Regardless of the size of the event, the purpose and objective of your year-end party must be clearly defined, or you won’t be able to judge the success (or failure) of your event. If the purpose is “to show the staff how much we appreciate their hard work“, then make sure that this message is made clear not only on the invitation, but also by the quality of the food and the venue.  Or perhaps you want to introduce your company to new prospective customers – does the decor, venue, hors d’œuvres, etc, give a good “first impression” of your company?

Of course, it would be easy if you were given an unlimited event budget!  The reality is that even the biggest, most outrageous events in the world are planned well in advance and the budget forms an integral part of that plan.  But is it the correct approach to plan the function exclusively around your budget? In my opinion, the answer is an emphatic “NO!”

There should always be an opportunity to meet your customers – and prospects – as often as possible. As marketing expert Joel Bauer says, “No matter how many times you click from place to place, it will never replace face to face”.  The fact is that you should never forget that an event or function, just like a meeting, is an opportunity for you to communicate a message, spread an idea, and strengthen a relationship with someone personally.

Here are 7 reasons how a year-end event can be beneficial to your company:

1. You have an opportunity to learn more about people outside of the typical ‘work’ environment.  This means you can get to understand the person better and have a better chance of relating to him or her in the future. (This is true for both staff and clients)
2. You can really show people how much you really appreciate their work or their support.  Even though you can say “thank you” on the ‘phone or via an email, demonstrating your appreciation is very powerful.
3. Your guests have the opportunity to discuss ideas, give feedback or make suggestions in an environment that is normally more ‘open’ than at ‘the office’.  When people are relaxed and having fun they’re more likely to offer an honest opinion, so keep your ears open for things that person would not normally say. You may learn a thing or two!
4. Use the event to re-affirm your company’s dedication to it’s purpose by ensuring that everyone is made aware of what you offer, and what the benefits of working with you are.  This can take the form of a speech, presentation or even a video.  Don’t waste this opportunity to capitalize on your audiences’ attention! Since you’ve already spent the money on hosting the event, you must make sure that everyone not only remembers how much they enjoyed themselves, but also who you are and the reason for the event.
5. Celebrate your achievements!  Use the opportunity to share results, like your sales figures, special projects you’ve completed, or client video testimonials.  Inspire your staff and clients by demonstrating the advantages of working with your company.  Remember that we live vicariously through others, so a few honest testimonials from satisfied customers will encourage clients to continue their relationship with you, prospects will see the value of doing business, and your staff will see the ‘bigger picture’ of how their work impacts on their customers.
6. Differentiate your company from your competition by making a special effort to give something personal and entertaining, so that everyone has fond memories of the event.  “Same is lame” and if you don’t make the effort to make your function at least a bit special, your guests are unlikely to have any recollection of even having attended.  Considering how much money you’re probably spending, you’ll agree that it is of utmost importance that everyone leaves with a special reason to remember you and your company.
7. Being part of an event is FUN! We know that happy employees are more productive and the idea of having a ‘company-sponsored celebration’ can be a good motivator for you and your staff.  It’s something to look forward to, and the promise of being able to experience something fun and different can be a good reason to reach your sales targets or to cut unnecessary expenses.  Remember, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”!

Of course, your event should not have to cost more than you’ve budgeted!  If you are particularly experienced in event planning, or are meticulous about planning a budget, you may very well work within the estimated figures; however, it is not unreasonable to plan for a 10 – 15% variance on your original budget.

Here are some ways that you can save money:

• Don’t overestimate the value of the venue: as long as everyone is comfortable, and the venue is professional, clean and appropriate, then you should be fine.  Unless your event is being hosted at a particularly exclusive venue, your guests are unlikely to rave about your event because of the venue.  The reality is that within 1 hour of arriving, most people “tune out” to the physical environment and it does not play a major role when recalling the event from memory.  This does not mean you should not demand great customer service! Rather, you probably shouldn’t be spending the bulk of your event planning budget on the venue.
• Don’t offer an open bar for all available liquor! There’s no need for your guests to be drinking expensive alcohol on your company’s bill.  You should be able to offer a range of soft drinks, beers, wine and perhaps a choice of whiskey and brandy (in South Africa).  A cash bar should prevent your guests from ‘abusing’ your bar tab.  Remember that the law is becoming much stricter about driving under the influence of alcohol: don’t encourage drinking to be a central part of your function.
• Book your service suppliers early and offer to pay the full amount ‘up front’.  This encourages them to give you a better rate than they normally would.  Last minute bookings are often quoted a slightly higher than normal fee because the provider knows that you’re desperate.
• Rather host a smaller, intimate event for a specially selected group of guests and spend more per person, than inviting everyone you know and hoping to make your event work on a limited budget.  The rule applies: quality over quantity.

Hosting an event can one of the most rewarding ways of marketing your company – just remember to set a realistic budget and spend it on the things that matter, while avoiding unnessary spending.

A corporate event is the accepted way to show appreciation to either staff or clients, to provide an opportunity for your guests to get to know each other personally, and to create an unforgettable memory that your guests will not only remember fondly but also feel compelled to tell their friends and family.  Company functions should be considered to be a marketing opportunity since the success of your event can directly relate to the success of your business:  perhaps this why event co-ordinators are normally very nervous or stressed out during the planning stages of the function!

The key to a successful event is to ensure that your guests share an experience that is so fun, so personal & so completely unforgettable that they talk about your party for a long, long time afterwards. That’s why it’s so important to focus your attention on providing a comfortable environment to get your guests relaxed, talking to each other & laughing as quickly as possible! Be careful: many event co-ordinators make the mistake of spending too much attention, time and money organising things that are not going to make a considerable difference in making the function memorable.

Stop for a moment and think about the last corporate event you attended that you really enjoyed. Can you recall the venue and, if you can, was the venue the most important or memorable thing about the party?  Was it the food?  The drinks? I going to guess and say the most memorable thing about the entire event was how much you enjoyed the company of your friends around the table and possibly how much you talked and laughed, right?

So it’s not how elaborate the venue is, how ‘inventive’ the cuisine is, or how much there is to drink that defines the success of your event.  Yes, these things are still very important to ‘spark’ the kind of spirited atmosphere your guests need to have a great time – but I’m sure you have attended parties, both private and corporate, that were very simple but that were still tremendous amounts of fun!  A successful event is one where your guests are quickly able to create lively conversation that is fun and gets them relaxed and comfortable.

But hold on … how do you ‘break the ice’ so that your guests are keen to share an experience that creates this required level of personal interaction?

In my experience, working with professional event entertainers can be instrumental in creating the kind of atmosphere that will directly contribute your event’s success! By working with a performer who is dedicated to keeping your guests laughing, talking & relaxed, you will have the opportunity to sit down and also take part in the festivities.  The benefits of working with an entertainer who is a corporate event specialist far outweigh the potential problems you may encounter & need to deal with if you choose the ‘cheapest’ entertainment, or take on all the responsibility of interacting with the guests yourself.

Unfortunately, this is where an inexperienced event-planner starts making ‘rookie’ mistakes – mistakes that can cost your company time, money and the lost opportunity of a successful event.  Selecting and hiring professional entertainment can be quite daunting, particularly if you do not have a plan or enough information available.

How do you know if the entertainment will be value-for-money?  What if it’s inappropriate or the entertainment doesn’t arrive?  Selecting and hiring the right entertainment to ensure your event is a success can actually be very simple and easy.

Here are a few tips & suggestions to help you choose the right entertainment for your event:

• Have a plan for your event — even if it’s a rough plan.
  You must have a plan for your event – otherwise how will you know what you are trying to achieve?  Your plan can include the following information:

  
  

  • Date & time for your event
  • Venue
  • Theme
  • Rough budget (including allowing for at least 10% extra)
  • Timeline
  • Notes and special requests

• Start looking for entertainment options when you start your event planning.
  There are several good reasons for this: you can check if your choice of entertainer is available, advance bookings are often discounted, or you can create a theme that matches the entertainment.  The success of an event depends heavily on the quality of entertainment, yet many planners make the mistake of leave this important aspect to the last minute!

• Decide how important it is for your guests to interact with the entertainment.
  Do you want an entertainer that incorporates every guest into the performance, or do you want ‘background’ or ‘static’ entertainment?  Remember, since we can agree that interactivity is super important to create conversation, consider if you really need something that your audience will forget about after a few minutes.

• Be prepared to have several alternatives available.
  If your requested entertainers are not available, ask them who they recommend:  genuinely professional performers should know other entertainers who would be suitable for your event, & be able to give you suggestions & their recommendations.

• Credible & qualified entertainers will offer you testimonials & referral letters.
  Find these letters on your entertainer’s website and do a web search (e.g. Google their name) to find any additional positive or negative comments.  Taking a moment to read through your prospective entertainer’s list of previous clients gives you the best indication of the level of experience your entertainer has, and do not hesitate to call previous clients to ask them for a personal recommendation.  Or ask your friends & colleagues if they have recently seen an entertainer who they would recommend. Just doing this can save you a lot of time, money & trouble in the long run!

• Consider whether the entertainment is going to be suitable & appropriate for your guests.
  Not everyone enjoys listening to kwaito, has the same tolerance for ‘risqué’ humour, or wants to see an inexperienced or unskilled performer struggle & ‘die’ on stage!  Establish your company’s accepted policies with your performer very early in your enquiry process: if you need to short-list your entertainment, why not select entertainers that are certain to help you be remembered for all the right reasons?  Nobody wants their guests to tell their friends how rude or boring your entertainer was, and this can be prevented if you chose the right performer.

• How your prospective entertainer treats you will be a great indication how he or she will treat your guests.
  When meeting with your entertainer, or during a telephonic conversation, ask as many questions as you like – do not hesitate to make specific requests – since your performer is going to representing your company to your guests.  If you feel that the entertainer doesn’t care about you or your event, you’re probably right: keep looking around until you find someone you really feel comfortable with.

If you know what qualities you’re looking for then selecting & booking the right entertainment for your event or function can a lot of fun!  You’ll be interacting with interesting personalities who love to laugh, are passionate about their work, and who are eager to be in front of an audience.  So when you’ve confirmed the right person for your event, you will not only relax — knowing that you’ll be working with a professional — but you’ll be certain to have just as much fun as your guests. You also deserve the type of event that you will remember and talk about for a long, long time!  Just remember – aim to make your event fun, personal & unforgettable & you can be sure that your event will be talked about for a long, long time afterwards.