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Prepare my brief

The guide · Corporate retreats

Your corporate retreat planning checklist.

A place where people want to meet. A programme that serves your objectives. And practical guidance for decisions: work step by step with existing choices and questions still open.

Explore the checklistPrepare my brief

Your meetings, your support

Your retreat, step by step

A guide to prepare your objectives, participants and suppliers before requesting a quote.

BME provides the human service. Sourcing Force is procurement software that complements your ERP or S2P.

Participants attending a presentation.

01 · Starting point

Start before every detail is settled.

This checklist helps you prepare retreat decisions. At each stage, gather known information and record what still needs confirmation.

Already have a venue, supplier or quote? Keep those details. Your needs may cover just one service: catering, activities, accommodation, production or coordination.

02 · Five steps

From your first objective to event day.

Follow the five steps in the order that suits your project. For each decision, identify who approves it and what still needs checking with suppliers.

  1. Set the retreat’s direction

    • Define the objective: align a team, share strategy, work together or build cohesion.
    • Record expected numbers, starting locations, accessibility needs and participant constraints.
    • Identify the organiser, decision maker and required internal approvals.

  2. Choose the format and setting

    • Specify a residential retreat or day meeting, preferred dates, duration and date flexibility.
    • Define the destination or search area, access, transfers and accommodation needs.
    • Describe the spaces required: plenary sessions, workshops, catering, activities and backup plans. Check capacities and availability.

  3. Define the budget and service scope

    • List cost categories: venue, rooms, catering, transport, activities, production and coordination.
    • Record the budget if known, currency, whether tax is included, and assumptions about numbers and duration.
    • Review inclusions, exclusions, options, cancellation terms and proposal deadlines. Avoid comparing different scopes.

  4. Organise approvals

    • Gather existing quotes and distinguish a received proposal from a confirmed service.
    • Define who compares, approves and confirms each service within your procurement process.
    • Clarify required documents, contractual deadlines and deposit arrangements before committing.

  5. Plan the programme and review

    • Build the agenda: arrivals, welcome, workshops, breaks, activities and departures, including technical needs.
    • Check participant instructions, operational contacts and backup plans with the people involved.
    • Plan the review: attendance, feedback, actual costs and documents received. Distinguish estimated, committed and paid amounts.

03 · An example

What does a clear event plan look like?

A useful brief distinguishes confirmed choices, assumptions and services to clarify. It can stay simple without treating a possible venue as a reservation.

Fictional planning example: these details illustrate the checklist.

Planning a residential corporate retreat

A team of 80 is planning two days of work and team activities. The destination and budget remain open; a possible venue has already been identified.

Objective
Share priorities for the next six months and plan a workshop session.
Existing choice
Keep the identified venue as an option. Check capacity, rooms, access and availability before confirmation.
Services to delegate
Compare catering and a group activity. Review inclusions and define who approves each proposal.
Open questions
Confirm numbers, dates, budget and approvals. Plan an alternative to the outdoor activity.

04 · Next steps

Gather your plans in a brief.

Transfer your notes to the event brief. Unknown details can remain open and you can keep your usual suppliers. You can then request a quote through the HubSpot form after reviewing your brief.

Clarify budget categories

A framework to review parameters, inclusions and assumptions, without an automatic estimate.

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Explore corporate retreat planning

Formats, services and venue choices to prepare for your event.

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Prepare my brief

Gather your notes and services to clarify in an event brief before requesting a quote from BME.

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Planning questions

Move forward with what you know.

Can we start without final dates or a budget?

Yes. Record your preferred period, date flexibility and cost categories. Numbers, amounts and unsettled choices can remain open in the brief.

Do we need to revisit suppliers already selected?

Keep your choices and existing quotes. Distinguish an option, a proposal and a confirmed service, then identify only the services to delegate or complete.

Does this checklist confirm a reservation?

Reading the guide and preparing a brief do not confirm a reservation. Each service follows applicable approvals, contractual terms and procurement processes.

Your next event

You have the guidance. Shape your project.

An objective, existing choices and services to clarify: start with what you know.

Prepare my brief

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