Dear Event Planner,

“What really makes a corporate event a success?”

Many would say that one of the hardest events for most people to plan is a corporate event. Even a
small event for less than a couple of hundred people can be a real challenge if you are not a
professional party planner. Event co-ordinators would agree that it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the
amount of work required if you do not have sufficient experience …

But there is good news for you! We’ve consistently found that corporate events and functions that
are planned sufficiently early and in detail are :

Within budget, because there are less unexpected expenses;

Less stressful on the planner, because most common pitfalls can be prevented; and
More fun & unforgettable, because everyone, including you, can feel comfortable, relaxed
& ready to have a good time!

And why is this so important? That’s because you want to make

absolutely certain that your guests remember you and your company
for all the right reasons. And, of course, if everyone gets on well
together, laughs & enjoys themselves, you can be guaranteed that
they’ll remember you for a long, long time ...

The templates included should help you identify the majority of your
event’s requirements & give you a “fast forward” into planning the
event. Add additional notes, or let them inspire you to make your own
’templates’ - I recommend you print them out & get started right
away!

As a SPECIAL BONUS, I’ve also included “17 Professional Tips For Planning Corporate
Events” . Take a moment to read through these “nuggets”, as they cover the common problems that
you want to prevent.

Whether or not you decide to use our services, I wish you the best of luck in planning & executing a
successful event!

PS. I’d love to hear your feedback & results so that we can improve these templates & offer an even
better gift to other event planners just like you!
 Event Planning Worksheet
Pre-Planning
Event Name:

Event Date/s - 1st choice : 2nd choice:

Event Start Time: Event End Time:

Contact Person 1:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Contact Person 2:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Estimated Number of Attendees:

Venue - 1st choice:

Venue Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Venue - 2nd choice:

Venue Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Event Type Setup Type Setup Sketch

 Banquet/Dinner  Auditorium
 Workshop  Banquet/Dinner - tables of 6
 Seminar  Banquet/Dinner - tables of 8
 Concert  Banquet/Dinner - tables of 10
 Dance  Conference - Rectangle
 Expo  Conference - U-Shape
 Family Day  Conference - Square
 Lecture\Meeting  Empty Room
 Multimedia/Internet  Classroom Style
 Press Conference  Standing Cocktail Reception
 Cocktail Reception
 Religious Activity
 Theatre
 Marketing Booth

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 Event Planning Worksheet
Guests, Venue, Catering
Guests

Total Number of Guests:

Number of Adults: Number of children (under the age of ):

Event Venue

Venue name:

Location of Venue:

Address of Venue:

Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Set up Time and date:

Cancellation policy reviewed Venue confirmed Map to venue for guests

Deposit Paid : / / Balance of Invoice Paid : / /

Catering

Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Menu:

Special Requirements:  Vegetarian/Vegan  Kosher  Halal  Allergens

Open bar Cash bar Limited bar - limit:

Bar requirements (special requests/ limits):

Cancellation policy reviewed Catering (food) confirmed Catering (drinks) confirmed

Deposit Paid : / / Balance of Invoice Paid : / /

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 Event Planning Worksheet
Décor & Flowers
Décor

Company: Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Theme:

Colour scheme:

Description of room with themed layout:

Matching seat covers  Centre piece on tables  Draping

Cancellation policy reviewed Confirmed setup date & time: / / H

Deposit Paid : / / Balance of Invoice Paid : / /

Flowers

Company: Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Description of arrangements:

Cancellation policy reviewed Confirmed setup date & time: / / H

Deposit Paid : / / Balance of Invoice Paid : / /

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 Event Planning Worksheet
Table Planner
Table Number

Seat Name Cell Email

10

Menus Seat name-tag Centre piece

Appetizers Beverages Event Programme

Table Number

Seat Name Cell Email

10

Menus Seat name-tag Centre piece

Appetizers Beverages Event Programme

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 Event Planning Worksheet
Entertainment
Entertainment

Name of Entertainer:

Company: Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Description of act/performance:

Performer/Entertainer brief:

Call time : Starting time:

Duration of entertainment:

Technical Requirements:

Microphone:

Cancellation policy reviewed Contract sent: / /

Deposit Paid : / / Balance of Invoice Paid : / /

Transport: Accommodation:

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 Event Planning Worksheet
Presentations, Technical, Recording
Speeches and Presentations

Speaker 1:

Name: Topic:

Duration: Time of speech:

Speaker 2:

Name: Topic:

Duration: Time of speech:

Speaker 3:

Name: Topic:

Duration: Time of speech:

Sound and Lighting equipment

Company: Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Brief & requirements:

Photographer

Company: Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Videographer

Company: Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 Event Planning Worksheet
Delegation of Tasks
Staff Responsibilities

Staff Member’s Name:

Cell: Email address:

Task 1: Deadline of task:

Task 2: Deadline of task:

Task 3: Deadline of task:

Staff Member’s Name:

Cell: Email address:

Task 1: Deadline of task:

Task 2: Deadline of task:

Task 3: Deadline of task:

Staff Member’s Name:

Cell: Email address:

Task 1: Deadline of task:

Task 2: Deadline of task:

Task 3: Deadline of task:

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 Event Planning Worksheet
Service Providers
Service Providers

Service provided:

Company: Contact Person:

Tel: Cell:

Fax: Email:

Provider’s Brief:

Budget:

Tasks:

Provider’s requirements:

Quotation accepted Purchase Order created New Vendor Application

Cancellation policy reviewed Contract sent: / /

Deposit Paid : / / Balance of Invoice Paid : / /

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 Event Planning Worksheet
Post-Event Evaluation
What were your primary goals and objectives for this event, and were they met?

Did you manage to meet your budgetary goals or did you encounter any problem areas?

How could you have improved on the event?

Was there enough marketing/advertising/PR for the event and how could you improve on this in the future?

Did everything run smoothly and professionally? Were there any particular problems?

Would you hire the same professionals again, such as the caterers and performers? Why or why not?

Did this programme help you grow as an organisation or company?

©2009 Perform! Marketing Solutions Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : www.corporatemagician.co.za
 17 Professional Tips for
Planning Corporate Events

#1 Always take the time to plan ahead. If you will be renting a

special venue you need to secure it as far in advance as possible.
Some places can book up even a year in advance: by finding
your venue early & putting down a deposit, you can ensure that you get the venue that
you want.

#2 When planning a corporate event, set a very strict working budget & make sure that
you have extra cash for the unexpected expenses. You can be sure that every event will
have some unexpected expenses; it’s simply part of planning an event.

#3 If you have contracts, agreements, lists, or seating charts, make sure you keep extra
copies of them in case they are misplaced or lost. Copying them is very simple & quick, &
can really save you later on if you lose your plans.

#4 Remember to contact the service providers whose quotations you do not accept, to
let them know that you are declining their quote. They will often be more than happy to
recommend another company that will meet your specific requirements … or perhaps even
be prepared to negotiate a more acceptable fee.

#5 Make sure you send out your invitations at least 3 to 4 weeks ahead of your event. In
addition, make sure that you ask your guests to RSVP so that you know how many people
will be attending.

#6 If you are creating a seating chart for your event, you can either set it up randomly or
work with someone else in your company to come up with the best possible scenario.

#7 If you want good attendance at your event, it is a good idea to schedule it earlier in
the week or a long way away from any major holidays. People tend to vacation over
holidays & often have plans on weekends, making Friday & Saturday bad days to have a
business function.

#8 It is important to know when to use a theme & when not to. A child’s birthday party is
an appropriate time to use a theme, while a corporate event requires less of a theme &
more plain elegance than anything else.

#9 When you are having a business event, keep the music mellow & stick to something
that everyone can enjoy. Suggest genres of music to your DJ, or request a typical playlist of
common favourites that will encourage people to dance!
#10 If you will need equipment such as microphones, projectors,
speakers, a video camera, etc., make a list of the things you will
need & make sure that you have someone on site who can fix any
technical problems which may come up during the event. You do
NOT want to wait hours while an on-call technician is being
dispatched to you

#11 When you are planning an event, especially a large event,

make emergency & contingency plans in case of disaster, illness, or
any other emergency. Find out what your company’s insurance
policy covers in the event of an accident - remember, these policies do not cover
negligence, so make sure that you always keep your guests’ safety in mind.

#12 It is important to take into account the special accommodations which will be needed
by any disabled attendees or those with special mean requirements. If you do not know
what someone will need, simply ask them. They will be happy that you cared enough to ask
& understand that you didn’t have any other way to get the information. It also shows that
you pay personal attention to your guests’ needs.

#13 When you need entertainment for your event, make sure it is appropriate & does not
contain offending content. Magicians are always great choices for corporate events
because they can bring laughter & amazement to the event without offending anyone in
the crowd. Whatever kind of entertainment you choose, make sure to get references from
other companies.

#14 If your event will be longer than two hours, your guests will expect to eat a snack at
minimum. You should have a meal if your event is longer than four hours. At all times, you
should at least have water & coffee available to your guests.

#15 Communication is a major key to the success of an event. If you are using service
providers, make sure they have very clear & specific instructions of what you expect of them.

#16 Whenever you plan an event, make sure you take things like transportation, parking,
etc. into consideration. The last thing you want is for your guests to have to walk a long way
to the event or to miss the event completely because they couldn’t find a place to park.

#17 Send a signed “Thank You” card to all your guests within 2 weeks after the event.
People rarely receive personalized cards these days, & you can be absolutely certain that
they will not only appreciate your sincere message, but also re-remember how much they
enjoyed your event.

BONUS! #18 Where possible, work with the experienced professionals: their
knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm will not only make planning your event
far, far easier but we can guarantee that your guests will be so happy & grateful,
that they’ll THANK YOU for inviting them to your event!
 - ABOUT US -

Since 2003, we’ve helped over 150 clients make their events more profitable by providing
world-class presenters & entertainment that keeps clients talking about their host’s event for
months & years.

If you’re looking to dramatically increase your customer-attraction by converting captivated

prospects into enthusiastic & qualified leads, contact us for a consultation today!

Our website: http://www.performmarketing.co.za

- MARCEL -
Corporate Magician & Infotainer
If you require versatility for your corporate event, Marcel Oudejans is your first
choice of entertainment. He has performed professionally for over 10 years,
including 6 years of regular restaurant clients. He is an enthused ‘Infotainer’
providing a tailor-made performance; a form of corporate entertainment cum
inspirational speaking that generates a positive long-lasting message of self-
empowerment. He has the exceptional entertainment talent & magical skill
required to leave his audiences amazed & laughing, but also a thorough
understanding of the challenges facing companies today - particularly in sales
& marketing.

He is a full member of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa

(PASASA), and was a featured entertainer at the famous Madame Zingara
Restaurant and Tent for 4 years. He was the only African invited to and
awarded by the International Magic Convention “Vismayam 2008” in India and
he was recognized as one of the world's leading 'corporate magicians' at an
invitation-only conference in Los Angeles.

Marcel has recently published his first book, “The Serious Business Owner’s Guide To Creating Customers
For Life”, and now regularly guest lectures for the UCT Graduate School of Business.

Corporate Magician & Infotainer, Marcel : http://www.corporatemagician.co.za

Contact Marcel: http://www.corporatemagician.co.za/contact

- AFFILIATIONS -
 - ALSO AVAILABLE -
“Would You Like To Know The Secret To Getting
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We’ve been told that times are hard, particularly for
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you’re in.

Would you like to know the tips, techniques & strategies

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Your FREE ‘Preview Edition’ is now

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