A corporate event is an unbelievable way to raise awareness of a business’s brand and build a stellar reputation. But, more and more companies are using a party as a marketing method to attract customers. It isn’t hard to see why when event attendees in the UK spend £65,000 a year in registration. With all the competition, planners need to figure out a way to stand out from the crowd and get the message across. World-class bands will make a mark, but they are unrealistic. Bosses should focus on the little things to wow the guests. Here are four of the best.

Catering

Attendees love freebies, especially when they are delicious. Food is a fantastic addition to an event because it creates a social atmosphere. While people eat and drink, they talk and laugh and mix with the rest of the guests. Enjoying the night will reflect favourably on the people and the company who put it together and invited them in the first place. There’s another reason contract catering is vital: energy. Spending all night on your feet is hard work, and guests feel the same way. Appetisers are small shots of power that keep the people on their feet until the very end. Of course, a couple of glasses of wine helps to forget about the tiredness.

Free Ticket

Taking a freebie to the next level is providing those invited with free entry. No one is going to grumble when they arrive and are presented with booze and food, and that’s just the beginning. There is a psychological aspect, too, in the sense that guests think “why not?” when they know they don’t have to shell out for a ticket. Most importantly of all, the night is about raising awareness of the brand and the company needs to address as many people as possible. Asking for a fee is a sure-fire way to limit traffic.

Effective Staff

Events revolve around the hospitality crew doing their job. It’s shocking, then, that lots of planners use amateurs to cut down on costs. The servers are apart of the company for the night because how they act then reflects on the business. Hiring non-professionals or only a small team might come back to harm the firm’s reputation. The best parties have a large number of workers circulating the room so that guests are catered for throughout the evening. There is nothing worse than waiting a lifetime to get a free drink!

Auction

Winning a competition is one way for attendees to go away with a smile on their face. Gifts and prizes that are different and valuable will leave them jumping for joy. Walking away with a present isn’t just good for the guest but the business also. The company needs to find a way to direct the people in the room towards the brand yet can’t ask during the event. It’s too tacky and unprofessional. Revealing the results of the prize giveaway online ensures guests will follow-up after the party is over.

Ultimately, businesses need to remember that big things can come in small packages.