How to avoid planning purgatory (and throwing money at a hot mess)
Let’s talk corporate events. There’s a committee. There’s a deadline. There’s an Excel sheet with 27 tabs. And somewhere in there, someone has already booked a gospel choir, a drone show and 14 centrepieces shaped like the company logo.
“Next step? I’ll just hire an event company to execute.”
Here’s the thing: Bringing in an event partner too soon wastes budget and brainpower. But including one too late can mean disaster in sequins. Like anything profound and balanced, there’s a sweet spot.
At 360 Degrees, we suggest hiring an event guru when:
You’ve got internal buy-in
When everyone who needs to say yes…has said yes. When the brief is aligned, the goal is clear and you’re not waiting for Brenda from Compliance to return from sabbatical. Then, and only then, we can build your ideal event.
The budget is a number
You’ve had the awkward conversations, you know what’s negotiable (snacks) and what’s not (AV, safety, seating), and no one’s using “TBC” as an answer. A defined budget ensures that we deliver what you want, without realising two days before load-in that the drone show is eating half the catering budget.
The guest list and goals have been okayed by the powers that be
You know who’s invited, why they’re invited, what you want them to feel and who’s going to have a panic attack if the wrong Pantone shade is used. The event has a purpose beyond “getting everyone together”.
P.S. Here’s what not to do
Don’t book the band, the fire act, the keynote speaker or the linen before calling us.
Your “big idea” could be brilliant, but it’s worth checking if it fits the budget, ticks the boxes and actually works in real life.
Let us help shape the brief instead of polishing the chaos. Our job is to protect your budget, sanity and seating plan.
#BallsOfSteel
Want 360° event advice? Contact us for more.
EYES ON
Ever tried networking on ‘hard mode’?
A growing trend at large conferences is the total removal of all professional identification. No lanyards, no pinned cards, no stickers. Delegates must rely on eye contact, memory and the slightly unnerving act of introducing themselves (without any prompts).
Now, we’ve had years of leaning on those little rectangles, which makes removing them feel like pulling the training wheels off professional interaction. But the upside may surprise you.
People pay closer attention. Conversations feel more intentional. Engagement goes up. For an industry that’s hooked on scanners and tech, this stripped-back approach is an odd but useful reminder that the best conversations tend to start with eyes (on).
BY THE WAY
Weather, but make it strategic
Are we in an El Niño or a La Niña? Doesn’t matter. When it comes to climate change, assume chaos.
Planning an outdoor event in South Africa right now is like booking an opera singer and hoping a magician doesn’t show up. Rain when you expected sun. Scorching heat when the forecast promised a “mild spring breeze”.
What to do? Prep as if the climate is out to get you.
Tarps, tents, windbreaks. Shade, cooling, heating. Sound masking for the hadedas. And a rapid-response stash of throws, backup fans and ponchos that staff can deploy faster than a toddler hearing a chip packet open.
