How to Organize a Corporate Event Overseas
Photo by Jeremy Dorrough on Unsplash
Corporate events are a great way to gain new customers or clients and can help to grow your business exponentially - when done correctly. When done wrong, things can go south fast, so it’s important to know all the ins and outs of planning your event. This goes double for overseas corporate events, which come with a whole new list of details you’ll need to attend.
Read on to learn how.
Overseas Opportunities
Depending on the industry, you might find many of these details will practically work themselves out… just as likely, you may find yourself scrambling to make the pieces fit.
Regardless of your situation, going in with a detailed plan from the start will make all the difference between a successful corporate event overseas, and a less efficient one.
1. Most companies choose to host their corporate events overseas is to induce a deeper connection with their clients and employees alike. Everyone likes a vacation, and an overseas event is a great way to give the attendees that feeling of zen and/or fun… and they’ll associate those positive feelings with the organization.
2. Soaking up the local culture is also a big draw for a lot of companies seeking to host an event. They choose to host overseas so as to immerse their clientele in an exotic and culturally diverse environment.
3. Many organizations cater to specific cultures and ethnicities, of which there may be large communities in their immediate principality. By planning a corporate event overseas, not only can companies reach out to that audience on a larger scale, but they will also be able to learn more about target audiences’ wants and needs.
4. From putting staff to the test to scooping up tons of networking opportunities, hosting a corporate event overseas provides many opportunities for success.
When hosting a corporate event overseas…
… You’ll immediately be faced with a set of challenges to overcome. Don’t let this hold you back. Lean into it, learn from these tips, and do your due diligence in your own research, too, and you’ll find facing these issues to be much less stressful.
Pick the right location! Location certainly is the pinnacle of your event. You’ll want a place that’s immediately desirous to those your target audience. Some say to avoid little-known locations.
On the other hand, if you market it the right way and you have a solid reason for the location in mind, it’s up to your discretion when all is said and done. You know your clients better than anyone else. Stay away from areas that have difficult terrain to navigate and/or are fairly isolated. Consider areas which are home to international airports and/or coastal regions for a change in scenery.
After you’ve chosen your location, you’ll need to become familiar with the local culture. Understanding the unique customs and social practices will greatly increase your chances of successfully incorporating the local resource companies into your event. Be sure to thoroughly explain all of the expected cultural differences and how to handle any discrepancies that may arise with your team and your guests.
Get educated on the legal issues involved with traveling. You’ll want to initiate an efficient, coherent, and accurate process for your guests to understand exactly what they’ll need to travel.
Prepare for the unexpected - and don’t let it ruin the event. #Eventprofs know that for every problem there is a solution. When you’re managing an event of this (international) caliber, you’re going to face your fair share of unexpected happenings throughout. Hold fast to your plan and make decisions accordingly. Keep any cultural differences in mind at times to diffuse any situations with locals.
Don’t forget to check, double-check, and triple-check your to-do list! Below are some things to consider for your overseas event’s to-do list.
1. Make sure your event appeals to your target audience. Provide items of interest and actionable events for the attendees to take part in to increase their interest in your brand or company. Give them something to go home talking about!
2. Include other businesses in your event. Consider using local resources and companies for your entertainment, catering, and event set-up needs. If you can, utilize remote workers to make the process run even more smoothly! The things you can accomplish in one video conference call might astound you.
3. As with the location, picking the right day and time is going to be tantamount to the success of your event. Become familiar with local holidays and such, which might have an adverse effect on traffic the day of your event.
4. Most importantly, when you host an event overseas, grab that contact info! A lot of times, your attendees will be coming from all over the world so it will become imperative to keep on top of acquiring their information to keep your company in their thoughts (and their inboxes!)
With all this information, coupled with your own, independent research, you’re ready to begin your overseas event planning. Cover all the angles and don’t forget to actually enjoy yourself at some point. You deserve it!
Guest Author Bio: Jasmine Williams covers the good and the bad of today’s business and marketing. When she’s not being all serious and busy, she’s usually hunched over a book or dancing in the kitchen, trying hard to maintain rhythm, and delivering some fine cooking (her family says so).
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