The After Party

Scene & Heard - Catching Up:Luncheon brings people together to celebrate the value of friendship

2010-02-24T14:20:00.000-05:00

Scene & Heard - Catching Up:Luncheon brings people together to celebrate the value of friendship

Event Experts

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Times are changing and clients are too

2009-06-24T15:50:00.002-04:00

Once upon a time, we lost a few long-standing client events. During phone calls, I discovered that our contact person with these companies had either been promoted, retired or changed jobs. Polling the new contact people, I discovered that, while some were aware of our past event work, they'd opted instead to try 'something different'. Pointing out the features and benefits of our services didn't change their minds. For the newbies who hadn't heard of our work, I discovered that our past contact person failed to leave behind information. Afterall, when some folks leave a job, that's it! They may remove any semblance of information that might be beneficial to their predecessor or else leave such a mess that their predecessor has to throw it all out in order to start afresh. In either case, what I learned is that our name and professional reputation will not survive every personnel shift. Moreover, even those relationships that had begun to feel personal after years of working together, may not motivate a client to draft one final memo on their way out of the door, "This is a gentle reminder to please call Event Experts. They've done marvelous work for us over the years and we value our professional relationship with the owner". That's simply a dream. As June 30th approaches and the fiscal year comes to a close for a number of our client companies, exciting announcements are filling the INBOX. On the one hand, it's a time of happiness and celebration as some of dear clients move up the ranks or trade it all in for days of leisure. On the other hand, it's an ambiguous time. How will these changes affect our business? The opportunity to try something different is up for grabs. Folks are embracing change this week - fresh faces, new responsibilities, the end of a season and the start of a new (fiscal) year. We'll continue to take excellent care of those who keep us on board, and we hope that many will. Evenso, we've got outstretched arms to welcome the newbies, for whom Event Experts is 'something different'!

Win-win benefits - 5K races

2009-05-05T10:23:00.003-04:00

If I were organizing a 5K, I'd offer chair massages at the Finish Line. Runners could have the option of a lower back massage or a leg massage. This is the sort of add-on that wins people over! Having just run a 5K on Saturday, I can tell you first hand that I'd have paid good money for an on-the-spot deep-tissue leg massage. Another profit point for the organizers and a feel good for the runner. That's a win-win!

How to do this? Start by calling the area massage schools. Perhaps they will send out students who can get 'experience credit' while also doing a good deed. Next, try the massage mills. The big box parlors that are springing up everywhere. Perhaps their massueses' will give time in exchange for the publicity and exposure.

Bake Sales

2009-05-05T10:05:00.002-04:00

Standing in line at the Bake Sale last Friday evening, I was on the prowl for the perfect looking homemade chocolate chip cookie. Ziplock bags lined the tables - single serve baggies of cookies for $.50 each. Some had 2 cookies, others 3, but I quickly remembered "quality over quantity". Some were too toasty brown on the bottom, others had too few visible chocolate chips. The perfect cookies are totally symmetrical. They must have a 'homemade' look - a gentle lumpiness, a sloppy round shape. Hmmm...how long did I really stand there thinking about all of this? Minutes, literally. I finally settled on a bag. Retreated to a corner and broke off a piece of cookie. It was good! I chose well. Silly to think that I could have a little taste to check the quality but save the rest for later. I ate all three - before I even knew it. When it was time to go, I stopped again by the bake sale table. Same strategy. I chose a 2-cookie bag this time. Couldn't get the same ones as before because they were all gone. Broke off a little piece and 'thwuuu'....not good. Lack of sugar. Too dry.
Moral of the story - you can't judge a chocolate chip cookie by it's appearance.

You're buying on faith at a bake sale-with the sincere hope that you've picked out the best of the bunch. It would be lovely if the cashiers could give you a heads up on what's good the way a waitress might do in a restaurant. Another lovely option is to arrange the items by best taste or put up a little sign pointing out which items are the good ones. It's all just gamble, as it is.

Note cards

2009-04-23T22:31:00.002-04:00

Bright ideas:
(1) Grant a wish. Arrange a large vase of tree branches into a centerpiece. On a note card, write a heartfelt good wish on one side Tie the note card to a ribbon and hang it on your tree. Repeat for as many guests as you anticipate. As guests leave, grant them a wish from the tree. They may take it and perhaps hang it in their own home or pay it forward.
(2)Use a slightly larger than normal sized place card for your dinner guests. In addition to writing their name on the card, write a blurb about the difference each person makes in your life. Here's an example: Constance... Thanks for making me laugh even when I don't feel like I can. Or, Dad... Thanks for constantly reminding me of how pretty I am.
(3) Create your own thank you cards. Or buy them. Either way, stick them in your purse or wallet and hand them on the spot at times when you'd like to express appreciation to someone. It's such an unexpected gesture that the recipient will be delighted. You're going to feel pretty special too, once you realize the frequency with which people deserve your thanks. Happens all the time, but we often overlook it.
(4) Send a hand-written note. It's always a meaningful, personal touch. National Postcard week is May 4-10.
HOWEVER, for your casual parties, scrap the paper and use green etiquette:
Cut waste and save money by sending online invitations. Most online options will even manage your guest list, track RSVPs and send reminders - FREE.

Year of the House Party

2009-04-23T21:48:00.002-04:00

We've proclaimed 2009 Year of the House Party. Facility rental rates can average 25% of more of your event budget. While it's possible to negotiate very low rates owing to the economy, there's still no escaping the fact that hosting your party at home may be even more cost-efficient. Remember to consider not only the facility rental rate, but the add-on items too.
Obviously this won't work for large parties, where parking is an issue or when noise levels may disrupt neighbors (unless you invite them too!), but for smaller cocktail parties, we can easily roll back the calendar and party at home just as we did in the late '80's-early '90's.
$500 for a banquet room could be applied to cleaning and decorating your own garage, basement or yard. What's more is that these are benefits that you can enjoy long after the party ends. Fresh plants are inexpensive and make excellent space fillers. Drape your curtains to create cozy vignettes small groups can huddle and mingle. Prepare your signature appetizer and have the rest catered. Hire a DJ if you expect people to dance. We say this knowing full well that you're tempted to break out the iPod. There's no replacement for a professional who can read the crowd and play the music that'll keep them moving. You're iPod is good, but can you guarantee that it'll entertain the majority? Have one show piece. It might be the decorations. It might be a killer cocktail. It might be a fun activity. Whatever it is, let there be no doubt that though you've saved on the cost of a room, you put your heart into everything else.
A few closing tips, based on our experiences with house parties: (1) Beware women with worn heels if you have wood floors. (2) Close off, maybe even lock, rooms where guests have no business going. (3) Hire a bartender. S/he will monitor consumption and behavior. (4) Make peace, in advance, with the reality that something is bound to get broken.

Welcome

2009-04-23T21:21:00.000-04:00

This is my first of many blog posts. I'm excited to tell you about our events and the many unique experiences related to each of them. You can bet that I'll also use this forum to unload my event dilemmas as well as to beg your creative input when I'm stuck. This is also where I'll throw out random good ideas, tips and observations - all related to events.