Picture this scenario: You and your team have just made it through the year-end push. Q4 was a blur of closing deals, finalizing budgets and trying to squeeze in a little holiday rest. But when you return, the real scramble begins when you realize your company kickoff is just a few weeks away.
Venues are booked. Flights are expensive. Content isn’t ready. And what should be a strategic, energizing event becomes a last-minute scramble.
The good news? It doesn’t have to be that way.
With the right timeline, you can reduce stress and create a kickoff that’s both meaningful and memorable. That way, the energy you invest will fuel team momentum and alignment long after the event ends. Getting an early start also gives you optimal access to top venues and preferred locations. And with greater lead time, companies can typically save 10–15% across the board on expenses.
If you’re ready to make your next sales or company kickoff the most impactful (and easiest) one yet, we’ve mapped out the ultimate timeline to help you plan ahead, avoid crunch-time chaos and unlock real cost savings.
12-18 months out: Secure the Foundations
This is the time to lock in the essentials, before calendars fill up and prices spike. At this stage, you’ll have the optimal selection of venues and vendors. And in many cases, an early venue commitment can save you 10–15% on your overall costs.
✅ Choose your city:
Any city you choose should ideally have 3-5 solid hotel options.
✅ Select and lock in your venue:
Always do a full site visit before booking any venue.
✅ Choose a production vendor:
The right partner will help bring your vision to life – on time and on budget.
6-12 months out
Once your foundational elements are in place, now is the time to define your goals and start shaping the attendee experience. Be sure to get everyone for your leadership team on the same page, then start mapping your strategy and goals to a real-world timeline.
✅ Align on strategy:
Begin planning early with your executive team to align on strategy for your event.
✅ Start your experience design:
Begin by outlining the top sessions and themes for the event.
✅ Finalize planning timelines:
Thoughtful project management is key to a successful event.
3-6 months out
The hard truth is that 9 out of 10 messages are forgotten. So, if your team is only going to remember 10% of what they hear at kickoff, what would that be? That’s your 10% message. It’s at this stage that you should firm up your 10% message. It’s also time to formally invite your team and start getting folks excited about the event!
✅ Solidify your overall messaging:
Decide on the key message you want every attendee to remember.
✅ Send out Save-the-Dates:
Give enough advanced notice to ensure everyone is available to attend.
3 Months Out: Full Steam Ahead
With 90 days to go, logistics and communication become critical. This is your window to lock in travel, fine-tune the agenda and get your internal teams aligned and energized. Booking flights can be a big pain point, so decide early if you want to use a travel booking platform, provide a stipend, reimburse, or provide a white-glove service for your team.
✅ Activate internal comms:
Use internal channels to get your team excited and prepared for the event.
✅ Book travel:
Secure flights for your team at this stage to optimize costs.
✅ Finalize your experience design:
Now’s the time to make any final adjustments and lock in the agenda.
1-3 Months Out: Finalize the Details
The final stretch is all about execution. Remember: The difference between a good kickoff and great kickoff is in the details. Give yourself (and your team) the time needed to make sure everything – from content, to swag, to collateral – is buttoned up and ready to go.
✅ Finalize all the details:
From swag to logistics to run-of-show.
✅ Cross-functional content production:
Develop decks, videos, print collateral and any other assets.
✅ Don’t forget the run-throughs!
Derisk the delivery of your messaging and content by holding table reads for speakers, scheduling load-in and rehearsal days, and adding extra cushion in case anything goes wrong.
Conclusion
Even with the perfect timeline, things will undoubtedly shift. However, early planning and building in flexibility will help you save costs and avoid any last-minute surprises.
Beyond cost-savings, keep in mind that a little extra foresight and planning will go a long way toward making sure your event actually drives business objectives, alignment, inspiration and connection. After all, 73% of employees say they do better work when they feel connected 1, and having an engaged team can lead to a 21% jump in profitability. 2
Ready to see Stride’s Ultimate Kickoff Planning Timeline in action? Check out some of our recent kickoff success stories on our Insights page ➡️ https://www.strideconnect.com/insights
1 Gallup, 2024
2 Slack Global Survey 2023, Bruce Daisley, Make Work Better
Picture this scenario: You and your team have just made it through the year-end push. Q4 was a blur of closing deals, finalizing budgets and trying to squeeze in a little holiday rest. But when you return, the real scramble begins when you realize your company kickoff is just a few weeks away.
Venues are booked. Flights are expensive. Content isn’t ready. And what should be a strategic, energizing event becomes a last-minute scramble.
The good news? It doesn’t have to be that way.
With the right timeline, you can reduce stress and create a kickoff that’s both meaningful and memorable. That way, the energy you invest will fuel team momentum and alignment long after the event ends. Getting an early start also gives you optimal access to top venues and preferred locations. And with greater lead time, companies can typically save 10–15% across the board on expenses.
If you’re ready to make your next sales or company kickoff the most impactful (and easiest) one yet, we’ve mapped out the ultimate timeline to help you plan ahead, avoid crunch-time chaos and unlock real cost savings.
12-18 months out: Secure the Foundations
This is the time to lock in the essentials, before calendars fill up and prices spike. At this stage, you’ll have the optimal selection of venues and vendors. And in many cases, an early venue commitment can save you 10–15% on your overall costs.
✅ Choose your city:
Any city you choose should ideally have 3-5 solid hotel options.
✅ Select and lock in your venue:
Always do a full site visit before booking any venue.
✅ Choose a production vendor:
The right partner will help bring your vision to life – on time and on budget.
6-12 months out
Once your foundational elements are in place, now is the time to define your goals and start shaping the attendee experience. Be sure to get everyone for your leadership team on the same page, then start mapping your strategy and goals to a real-world timeline.
✅ Align on strategy:
Begin planning early with your executive team to align on strategy for your event.
✅ Start your experience design:
Begin by outlining the top sessions and themes for the event.
✅ Finalize planning timelines:
Thoughtful project management is key to a successful event.
3-6 months out
The hard truth is that 9 out of 10 messages are forgotten. So, if your team is only going to remember 10% of what they hear at kickoff, what would that be? That’s your 10% message. It’s at this stage that you should firm up your 10% message. It’s also time to formally invite your team and start getting folks excited about the event!
✅ Solidify your overall messaging:
Decide on the key message you want every attendee to remember.
✅ Send out Save-the-Dates:
Give enough advanced notice to ensure everyone is available to attend.
3 Months Out: Full Steam Ahead
With 90 days to go, logistics and communication become critical. This is your window to lock in travel, fine-tune the agenda and get your internal teams aligned and energized. Booking flights can be a big pain point, so decide early if you want to use a travel booking platform, provide a stipend, reimburse, or provide a white-glove service for your team.
✅ Activate internal comms:
Use internal channels to get your team excited and prepared for the event.
✅ Book travel:
Secure flights for your team at this stage to optimize costs.
✅ Finalize your experience design:
Now’s the time to make any final adjustments and lock in the agenda.
1-3 Months Out: Finalize the Details
The final stretch is all about execution. Remember: The difference between a good kickoff and great kickoff is in the details. Give yourself (and your team) the time needed to make sure everything – from content, to swag, to collateral – is buttoned up and ready to go.
✅ Finalize all the details:
From swag to logistics to run-of-show.
✅ Cross-functional content production:
Develop decks, videos, print collateral and any other assets.
✅ Don’t forget the run-throughs!
Derisk the delivery of your messaging and content by holding table reads for speakers, scheduling load-in and rehearsal days, and adding extra cushion in case anything goes wrong.
Conclusion
Even with the perfect timeline, things will undoubtedly shift. However, early planning and building in flexibility will help you save costs and avoid any last-minute surprises.
Beyond cost-savings, keep in mind that a little extra foresight and planning will go a long way toward making sure your event actually drives business objectives, alignment, inspiration and connection. After all, 73% of employees say they do better work when they feel connected 1, and having an engaged team can lead to a 21% jump in profitability. 2
Ready to see Stride’s Ultimate Kickoff Planning Timeline in action? Check out some of our recent kickoff success stories on our Insights page ➡️ https://www.strideconnect.com/insights
1 Gallup, 2024
2 Slack Global Survey 2023, Bruce Daisley, Make Work Better
