Every year, thousands of people get a task they were never prepared for: 'organize a company event.' It lands on executive assistants, marketing specialists, and HR managers — people great at their jobs but who have never planned an event for 100+ people. This guide is for them. Step by step, no jargon, from the moment you receive the brief to the post-event summary.
Step 1: Gather the brief. Before booking anything, get answers to 8 questions: What is the objective? (Team building, training, celebration, product launch?) How many people? When? Where? What budget? Who is the audience? Is there a VIP who needs special handling? Is the event recurring or one-off? Write the brief in one document and get written sign-off from the commissioner.
Step 2: Build the timeline. Rule of thumb: a conference for 100+ people needs at least 8 weeks, a gala 10–12 weeks, a team-building for 30–50 people 4–6 weeks. Work backwards from the event date: 8 weeks out — book venue and catering. 6 weeks — select AV vendor. 4 weeks — send invitations. 2 weeks — confirm headcount. 1 week — tech rehearsal. Day before — setup and full run-through. Day after — teardown, surveys, report.
Step 3: Choose and book the venue. Criteria: public transport accessibility, capacity (plan for 110% of confirmed headcount), technical equipment (what is included vs. what needs to be brought in), catering options, parking and accessibility. Visit in person — website photos lie. Check: toilets near the room, service entrance location, Wi-Fi capacity.
Step 4: Sort the AV. Even the simplest conference needs: a sound system, a wireless microphone, a projector with screen, and basic stage lighting. Tell the AV vendor: 'Conference for 150 people in a hotel ballroom, 4 speakers with PowerPoint, panel discussion with 3 people, short corporate video at the end.' Get quotes from 2–3 vendors and compare scope, not just price — does the price include live technical support or just equipment delivery?
Ready to create proposals in minutes?
CueQuote generates professional event proposals with AI. Start free, no credit card required.
Try CueQuote Free →Step 5: Handle catering. Rule: better too much than too little. Order for 105% of confirmed attendees. Always include vegetarian and gluten-free options. Coffee breaks: coffee, tea, water, juices, pastries — minimum. Lunch: a buffet is more time-efficient than seated (45 minutes vs. 90 minutes).
Step 6: Prepare communications. Send invitations 4 weeks out with a registration link. A reminder one week before. A final confirmation 2 days before with logistics: address, parking, dress code, agenda. On-site: agenda banners at the entrance, name badges, room map. These details cost very little and make the difference between 'a meeting in a room' and 'a professional event.'
Step 7: Day-of. Be on-site at least 2 hours before doors open. Check: sound, projection, catering, HVAC, toilets, coat check, registration. Have with you: contact list for all vendors, printed run-of-show, spare microphone batteries, extension cable, gaffer tape, scissors, markers. Assign one person per department: catering, AV, guest management.
Step 8: After the event. Send a satisfaction survey within 24 hours — 5 questions: overall rating (1–5), what they liked most, what could be improved, would they recommend a similar event, open comment. Post-event report: budget summary (planned vs. actual), photos, survey results, recommendations for next time. This report is your professional track record.
For help estimating your AV requirements, CueQuote generates a production plan from a plain-language event description. Describe your event and get a starting point for vendor conversations in two minutes. Try CueQuote free.