Sharon Bonner Consulting Located in Vancouver, BC & Serving Western Canada 604-303-7707

What’s New - The latest special event production news from Bright Ideas Event Agency.

Whenever we meet with new clients, we always ask the following question… and almost always get the same answer.

Q: Tell me about your annual plan for your corporate events.

A: We don’t have a plan.

Not having a plan for your company’s yearly events is like not having a map when you go on a road trip. It’s not good. You will get lost. You will lose out on opportunities. In the end it could cost you more money. Here is a season by season approach you can use to plan your upcoming year of events.

First Quarter: January – March

Bright Ideas Blog - Planning Your Annual Events - January 23, 2015 (3)a
I find that many of our clients spend this quarter planning when to hold the actual events throughout the year. Sometimes budget allocation for events takes a low priority and is one of the last things to be communicated, so holding events in Q1 is not that popular. We see clients attending Trade Shows, holding Training Sessions for their staff and managers and VIP’s either going on a Manager’s Retreat or attending high-level Conferences. We also see our clients holding their Awards Recognition Events in January and February. If you do plan any events in this quarter, avoid Spring Break, which typically occurs in March.

Second Quarter: April – June

This quarter is busy for business type events and is a great quarter to hold Client Appreciations, new Product Launches or Merger/Acquisition Celebrations. One thing to keep in mind is that you should not hold your events close to the last day of school because many parents start their family vacations once school is out and will not be in town to attend your event. April and May are much better months to guarantee a good attendance.

Third Quarter: July – September

Bright Ideas Blog - Planning Your Annual Events - January 23, 2015 (1)
Ten to fifteen years ago, we would be coordinating over 40 Corporate Picnics and all sorts of outdoor events throughout the summer. Sadly, with the economic downtown in 2008 we only coordinate 1 – 3 summer events today. If we could encourage our clients to do anything, we would say bring back the Corporate Picnic where your employees and their families gather to bond and enjoy each other. It really does improve productivity come Monday morning when employees know each on a deeper level.

September is typically “Conference month” and if your company is planning to hold a conference for your staff, stakeholders, VIP’s, etc this is the perfect month. Make sure to schedule the event AFTER the Labor Day long weekend, when the entire workforce is back from all holidays.

Fourth Quarter: October – December

We do see some Conferences being held in October, which we feel is a great month for business meetings, as by now people have settled back into work after the summer break. It is also another good month to hold your Client Appreciations.

And of course it goes without saying, that November and December are the ideal months to host your Client or Staff Holiday Events. We have seen a slight shift to clients hosting their Christmas events in January to take advantage of lower prices and greater availability.

Bright Ideas does turn-key event coordination for a range of corporate clients. But did you know we also do Event Consulting? If you lack the budget, but need the expertise, our consulting services are a great way to handle events in-house and still gain the benefit of experienced, professional advice. And don’t forget to check out the other posts on our blog and newsletter archive, for a wealth of advice and expertise. You can also visit our Portfolio for a gallery of different corporate events that we have produced.

Want Bright Ideas Events to assist you with managing your Annual Calendar of Events and Event Budget Forecasting? Get in touch and we’ll help you plan when to host your events and assist you with the how, so you don’t end up over-spending your budget or having to deal with unforeseen complications. Give us a call or send us an email today.

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You might also enjoy the following blogs:

Hosting a Spring Event

Start Thinking Summer Events Today!

Bring Back The Company Picnic

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