Planning and executing a corporate event can be a significant undertaking. This is true whether you're operating a small company or a large one. From budget overages to a failure to get any required permits, a mistake can only add to the stress level. Fortunately, there are things you can do to stay on track towards a successful event.

Establish a Team

Start with a solid team. If you don't have a formal event planning team within your company, consider sending out an email asking for volunteers. On the team, you want to have a lead, a representative from accounting, and a handful of other creative employees who are eager to get involved in different areas, including food, security, and activity planning.

The larger the event or company, the larger the team needs to be. Consider the team as the command for the event so make sure you have enough people to delegate tasks without overwhelming any one person. People that have previous experience, both inside and outside the workplace, are ideal.

Contact the City

Once you and the team have an idea of how what you plan to involve around your event, it's time to contact the city. Planning a corporate event, even a smaller one, isn't quite the same as planning a backyard barbecue, and there are often certain permits that are required from the local governing municipality.

Failure to obtain these permits could lead to fines, a denied ability to plan future events and your event could even be shut down while it's going on. Take your plans to the designated city office to see what, if any, permits are required.

Create a Formal List

One of the best things you can do to stay on track is to create a formal to-do list. Ideally, this list should be stored on a shared drive that all team members can access. As basic as it sounds, a to-do list is something that people often forget, but it is one of the easiest ways to stay on top of planning and deadlines.

This list lets you see exactly what you've accomplished and how far you need to go, which is important when it comes to staying organized. For an added benefit, organize the list by time-frame, such as three months before the event and 48 hours before the event for an even greater level of organization.

Make sure you aren't overlooking the benefits professional, outside help can afford you. Whether it's a consulting firm or a software program, outside assistance can bring a higher level of efficiency to your planning process and make for a more stress-free experience for all involved.

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