How many events have you been to that you want to kill yourself at? The speeches are boring, there is the standard drinks package, you dry retched on the hideous canapés, there is no entertainment, the gift bags have a heap of promotional collateral and the most decent thing in it is a branded pen or a stress ball?
You don’t need a massive budget to put on a good show, sure a good budget helps, but it is what you do with the budget and the personal touches that make your event unique that are the most important aspect. It actually does take skill to organise a function that is remembered long after the last drop of champagne has been drunk.
Below are my tips for making your next corporate function engaging.
- It all starts at the time your guests receive their invitation. No DL Flyers – can you send an invite that sits on their desk and immediately entices them?
- An interesting location – think outside the square, is there an art gallery, a warehouse, an area with a marquee, a roof top somewhere?
- Signature cocktail – I love a signature cocktail and it looks impressive.
- Entertainment – invest in some interesting background music or a break out act that goes for a short time in the middle of the event.
- Say no to 6-8 canapés over 2 hours and do some food stations – often it costs the same, but is far more interesting and people mingle more.
- Forget speeches, can you show a DVD on your company that gets the message across visually?
- Gift bags with actual products – no flyers in sight.
So as we celebrate the relaunch of Dynamic Business Magazine this week, I do hope that those coming to the party actually notice some of these touches…well at least the ones Dynamic Business approved!
