Why you need to start planning the best EOFY event now.

Work have something to celebrate this EOFY? Congratulations on a year well worked? A need to celebrate staff wins and client engagements? 

Attending an exceptional event is a sure fire way to ensure your guests are going to start the new financial year off on a high note.

So, what is involved in an EOFY event and why should I be planning now? 

Planning an End-Of-Financial-Year event requires attention to detail, creativity and a plan organised well in advance. 

What is involved in planning an EOFY event?

As EOFY approaches, businesses are starting to think about how they can celebrate milestones or achievements. 

1. Know your audience: are you going to be hosting staff, clients, partners, vendors or suppliers? Are plus-ones allowed? Are they executive level, entry level, managers or somewhere between? What types of events do these guests typically go to, are they after work, breakfasts, or lunch meetings? Knowing your audience means you can cater your event to what they will remember.
2. Know your budget: If you are going to be hosting an event for 60 key clients, you need to understand how far your budget will go. If you are planning a nice lunch $100 would likely cover any restaurants minimum spend for the number of guests you may invite, but will it cover alcohol? The type of venue and activity you select will have a direct impact on how far your budget goes. Consider comparing costs of catering, venue hire and entertainment as part of this budget.
3. Communicate with Stakeholders: Someone briefed you this event. What are their goals and how much do they need to know. Are you going to need everything signed off, or are they confident with your choice in themes, food and beverage and location? Keeping your stakeholders informed will ensure you are seen in a favourable light and reduces the chances of any surprise changes.
4. Get Creative: If you are wanting to host an exceptional EOFY event then you need to be creative. Consider what type of entertainment you will have, whether there is room for networking, ensuring the space isn't too large, and if it is, filling it with something. You want to ensure your event isn't simply a gathering of people. Make sure people can remember your event for something that is considered so on-brand that nobody else could do it ask well as you. I remember a LinkedIn event years ago, they brought in a photographer who did headshots with every willing attendee, in order for them to update their profiles with something more professional or recent. The impact was fantastic and I still might use that photo years later.
5. Source your vendors: Make sure all your vendors are aware of the bump in times, hiring times, expectation and who to speak to on the day. This will reduce on the day questions. A great way to source vendors is through a platform like BizziEvents, where you can find and book venues, caterers, AV, photographers, videographers and anything else you may need.
6. Promote your event: There is no point planning a fantastic event if nobody knows it exists. Use social media, your staff, internal billboards, emails and any other relevant platform. Ensure if there are key accounts or stakeholders they are aware (yes, you may need to messsage or call them). If you have enough budget consider promoting a prize to spread some buzz about the event. 

Why you need to start planning now

Creating a plan is one thing, but ensuring you have enough time is another. Consider the fact that EOFY only rolls around once a year. This means one big event with high pressure. But it also means you are likely spending the majority of your time on other work, so this could be added stress and workload.

Did you know it takes 4 hours to self-source a venue? 

That is just the venue. Add on catering, entertainment, accomodation or any other requirement and that time balloons out.

EOFY is also a busy time of year for venues. Finding a venue now that is available for the number of Guests you are intending to bring can become a frustrating game that means those 4 hours can easily become 6, 8 or a multi-day task. 

We recommend leveraging either a service or a platform where you can find venues and vendors, pay them in one spot to reduce procurement load, and do it all in 30 minutes or less. 

BizziEvents partners with corporates who want to run exceptional work events with trusted vendors. If you have an event planned, you can either brief the Concierge team, or self-serve on our platform where vendors are available, fast to respond and happy to cater for your event.