Hosting a corporate event - is it worth it?

Is there any place for corporate events in today’s brave new digital world?  It’s a question many people are asking.  They require investment, they take a lot of organising, and maybe they’re just too old school - but despite all of this they are definitely worthwhile.  In fact they’re probably more valuable than ever before, for reasons we explain here.

Can’t we just do everything online?

Email, file sharing, smart phones, social media, skype, video conferencing, remote working…the technology means that there’s no longer any need for people to meet face to face.  So how come so many of us go to the cinema, the theatre, concerts and festivals when there’s Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube and Spotify?  Because they enjoy being with other people.  How come Starbucks, Costa and Café Nero have become so successful when every office and home has a coffee machine and kettle?  Because human beings are hard wired to be sociable.  The technology might have changed but human nature hasn’t!  People still like to get together – and if you want your business to succeed you’d better remember it!

It’s not B2B but P2P

People buy from people.  You’ll hear this a lot in business – because it’s so true.  I was talking to someone who worked for a famous Bristol sherry company some years ago.  When this individual joined the marketing department he was surprised at how regularly the sales people would visit customers all around the globe.  His boss explained that they would lose those customers if they didn’t maintain the relationship: “When we’re not seeing them the competitors are in there.  They’ll only keep buying from us if they like us more.”

Corporate events are perfect for building relationships

Corporate events are perfect for building relationships

The truth about new business

The same holds true with winning new customers.  Talk to anyone in business and invariably they’ll tell you that almost all their new clients come through personal contact, either as a direct result of a meeting or through personal referral.

Does that mean that other forms of marketing don’t work?  To some extent the answer is yes.  Whether you decide to do an email campaign, or pay per click, or digital pop ups, you’ll have to spend serious money and put in a lot of effort.  Why?  Because so many competitors are doing the same and the poor old target audience is punch drunk with all those sales messages coming at them.

Would you believe it?

Another factor is trust – or lack of it.  We live in a post-truth world where fake news is rife and it’s hard to take anything at face value.  How many times have you had a phishing email purporting to be from HMRC or a call from “Microsoft” saying there’s a problem with your computer?   Even if people don’t tell outright lies they are economical with facts and prone to shameless exaggeration.


Corporate events - we have the recipe for success

Corporate events - we have the recipe for success

Am I bovvered?

Marketing Guru Bernadette Jiwa sums the problem up beautifully: “People today are easier to reach but harder to engage”.  There are so many channels you can communicate through but the response rates are terrible because the audience is largely switched off. 

You can’t afford not to

When you look at all these issues you’ll soon appreciate that corporate events are more important, and effective, than ever!   Whether it’s a conference, product launch, celebratory dinner, training session or team building day the benefits are hugely valuable.  They can include everything from nurturing better client and supplier relationships to increasing employee engagement, fostering a shared vision and creating a common sense of purpose.  You’ll increase productivity, retain clients for longer, reduce your recruitment costs and boost the profile of your business and brand – so the return on investment is extremely positive.

Clevedon Hall- perfect for your next corporate event

Clevedon Hall- perfect for your next corporate event

Let’s get together

Clevedon Hall is an ideal venue for hosting a wide range of corporate events.  It combines rich history and impressive architecture with excellent modern facilities and beautiful grounds.   What’s more it boasts 25 luxurious bedrooms so that guests can just crash in supreme comfort after a long day or an entertaining night. 

Best of all, however, is the fact that it is a dedicated event venue, rather than a hotel.  This means you book it on an exclusive basis, there’s no sharing the facilities with other guests and staff are entirely focused on you and your guests - the options are more flexible and the service is more personal.

If you have an event in mind and would like to bounce some ideas around our expert team are more than happy to share their knowledge and expertise – just give us a call.

Guest UserComment