What are Corporate Events?
Corporate events are professionally organized gatherings designed to engage internal or external stakeholders in a business setting. They serve a wide range of strategic purposes, from educating employees and building team morale to launching products, hosting clients, and celebrating milestones.
They are essential components of business strategy, helping to shape culture, reinforce branding, and drive key objectives. Whether small or large, formal or casual, the right corporate event can deliver measurable impact through networking, motivation, education, or sales.
At HB Live, we specialize in producing all types of corporate events, each uniquely tailored to your objectives, audience, and requirements. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the most common event types we undertake.
External Corporate Events
Conferences & Summits
Ranging from <100 to 1,000’s of attendees, these events are usually in-person and unite professionals under a shared theme or topic. Hosting multiple regional Conferences allows for great reach to the desired audience. Some examples include:
- Software or product centric theme where attendees are trained and/or informed on new features
- Ted-style event featuring thought leaders discussing a theme or topic
- Innovation showcase gathering third-party providers that enhance the host's product offering
Event Features: General session, breakout rooms, networking area, or product showcase.
AV Pro-tip: Less flash and more function. Create a setting with large screens and high-quality audio to ensure attendees can engage. Use the opportunity to record all sessions for later promotion.
Product Launch and Grand Opening Events
You have something new and want to show off! This is the chance to demonstrate your value and uniqueness to customers, investors, and the greater public. Marketing and PR campaigns drive interest, and the audience shows up.
Each market has different needs, so here are some things to consider:
- A grand reveal hides your product from view until the big moment, and allows up-close inspection after the presentation.
- Creative video playback synced with lighting and immersive sound can be used when revealing software, pharmaceuticals, and services.
- The creative use of video projection, lighting, and video displays can guide guests through your new office or facility.
Event Features: comfortable pre-function reception, product stage, press area, product hands-on areas.
AV Pro-Tip: AV is intended to support and highlight your product. Choose the tech that’s appropriate for your product and brand.
Trade Shows & Exhibitions
Whether your display is regional, national, or international, participation in trade shows positions your brand among competitors and prospects. Each exhibit should be scalable depending on the size of the event and incorporate elements that:
- Are visually inviting to prospects and attendees
- Demonstrate your brand and make your offering easy to understand
- Enable simple lead generation
- Allow company representatives to engage guests
Event Features: LED Wall or large displays playing brand and product information, hands on stations
AV Pro-tip: Confirm costs associated with AV, including union fees, power, rigging, and drayage.
Client Appreciation Events
These events are curated experiences for loyal customers or high-value prospects:
- Executive dinners
- Sporting or entertainment VIP boxes
- Private events staged at local venues or company offices
Their goal is to build trust, increase retention, and foster long-term partnerships.
Shareholder or Investor Meetings
Shareholder and earnings calls are generally held online with little production value. These simple events demonstrate good fiscal governance and are encouraged. When you need to engage investors at a higher level, companies host more polished in-person events.
This format of corporate events includes:
- Annual general meetings (AGMs)
- Product and strategy roadmaps
- Capital raising presentations
Event Features: General Session, engaging visual, and clear audio
Hybrid or Crossover Events
Webinars & Virtual Events
Webinars and virtual events have become indispensable tools in a company’s communication and marketing strategy. They provide a scalable platform for delivering thought leadership, educating target audiences, and generating high-quality leads. With features like chat, polling, and downloadable content, online platforms enable real-time interaction and post-event engagement tracking, making them valuable even after the session ends.
Fundraising & Charity Events
Great for enhancing brand reputation and corporate social responsibility. :
- Charity runs and sponsored walks get staff and sponsors “moving” in the same direction
- Gala dinners or silent auctions
- Corporate social impact campaigns
These events align business objectives with community impact and employee involvement.
Company Announcements or Town Halls
Typically held in person, adding an online presence extends your reach to a broader audience. Almost every event has the capability of hosting remote presenters to make reaching your national or global teams easy. Useful for major updates or cultural alignment:
- Regular business updates including programs, products, and brand news
- Merger announcements
- Leadership transitions
- Vision and values launches
Can be held in person, streamed remotely, or hybrid to reach internal and external stakeholders.
Event Features: general session, online delivery via Zoom, Teams, or Live Stream, remote panelists and presenters
AV Pro-tip: Ask your AV Production partner to include a show-caller who will ensure your event stays on agenda.
In-person, Internal Corporate Events
Employee Recognition Events
Appreciating employee contributions builds loyalty and fuels a positive workplace culture. Recognition events include:
- Annual awards ceremonies
- Work anniversary celebrations
- Performance-based reward dinners
Ideal for closing out a successful year, launching employee engagement programs, or spotlighting departmental achievements.
AV Pro tip: it only takes a small amount of carefully selected tech to make an ordinary event special.
Training & Development Seminars
Gathering staff for group training is not only more cost-effective, but it also gives them networking and in-person problem-solving opportunities. Organizations invest in skill-building and knowledge transfer through:
- Onboarding programs inform about the brand and culture
- Leadership training seminars
- DEI workshops or compliance training
- Product, software, and safety training may be mandated in your industry
These events are essential for improving workforce competency and preparing teams for organizational growth or transformation.
Event Features: large video screens and high-quality audio
Holiday Parties & Social Events
Social events support relationship-building in informal settings:
- Holiday parties (e.g., Christmas, end-of-year, Halloween, summer outings)
- Casual networking mixers
- Team building activities
Perfect for rewarding teams and fostering an inclusive, enjoyable work environment.
AV Pro Tip: This is the time to go for the WOW!
Measuring the Success of Corporate Events
After planning and executing a corporate event, it's essential to measure its success. This helps you understand what worked, what didn’t, and how future events can be improved. Metrics will vary depending on the event type and goals, but may include:
- Attendance and participation rates
- Engagement levels during sessions (e.g., polling responses, Q&A participation)
- Post-event survey results
- Social media mentions and event hashtag performance
- Leads generated or new business closed
For internal events, feedback from employees can guide improvements to company culture and morale initiatives. For external events, conversion metrics and lead quality are more relevant. Always include both quantitative and qualitative data for a holistic review.
Getting the Most from Each Event
Each style of event has unique needs and challenges. Your content, brand, and goals may blend two or more of the above styles, and that’s okay.
Talk to your AV Production Partner about what you are trying to accomplish, and they will guide you through the process of designing the event.
Conclusion
Corporate events play a crucial role in standing out, building loyalty, and aligning teams. These events serve as moments of unity, clarity, and innovation, whether they're designed to engage clients, rally employees, or inform investors.
Understanding the strengths of each event type empowers organizations to make better decisions, optimize engagement, and stretch every dollar further. As event formats continue to evolve, integrating hybrid and digital strategies ensures that every stakeholder can participate in a meaningful way.
Looking to plan your next corporate event? HB Live offers turnkey solutions—from AV support to full event production. Let us help you bring your message to life in a way that informs, engages, and inspires.
