or a dancing class. A sip and paint class are an activity where you sip on wine and are taught how to paint a certain painting. Depending on the event, this could easily be matched with the theme. The great thing about a pottery class is they can either make a clay piece or paint a piece that has already been made and fired. With these kinds of events, they get to take a souvenir home with them, that they made! A dancing lesson is a great idea to get everyone moving and to loosen up, especially if they are in a foreign country. If the corporate event is in Spain for example, a flamenco dance class would be ideal entertainment!
There is nothing like letting loose and singing at the top of your lungs after a day of events. What’s even better is partnering up with another colleague to sing a song that they both have in common. Karaoke also shows a common interest among people. They will be able to talk about the songs later and other things they have in common.
We love the idea of making sure everyone is having a fantastic time at an event but we also love to know that we include sustainability at our events as well. It does not take much to recycle, reuse and reduce. For example, instead of handing out plastic water bottles to everyone, you can give out a bottle with the event’s branding. This one action makes a huge difference for the event and environment and who doesn’t love a new water bottle? It is a simple gift but will mean more than you know.
Now that you have a list of entertainment for corporate events, how will you decide which one to use? Budget limitations and location availability are two of the first things you will want to consider when making your decisions. But more importantly, remember while fun and games make for memorable events, clearly communicating the main objective of the meeting to attendees should be the priority. That said, there’s no rule saying that the entertainment can’t be aligned with the event’s larger goals.
If you are looking to hold a company event, send us a message and we will be more than happy to help accommodate you and your company’s needs.
