How to organise the opening of your premises

Why hold an opening for your premises?

A move or an expansion keeps a company busy for months: finding the site, building work, relocating the teams. The opening brings this project to a visible close. It also offers a rare excuse to invite, all at once, groups who never meet: your clients, your suppliers, your neighbours, your local elected officials and your employees.

An opening is not a formality. It serves your image (showing the company’s growth), your relationships (clients, partners, elected officials and neighbours discover the place) and your teams (employees make the space their own and take pride in it). Decide on the main goal: it will shape the guest list and the tone of the ceremony.

When should you hold the opening?

Wait until the premises are really finished and have been in use for a few weeks: guests notice a cardboard box in the middle of a corridor. An end-of-day weekday slot, from 6pm to 8.30pm, suits most professional guests. If you want an elected official to attend, contact their office as early as possible and suggest two or three dates.

Who should you invite?

• Employees, and their families if capacity allows: they are your first ambassadors.
• Important clients and prospects, with a personalised invitation.
• Partners: suppliers, bank, architect, the companies that carried out the work.
• Institutional figures: district town hall, chamber of commerce, business networks.
• Your immediate neighbours: inviting them avoids a lot of tension over noise and parking.
• The local press and your photographer, for the communication that follows.

What running order works for an opening?

The guided tour is often the most appreciated moment: it lets guests understand what you do. Hand it to volunteer employees rather than to management alone, with three or four prepared stops (the workshop, the work area, the room with a story).

What constraints should you check on your premises?

Offices are not a reception venue. Before sending out the invitations, check:

• The capacity allowed by your lease and by the building’s safety rules.
• Emergency exits kept clear and fire extinguishers accessible during the event.
• Use of outdoor space: setting up on the pavement or the public highway requires permission from the town hall (mairie). Our article on event permits in Marseille explains the steps.
• The building’s co-ownership rules: hours, noise, car park access.
• Insurance: let your insurer know if you are receiving members of the public.

If the premises are too small for the cocktail reception, a gazebo in the courtyard or the car park offers extra space, sheltered from the sun or a shower.

How do you get the cocktail reception and keepsake right?

For an opening, a light cocktail reception with food is the norm: savoury and sweet finger food, cool drinks, a carefully made alcohol-free option. In Marseille, a cocktail reception in a privately hired venue costs €35 to €60 per person; on your own premises, the budget depends mainly on the caterer you choose. For quantities, see our guide to cocktail reception food per person.

For the keepsake, choose an item that recalls the company and that guests will keep: a photo printed on the spot, or a keyring engraved with their first name in front of them, with your logo on the back.

What planning timeline does an opening need?

Thank-you messages sent within two days, with one or two photos of the guest themselves, extend the effect of the opening far better than a generic message a week later. For an overview that applies to any event, see our corporate event planning timeline.

What pitfalls should you avoid?

• Too many speeches, or speeches that are too long: guests are standing.
• Forgetting signage: directions from the street, the car park and the lift.
• Leaving workstations untidy or screens switched on showing confidential data.
• Not planning an official photo: it is what will illustrate your press release and social media.