Entertain, impress and influence your guests

Corporate hospitality, if used correctly, is one of the most successful ways of forming, developing and cementing business relationships, argues Mirage Events.

Unfortunately corporate hospitality is often the least planned, thought-through and measured communication tool.

In this white paper we will look at why this is so and how to make your corporate hospitality budget really work.

Hospitality can range from simple business lunches through to rounds of golf or invitations to sporting or cultural events.

More elaborate entertainment could be at home or abroad focussed around business events such as exhibitions, forums or conferences.

Whether the activity is relatively simple or more complex the same basic principles should apply.

Remember that your key contacts are invited to a host of events so can pick and choose the best.

Their decision will be affected by a number of factors ranging from whether they are free on the date to whether the invitation actually appeals.

Think about what is appropriate for your guests.

Consider their company policies and any industry legislation.

Ensure health and safety, contingency plans and insurance are all covered.

Choose activities that strengthen and reflect your brand.

Make your invitations intriguing but clear and send them out well in advance.

Be creative with your hospitality.

Measure what works and what doesn't - don't keep making the same mistakes and ensure you build on your successes.

Be realistic with your budget and don't cut corners - it will show.

Don't settle for second or third best - if your first choice doesn't accept your invitation, or keeps sending their next in command, then there is something wrong with your offer.

Many of these principles are based on common sense and don't need further discussion but it is surprising how often they are ignored.

The result is that hospitality is often planned late, resulting in inferior or very predictable entertainment.

Invitations go out late (which reflects badly on your company) and money is wasted on a poor turnout.

Worse still, a badly planned event can alienate your guests.

So how do you ensure your events stand out and are the ones everyone wants to be invited to? How do you get your target audience to attend? The key is to make your hospitality special - something that stands out from the crowd.

Guests need to feel honoured to be invited.

They must feel it is an opportunity they cannot and should not pass up.

Your invitation should be perceived as really valuable.

The best way to achieve this is through a bespoke event.

Rather than choosing standard hospitality packages, look at producing a bespoke event.

That way your clients will know they are getting something different, designed specifically with their tastes in mind and you won't be vying with your competitors for key clients.

Also, you won't be competing on budget.

For example if your competitor chooses a more expensive and lavish package at a sporting event then your client will naturally choose to go with them and you'll be seen as the poor relation or disappointing second choice.

A bespoke event can also be used to strengthen your brand values.

If for example your company positions itself as imaginative, progressive and innovative your corporate hospitality must reflect this.

If you want your customers to feel valued and nurtured your event should do the same.

Consider your target audience carefully.

It is difficult to find a package that appeals to everyone, particularly if partners are involved, so why try? With a bespoke event you can be bold, offer something new and exciting that your clients may not have tried before.

Entice them with a unique destination or activity.

Tailor the event: a bespoke event offers much more flexibility in terms of dates and timing.

You can avoid busy times, such as year ends or school holidays, and choose when suits you and your clients.

You could also tie in the hospitality to an existing event such as an exhibition, company conference or company landmark.

Look at adding value: this could be in the form of offering an opportunity to try something or go somewhere your clients would not normally get the chance to do or go.

Or you might want to incorporate a learning experience which will help them in their job and justify their attendance.

A bespoke event will involve more work than just booking a standard package.

However, this will be time well invested if the event subsequently meets objectives and draws in your key clients.

If you do not have the time, resources or capability in-house then you should talk to a specialist agency such as Mirage.

Mirage has many years experience working on bespoke events in the UK and abroad and can show concrete success stories.

Mirage would work with you to define objectives, discuss your target audience, offer creative ideas, work to a budget, produce the event and measure its success.

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