How to Plan an Annual Party Your Employees Will Love

Many companies at the end of the year often wonder: how to create a creative annual party? How to make employees feel a strong sense of presence, boost morale, and aim for the future? Remember 'Alibaba father' Jack Ma dressed as Snow White, Lei Jun as the God of Wealth, Ding Lei as a zombie, Liu Qiangdong as Xu Wenqiang, and Wang Jianlin singing rock. Besides the outstanding performances of these big shots igniting the climax, to hold a successful and creative annual party, the following planning guide is a must-read:

First, let everyone understand the basic process of how we complete an event:

01 Understand basic event information

02 Venue recommendation index

03 Confirm event theme

04 Leverage media communication

05 Event creative points and design

06 Event process planning scheme

07 Event budget statistics

08 Event emergency plan

I. Understand basic event information

When you collect opinions and information from leaders of various departments (remember, the more basic information you get, the better), and make a plan based on the corresponding information, the plan will be closer to the company's needs.

II. Venue recommendation index

Based on the basic information of the plan, search for venues, for example: hotels, banquet hall areas, meeting hall ceiling heights, meeting room capacities, and under-light heights all need to be known clearly. When finding venues, use a recommendation index to indicate which one has the highest service, what types of events have been held there, and find the most suitable venue for this event.

III. Annual party theme

Confirm what the selling point of the annual party theme is. It should make the participating guests, i.e., the attendees, understand the event better. Then optimize based on the event goals and attendees. A good event theme is easy to spread and maximizes the event effect. In short, the annual party theme must highlight the characteristics (highlights) of the annual party.

IV. Leverage media communication

With the rapid development of the internet, large companies hope to use media, new media, and celebrity resources such as internet celebrities and KOLs to promote their company strength during the annual party. In today's digital events, a large annual party needs media to spread. First, confirm which media and celebrities to invite to the scene, and which media only need to publish press releases online.

V. Event creative points

Now we come to the highlight. Creativity is the link of the entire annual party event, a bridge for the brand and consumers to understand each other. For a brand, if a PR event lacks good creative points, there will be no news topics and highlights.

1) Strategic creativity: Generally, large companies have their own annual PR strategy plans, and PR events are just a small part. When thinking of PR event ideas, you must revolve around the brand's annual PR strategy, and then carry out overall creative thinking.

2) Format creativity: Format creativity includes 'press conferences, project roadshows, conferences and forums, event sponsorship, event marketing, etc.'

3) Execution creativity: Execution creativity ensures that strategic creativity can be realized. It includes spatial display at the event site, stage design, graphic design, highlights of event segments, interactive video production, and high-tech presentations. For example, the recently popular AR and VR technologies can be integrated into the event site.

VI. Event process planning

When all materials needed for the PR event are designed and produced, the next step is to complete the on-site construction and other area arrangements before the event, including rehearsals and on-site inspections before the event starts. When everything is ready, the event will officially begin. Generally, the on-site process of a PR event is divided into the following points:

1) Guest check-in and entry

2) Host opening remarks

3) Leader speech

4) Launch ceremony

5) Dinner and performances

6) Guest group photo

VII. Event budget statistics

To hold a PR event, first know the event budget and the overall budget. Plan the event based on the budget and estimate feasibility and operability. Whether the company provides an actual budget or not, we need to provide a detailed event quotation list, including guest invitations, accommodation, transportation, venue rental, on-site decoration, food, beverages, decorations, stage setup, stage lighting, special effects, material production, photography and videography, promotional materials, PR costs, media, performer fees, and various miscellaneous expenses.

VIII. Event emergency plan

Doing events means preventing problems before they occur. Emergency plans generally only appear in large PR events. From a professional event perspective, regardless of the event size, an emergency budget should be provided and fully implemented.

1) Event warning

2) Venue fire safety

3) Medical plan

The annual party is not only the best opportunity to showcase corporate culture. Many large enterprises have branches in various places, and employees may not be familiar with each other. Through annual party program rehearsals, it can enhance employee relationships, benefit team building, and improve internal cohesion. In the new year, everything is the best arrangement. May you have a brand-new blueprint of dreams.