A corporate gala is a great way to wrap up the year, especially for larger organizations. It lets people gather in a formal setting without creating a stifling environment. Your team can dress up to their nines, interact somewhere outside the office, and have a nice night out. This sort of gala can really uplift your company and motivate your employees.
So, you need to make sure everything is done right. This requires a lot of planning and organization. Once you’ve decided to hold a corporate gala, the story has just started. There is a lot more you need to do.
Make A Budget And Plan
The first thing you should do is set a clear budget. Talk to your finance department and the relevant heads about what amount can be allocated to the gala. This will give you realistic expectations to work with.
In addition, if you have a budget at hand, you can make proper written plans well in advance. So, write up a budget and a tentative plan before you move on to the next step. This plan should include the date, time, venue, activities, and other details.
Choose a Theme Or Cause
Now, you can move on to the more fun stages. Pick a theme for your gala. This needs to be something elegant, yet interesting. You can go for a specific color scheme or evoke a certain era, like the roaring 20s. If you want your gala to have a charitable element, then now is the time to pick your cause.
This cause will also drive how you plan your gala, so choose something related to your business. However, it should also be an important social cause. Also figure out how you’ll have people donate to the cause, and what amount you’ll be matching as a company.
Get In Touch With Vendors
Now that the theme etc are out of the way, you should get in touch with various vendors. You need vendors for decor, food, seating, and sound setup. If your venue offers options, this may be the most convenient choice. However, if you have someone else in mind, then you need to ask the venue organizers how to incorporate them.
Also, do not just go for the first option you’re given. Ask for multiple options and don’t be afraid to negotiate. Get all your vendor agreements as written contracts and make sure they fit within your budget.
Set Up Entertainment
You also need some entertainment to make your gala fun and engaging. A charity auction or raffle is a gala classic. You can have an auctioneer put up various items or prizes for auction, and have people bid on them. This will help raise money for a cause, and also entertain your employees. For the raffle, you can have someone annonce the numbers of the prize-winning tickets.
Prizes can include an exclusive dinner, one-on-one time with a volunteering celebrity, or some sort of special commemorative item. Apart from that, you can also hire a band or a comedian to perform on stage. This will let your employees have a fun time/
Send Out Invites
Now that you have most aspects out of the way, you need to send out your invitations. Use the invitation email templates on PosterMyWall to create a classy yet simple invite. Then, send this out to your whole company.
These invites should include details like date, time, venue, and dress code. They should also reflect the theme you chose, and have some information about the activities people can expect. Make sure you have an RSVP section, and give people a deadline to respond. This will help you with the seating and dinner confirmations.
Get an Emcee
People don’t want to just sit around at a gala and wait for something to happen on stage. So, you must have an emcee up there. This emcee can be someone popular from your company, or you can hire someone for this role as well.
Their responsibility will be to keep the proceedings flowing, announcing dinner, engaging with all of you in fun banter, and more. You’d be surprised at how much a good emcee can add to an event!
Give Out Employee Awards
A gala is the perfect opportunity to make your employees feel appreciated in a fancy setting. Give out employee appreciation awards and invite people to receive these on stage. This will fill up the event, and also make the gala a personal event for the participants. They will leave the gala feeling motivated and appreciated.
This will not only help them boost their work, but will also show how much you value your employees. The awards can be gift cards, certificates, electronics, or whatever fits within your gala budget.
So, here’s how you can host a great corporate gala. Now you can go ahead and get started with the planning and implementation.
