TRANSFORMING YOUR OFFICE SPACE TO AN EVENT SPACE
With Covid having such a huge impact on events, many businesses have made the decision to save resources and host their conferences and events, internally. Read on for intel on how to best transform your every-day office space into a new and exciting event space for attendees...
STEP 1 - DEFINE PURPOSE:
The best results will come from a well-thought out and well-planned event. The NUMBER ONE question to answer is, “What is the purpose of this event?”. Think about:
What needs to be communicated?
What message or vital information should attendees leave with?
Once you’ve identified the purpose, the next steps and answers should come easily!
STEP 2 - COMMUNICATE YOUR MESSAGE:
Now that you know what needs to be communicated to your attendees, think about how your event space can communicate your purpose. Here’s where the 4 W’s can really help:
WHO: Identify who your event attendees are, and how many. Are they internal staff or VIP clients? What diversities need to be catered to or considered? (E.g. age, gender, mobility etc). Some of these factors may assist when selecting your event space, styling, event duration etc.
WHAT: Now that you know your purpose, what do you want attendees to feel or experience; on arrival, throughout the event and upon departure? Is this a consistent vibe throughout the event? What is the end result or message you want your attendees to get from this event? Do you need attendees to pay strict attention or relax and unwind? Once this is determined, you should have a clear direction of how you need the space to look & feel.
WHEN: Depending on your ‘Who’ and ‘What’, this may determine or impact on your ‘When’. Think about time of day, time of week, time of year, seasons etc, that will best suit your attendees and/or when you will get most of their attention and energy. An element like ‘Time of Day’ may actually have impact here - will a daytime rooftop event need shade installed? Or can you create a gorgeous nighttime rooftop event, saving money with a backdrop of city lights? Think about what elements you have at your disposal, and get creative!
WHERE: Again, your purpose will no doubt narrow down event space options. Is it an awards presentation for staff appreciation? Or a small, private presentation for Senior Board members? Which areas do you have available to utilise? E.g. Boardroom/Common Area/Rooftop/Carpark or Outdoor spaces.
HOW: Once you have a selected your event location, create a floorplan of the space. This can be as simple as a quick sketch, but it will help to determine the space layout and if changes need to be made. Think about:
Flow - can attendees move around easily/safely? Do stakeholders have access in and out? E.g. Presenters, Caterers?
Does furniture need to be moved or rearranged?
What activities will attendees be doing? E.g. Presenting, taking note, eating, drinking, sitting for extended periods?
Is any extra furniture required? E.g. Lectern, Stage, Registration desk, Cocktail tables, Catering area, Tea & Coffee Station, Seating, Desks, Photobooth? Check out our range of furniture for hire!
How do you want the space to look? What atmosphere do you want to create? E.g. Corporate and minimal, Bright and Airy, Soft and relaxing?
How you want your attendees to feel? E.g. Relaxed, welcome, energised, appreciated, driven?
STEP 3 - ENCAPSULATE THE BRAND:
Now that you have most of the integral answers for your event, it’s time for the fun part - Styling!
Styling is a great way to visually communicate your brand and its message. The following elements are very easy ways to add to your look and feel:
BRAND GUIDELINES - Most businesses and companies will have a distinct set of Brand Guidelines to abide by and will most likely provide all the information you need, in terms of correct colour usage (CMYK & RGB), and logo specifications - all the Do’s and Don’ts regarding logo size, placement, usage, etc.
LOGOS - Be strategic in the placement and use of these. Think about the flow of your event. A logo at the entrance to an event space can make a massive impact. Flooding the space with logos can also have the adverse affect, and take attention away from your purpose/message you’re trying to communicate. Think about obvious placement options, where your eyesight may easily see; doors or entrances, stage fronts, lectern faces, windows, columns etc. Logos are also great on takeaways or event collateral such as pens, nametags, lanyards, notebooks etc.
BRAND COLOURS - Using brand colours doesn’t mean repainting the walls. Sometimes just a subtle pop of the brand colour can transform a space and communicate a message. For example, brand colours can be added in feature florals or table bouquets, chairs or stools (see banner image), centrepieces (coloured tealights or vases), or table settings (napkins, tablecloths, placecards). Think outside of the square! Check out our collections, browse by product or search products by colour.
LIGHTING - don’t forget about this element! Lighting is a quick and easy way to transform your everyday office space, and create a dramatic effect.
Think about:
What time of day/night is your event? Do you need more or less lighting?
Is there an option to dim or turn off lights completely? Will a projector be in use/can attendees see the screen?
Do you need a splash of colour? More atmosphere? Festoons, tealights and uplights are a great way to dramatically change the space. Check out our lighting options here.
PROPS & FURNISHINGS - As mentioned above, your furniture may very well determine and/or impact your space and layout. But make it interesting! When selecting furnishings, think about your brand message and brand presence, E.g. can those boring black office chairs be swapped out for bright orange stools? Or throw in a backdrop for a quick photo-op to get attendees interactive and excited. Go one further and brand it with your logo or hashtag, capitalising on free marketing and brand exposure!
Don’t forget about the smaller items too! Add styling elements like Vases, Tealights, Cushions, Placemats, Napkins, etc. These create impact & take your event space to the next level. Check out our ready-made collections or browse by product. This is where you can get creative and bring your brand message to life!
STEP 4 - HOST YOUR EVENT!
You’re now ready to communicate your brand and its message, and transform your everyday office space to your new event space.
Questions about product? Need a hand with styling? We’re here to help - contact us now!