Great set and stage design for corporate events can be tricky to get right and is often overlooked. Many hosts are primarily concerned with booking a venue and speakers, and settle with basic staging without fully realising the impact great event production can have. Strong event production and an impressive set and stage can go a long way to captivate and engage your audience. It can help to transform your conference, awards event, roadshow or exhibition from a run-of-the-mill event into a memorable, shareable and engaging one.
Let’s take a look at how to create a great set and stage design for a corporate event to ensure your event stands out from the crowd.
Consider Event Purpose & Staging Needs
First things first, you should consider what the purpose of your event is and the practical requirements of your stage. The answers to these will help guide your staging and set choices. For example, there will be a big difference in the focus and composition of a stage design and setup for an awards event than for a roadshow for training workshops.
For corporate events that involve single speakers, there will be a smaller area of focus to compose your stage design around. You will also need to establish what the speakers need for their presentations, whether that’s simply a projected presentation and a lectern or whether they’d like roaming mics, audience participation remotes, multiple screens or more.
For larger scale events, such as conferences or awards shows, staging and set design tends to get more complex. There are often multiple focus areas on stage and set design needs to be carefully considered to draw focus to the right spots whilst keeping the stage from looking cluttered and chaotic. You can still get creative with your stage and set design though; consider how stage shape and placement, backdrops, special effects and audiovisual elements could enhance your audience’s experience and help fulfil your event goals.
Use Your Set to Engage Your Audience
Your event’s set design can really impact your audience’s first impression of your event. As they enter your venue, you want them to be impressed and intrigued by what they see on stage. This should filter through to when the event is underway, as an interesting set design will help to keep your guests focussed on the stage, instead of letting their attention wander.
You might think corporate events don’t lend themselves to jazzy sets, but business doesn’t have to mean boring or plain! Think of your set as a way to bring your brand to life or visualise objectives. Your set can incorporate brand colours, glittering backdrops, bold three dimensional set pieces, decorative panels and creative lighting. Wonderful set design and staging will excite your guests and can encourage further engagement, including social shares which can raise brand awareness for you and any sponsors. Incorporating interactive elements and social media walls (screens with a live social feed) can also add to your stage and encourage further engagement.
Combine Hired Set Pieces With Custom Set Design
Budget is always going to be a key consideration when hosting a corporate event. Whilst you will want to create a unique and appealing stage, this doesn’t have to mean buying and building all new pieces. By combining the hire of pre-made set pieces with some custom set design, you can create a great stage whilst reducing costs, compared to if you were to make everything from scratch.
At Stage Connections, we have a variety of staging options and set design pieces for hire. We offer a variety of modular staging which is easily customisable and portable, allowing you to build catwalks, podiums and stages in interesting shapes. We hire set pieces and our in-house carpenters can build custom designs, too. Just get in touch with our experts today to discuss the options available.
Use Lighting & AV to Enhance Your Stage
Whilst your stage and set will likely be the main focus, these can be enhanced by good lighting and audiovisual equipment. A magnificent stage and wonderful set design can be let down or improved by your lighting choice. What’s more, lighting can be used to create atmosphere, add colour and texture, project custom shapes and logos, as well as form part of the entertainment at events like exhibition product launches or awards nights. AV equipment – from projectors to LED screens – are also popular additions to corporate events. AV equipment can serve a practical purpose as part of presentations or create a dynamic visual backdrop.
When organising a corporate event, using as few suppliers as possible will make your life easier. At Stage Connections, we are technical event production specialists, providing expert support and hire equipment ranging from staging and set design to lighting and AV hire. Our experts can help ensure that all production elements of your corporate event work together seamlessly, creating a great show with less hassle for you or your event planner.
If you are planning a corporate event and require set design and equipment hire, get in touch with our experienced team today. We’re happy to offer professional advice and help with all enquiries.
