Corporate Events... are they effective?

During the last 16 years Cinnamon active has organised and managed corporate events for clients from all industry sectors.

The corporate event is seen as a function by many as either a reason to deliver information to the team through meetings and conferences or just a "jolly" day out. An expense to the business.

In truth a corporate event is an investment, a strategic part of a Business Development plan.

A powerful tool to the development and success of a business. A successful corporate event, will motivate staff, strengthen relationships with clients and engage potential new clients.

A planned, well designed event will have a major impact on the business.

Case Study

Idyent a Danish Media company spend their entire annual promotional budget on one event, once a year and have done for the past 15 years. Each year Idyent take away 150 of their most important clients and top performing staff.

They charter an aircraft and arrange an away day to a destination in Europe, a 2 hours flight time from Copenhagen. Guests turn up at the airport unaware where they are going - until they arrive at their destination.

The day consists of sight seeing, award presentation, fun activity time and dinner. All in a day betwen 09.00 - 18.00... phew!

Cinnamon active were hired to manage the 2007 event which took place in the historical city of Bath.

09.00 Meet the aircraft collect the guests airside in 3 coaches.

10.00 Organised a tour of the Roman Baths

11.00 Award Presentation in the Pump House with beautiful buffet lunch

13.30 Transfer the guests to an activity centre for 2 hours of motorised sport tank driving, honda

pilots,quads and a whole bucketful of driving toys.

16.00 Private dinner with entertainment

18.30 Return to Bristol Airport, for flight to Copenhagen.

The day included a range of detail such as postcards of Bath on the dinner table which Guests completed to friends and family, which we then posted. Hijacking of the coaches on the way to the activity centre, team photos during the day. And needless to say moving 150 people around is an event in itself!

Results

Idyent has identified that the impact of organising an annual event on this scale is huge within the Media industry. So much so, that the Idyent event is renowned and become an industry "must go" event.

The day has built very strong relationships through shared experiences and quality time spent with clients.

This is an extreme case but one that has proven to reap significant rewards in terms of client and staff loyalty, brand exposure (as the event is always carried in the industry press) and long term benefits to the Idyent business.

Many business's see a a corporate event as a single entity, something that happens on the day - for the day.

This outlook suffocates the potential that can be achieved and minimises the true value and impact an event can deliver to the business.

Understanding how to get the maximum value and impact from an event, fitting the event into the business plan, ensuring the Branding is applied and including staff, clients and long term potential clients are key elements to maximisining the potential of the event.

Corporate events include:

Conferences, company fun days, team building, incentives, client events and product launches. In fact anything time when you are gathering a group of people.

Whatever is organised the event comes under Business Development and should be viewed as an important building block to the long term success of the business.

Paul Maung-Maung

Cinnamon active

www.cinnamon-active.com

t: 0208 979 0331