5 Types Of Corporate Events & Their Strategic Uses

Research Guide · 30 Jun 2023

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Corporate events have emerged as effective tools for companies to achieve different organisation goals. Key goals such as customers’ engagement, establishing industry presence, acknowledging outstanding achievements amongst employees. There is a wide range of corporate events available, from roadshows to product launches that can achieve these goals. Whether you’re an event planner or looking to plan your own corporate event, identifying the different types of corporate events and understanding their strategic implications is an important step in the planning process. To give you a rough understanding, here’s a quick review of 5 common corporate events and when they are appropriate.

Road Shows & Trade Shows

Road shows and trade shows are similar in concept but they differ in scale. Road shows are a series of small marketing events typically held over a longer time period and in various locations with high footfall, such as MRT stations or shopping malls.

They are an effective means of directly reaching and building rapport with your target audience. When planning a road show in Singapore, companies have a wide selection of locations to choose from, giving them the flexibility to target specific demographics. For instance, if your company is in the entertainment industry, you might choose to target younger estates.

One caveat to roadshows is that they typically occupy small footprints. This limits the type of activities you can conduct and the amount of people that can simultaneously interact with your brand.

Trade shows, on the other hand, are larger-scale corporate events. They usually take place in massive venues like the convention halls of Marina Bay Sands and Singapore Expo. They allow participating companies to tap on a large audience and achieve important goals like enhancing brand awareness and building connections.

Trade shows usually have a specific focus. From food sustainability to consumer electronics, these events span almost every industry. Participating in trade shows is a useful avenue for companies to network with other businesses, establish themselves as industry players, or even position themselves as thought leaders.

Networking Events

There are various types of networking events and they’re often allocated their own segment during other corporate events. In fact, corporate events are no longer one-sided where only one party is speaking. Now, there is a greater emphasis on two-way communication, where building meaningful connections with one another is essential to accelerating careers and businesses. Chances are, you’ve probably attended a networking event at some point, whether it’s a coffee chat, an alumni networking night, or a recruitment fair.

Networking events can serve various purposes depending on its format. As such, deciding your event’s objectives and business goals is an important initial step. If you’re looking for new talent, career fairs are a good option. If you want to forge relationships across your company, opt for a casual networking session over lunch. Occasionally, there will also be industry-specific networking events which is a platform for your company to acquire new information and expand their business network.

Award Ceremonies

Being recognised for your hard work and excellent performance is a universally gratifying experience. Internally, rewarding your employees can yield significant returns, which ultimately benefits the company in the long run. This corporate event increases employee motivation and morale which can positively impact retention and productivity, so be creative with your award ceremonies! This is your chance to showcase your brand personality and corporate culture, while generating publicity.

Beyond your own company, industry-wide awards are an effective means of establishing industry presence and credibility. Even for established brands, collecting accolades can indicate your industry dominance and continuous innovation. In fact, customers actively seek out award-winning organisations, increasing their sales by 37% on average. As such, always look out for potential award ceremonies that your company can participate in, as it might be worthwhile.

Conferences

How do you envision a conference? If you’re imagining a panel of speakers in front of a large audience, well, that is the most common format. Conferences are essentially large-scale corporate events where people gather to collaborate and discuss specific ideas and topics. Unlike meetings, these are planned well in advance and are large formal affairs. Agendas are carefully curated with a range of activities throughout the day, including workshops and breakout rooms. However, this term is quite broad which is why there are many different variations.

Did you know that roundtables and summits can also be considered as conferences? You may be confused over this categorisation but they are similar in principle. It’s more important to pay attention to your corporate event’s goals, as some formats may be more viable. For most companies, business conferences are a common format.

But why conduct or attend business conferences? Similar to networking events, these corporate events also provide social, educational, and reputational benefits for your company.

Since conferences adopt a narrower focus, you’d be able to network and learn from industry experts and thought leaders. In fact, hosting your own business conference is certainly a great opportunity for your company to establish itself as a thought leader, enhancing its brand name and credibility. Furthermore, conferences usually attract a unique mix of professionals globally, allowing you to tap into international networks and insights.

Product Launches

Product launches play a critical role in your product roadmap as they have the potential to make or break your product strategies. This form of corporate events is self-explanatory – their main purpose is to announce the official release of a company’s new product or service. Effective product launch events can generate attention, excitement, and demand, potentially converting consumers into customers.

Surprisingly, many companies overlook this aspect despite investing so much time and capital in their product development process. An estimated 70 – 80% of new product launches fail, where a lack of preparation is cited as one of the most common problems faced. Choosing the wrong venue, unsatisfactory decor and insufficient marketing campaigns are also possible contributors. This has led to significant delays in product launches, increasing the company’s likelihood to miss key targets. Interested in organising a product launch event? Our in-house team at Eventive from various domains would be delighted to offer our expertise.

Apple is a brilliant example of a company that has successfully mastered the art of product launches. Dedicating an average of 3 product launch events annually, they have become an integral component of their marketing and branding strategies. They understand their target audience and they strategically design their corporate events in a way that reflects the Apple experience.

In the buildup to the event, the tech giant generates a lot of anticipation. They create a sense of mystery by withholding information and drip-feeding teasers closer to the event date. This has led to plenty of online speculation and rumours, generating excitement worldwide. In fact, Apple knows how powerful and infectious user-generated content is. When little is known about a new product, user-generated mockups spark conversations.

Eventive adopts use these proven formulas to strategise and drum up excitement for your product launch events. During events, like Apple, we captivate your audience through compelling presentations, impactful storytelling, and intriguing surprises. Connect with us today to organise a successful product launch event. Don’t be afraid of pushing the boundaries and don’t lose steam at this critical stage.

Unlock Opportunities Through Corporate Events Now

There is so much variety in corporate events that the list goes on. Nevertheless, having this basic understanding is useful as these formats cover the most fundamental event objectives. Once you’ve chosen the proper format that is aligned with your objectives, there are other factors to consider as well. If you’re looking to plan your next corporate event, Eventive is here to provide professional guidance and support from pre to post event.

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