Corporate event run of show template.
A company all-hands, product launch or client event that has to start on time and feel sharp.
Doors at 8:30 AM.
A complete, timed run of show for a corporate event. Every cue has an owner and a duration, so when you edit one, the show clock keeps the rest aligned.
- 8:30 AMDoors, check-in & coffeesetup · Front of house30m
- 9:00 AMWelcome & housekeepingsegment · Host / MC10m
- 9:10 AMLeadership addressspeaker · Exec sponsor30m
- 9:40 AMProduct / business updatespeaker · Presenter20m
- 10:00 AMNetworking breakbreak · Catering20m
- 10:20 AMBreakouts / Q&Asegment · Facilitators40m
- 11:00 AMClose & next stepssegment · Host / MC10m
- Confirm date, venue and headcountLogistics8w before
- Lock the agenda and speakersProgram6w before
- Send save-the-date / invitationsGuests6w before
- Brief AV and confirm tech riderProduction3w before
- Finalise catering and dietary needsCatering2w before
- Build the run of show and share itProduction1w before
- Print signage and name badgesOn-site1w before
- Run a tech check and rehearsalProductionevent week
8 tasks, timed and grouped.
The weeks before, turned into a clear list with owners and due dates so nothing slips.
A corporate event is short and watched closely, which is why it goes wrong in small, visible ways rather than big ones. Most run about two and a half hours end to end, from the 8:30 check-in and coffee through a leadership address, a business update, a break, breakouts and a tight ten-minute close. The usual failure is timing, not content. An executive who runs long during the address eats into the networking break, which then eats into breakouts, and the close gets rushed or cut entirely. The fix has less to do with the material and more to do with ownership and buffers: an AV rider confirmed three weeks out, a run of show built and shared a week ahead so front of house, the exec sponsor and the facilitators are all working from the same clock, and a same-day tech check that catches handoff problems before a live room does. A good corporate event feels unhurried to guests even though every transition was planned to the minute.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should we plan a corporate event?
For a half-day event like this, eight weeks is a reasonable minimum: enough time to lock the venue and headcount, confirm speakers, and get an AV rider sorted before the final scramble. Bigger leadership events or ones needing travel coordination benefit from starting closer to twelve weeks, but eight is a workable floor for most single-morning formats.
How long should a corporate event run?
Two to three hours is typical for a morning format that includes a leadership address, an update, a break and breakouts. Stretching much past three hours without a meal or a real change of pace tends to lose the room, especially for an internal audience that still has a workday ahead of them.
Who should own the run of show on the day?
One person, usually from production or the events team, not the exec sponsor or the MC. That person holds the master timing, cues each segment owner, and is the one who decides in real time whether to trim the Q&A or hold the close. Without a single owner, small delays compound because everyone assumes someone else is tracking the clock.
Use this template in Event70.
Start free and this run of show and checklist are ready to edit on a real event.
See all templates or read the planning guides.