Whether it is a private or corporate occasion, an anniversary is a reason to celebrate. A company anniversary is an important milestone. It demonstrates the success of a business that has been active for a certain amount of time. It is a celebratory occasion and companies should mark the moment.
On a bigger scale, anniversary celebrations can even be used for PR purposes. They can create enormous public awareness and traction in the industry. Aside from that, an anniversary provides a great opportunity to boost confidence in the company. The business can demonstrate its successes, as it has been operating in the market for years. Trust from all company stakeholders, including investors, partners, customers is instantly boosted. In addition, team spirit is strengthened with employees and business partners alike by making them feel that their contribution is valued and they are motivated to continue doing their best.
Overall, a momentous company anniversary celebration has many benefits in both the short and long term with lasting effects that will be felt in areas beyond the immediate impact on the company’s reputation. Below, you will find useful tips to help you organise a successful event.
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The Setting
Depending on the type of anniversary you want to celebrate, there can be different approaches to consider. Is it a 10-year or a 25-year anniversary? Are you planning an intimate function for only your employees or a big event which you will enjoy with business partners and even members of the public? How long will the event take place for? Whether you are considering a formal dinner for your 10-year anniversary or a large celebration with live music for your 25-year anniversary celebration – a special occasion deserves a special celebration. Big events, in particular, help the business present itself in a good light, internally and externally.
Therefore, it makes sense to invite people who are important to the business and who you would like to make a good impression to. We don’t have to tell you that if you are planning a big function that you should invite all employees, and in some cases, allow them to bring their partners. After all, they are an important part of the company and its success. Some media representatives should be invited in a non-working capacity as guests, whilst others should be invited to work at the event. It is important to distinguish the two different media invites clearly. Editors-in-Chief, publishers, and advertising managers are also likely to expect an invitation.
The duration of the event can be anywhere from one evening, to lasting a whole week, culminating in a major highlight event on the weekend. The sky is the limit.
Timely Planning
Another good thing about corporate anniversaries is that the date is known long in advance. By that you can start the planning process well ahead of time. Early planning is recommended, because of possible savings and because of the increased chances that suppliers will be available. Set the actual date of the event itself as early as possible and find a suitable venue. Guests, especially VIP’s, should be informed in good time. You can send a “Save the Date” note several months in advance. At a later point in time you can send the actual official invite, including RSVP options, directions and running order, some weeks before the event.
Budgeting a Corporate Anniversary Celebration
The same applies to the budget of your anniversary event, which should also be considered early on in the planning process. Good PR is a convenient and, more importantly, free alternative to placing expensive ads. All moments from the event preparations to the celebration can be shared in newspapers and magazines, provided you give yourself enough time to plan your PR strategy.
Needless to say that, if suppliers and service providers become aware of a short deadline, some of them could be tempted to exploit the event planner’s situation and ask for a higher price. Planning early gives you more choice and enables you to compare prices and hopefully make savings. With regards to delivery costs, it makes sense to negotiate fixed prices because this cost factor will go up as the number of suppliers increases. We also recommend speaking to your tax advisor to find out if the cost of the company anniversary celebrations is tax-deductible.
In general, the budget for this special event should not be too low. Be sure the investment will pay off in the long run by boosting the company’s image. However, you should not exhaust your budget. One way of managing this is to keep a contingency of 20 percent for last-minute expenses. Furthermore, you should prepare a list of all potential costs at the start of the planning process.
The Theme – A Golden Thread
The general idea
In order to put on a memorable event with a coherent concept, the first thing you need is a theme. From this, you can select activities and can also choose a venue that reflects the theme. The theme can be inspired by the role the business plays in the region or by the added value it offers. It could also be taken from the company philosophy and should be geared to the target audience. Once you have decided what type of event you want to go for and set the theme, you can approach the rest of the preparations. Always focus on your plan to ensure that the final product feels consistent. If you struggle to find a suitable theme, you can seek the advice of an event agency.
Goodies for your guests
Whilst considering the past, present and future for the company, an anniversary celebration is a great opportunity to show employees and other stakeholders your appreciation and gratitude. After all, they contribute to the company’s success. Welcome gifts are a popular idea. However, try to avoid choosing un-original corporate merchandise such as pens or calendars. Go for something unusual which guests could use outside the working environment! If there is only a small number of guests, you can even arrange customised, individual gifts with the help of colleagues and partners.
You could develop a special, limited-edition product for your guests. This could be for example an anniversary beer, which will give your event a unique edge. Alternatively, you could donate some of the proceeds to a charitable cause or launch a social project. Competitions help encourage interactivity. Perhaps you want to arrange a football match as part of the anniversary celebrations?
Go Green: You could even plant an anniversary tree. This could help enhance team spirits and would represent a symbol for the future.
At the event, you can hand-out booklets about the company to provide insight into its history and the present-day. This should be planned well in advance because producing a booklet, from layout to print, can take several months. If you are planning activities to lighten up the atmosphere and give the event an exclusive touch, base your ideas on your theme.
Choice of Venue
Once you have set the date and have decided on the number of guests, you can begin to choose the venue for your company anniversary event. What do you want your event to be like? A sophisticated dinner, or a big, informal party? Should it be a more low-key, internal affair for your team, or a grand event with a large number of guests? Consindering all this, you will have different types of venues to choose from. Choosing your venue is a crucial decision because it can feature as one of the highlights of the event. The venue has the ability to set the tone for the whole event. You will also need to think about logistics, i.e. how will people travel to the venue? Is there enough parking? You can find a huge selection of event venues for your business anniversary on our website.
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Post-Event Debrief
There will always be another event, so although the biggest part of the event is behind you, once the anniversary has been adequately celebrated and the event wrapped up, you should not neglect the post-event debrief. Ideally, the guests are still enjoying the memories of a wonderful event and you can conclude the celebrations with a commemorative publication and press releases. Pick up your PR work from where you left off. If you hired a professional photographer, you will reap the rewards now. Your guests will be happy to receive prints as personal keepsakes to remind them of your big anniversary.
Conclusion
A corporate anniversary celebration has the potential to leave a long-lasting and wide-reaching impression, both internally and externally. Give your guests a consistent event experience by using proven methods such as setting an event theme and basing subsequent ideas around this including booking a suitable venue, organising activities and selecting gifts.
And dont’ forget: a detailed event concept is crucial if you want to create a unique and memorable experience that leaves a positive and significant impression in people’s minds.
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Cover Image: Pexels
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