Sharon Bonner Consulting Located in Vancouver, BC & Serving Western Canada 604-303-7707

What’s New - The latest special event production news from Bright Ideas Event Agency.

Start Now for Holiday Event Excellence

Summer isn’t over, but believe it or not, it’s the time of the year to start organizing your Christmas party. The holiday season is fast approaching. If you want to host an event that motivates and inspires your staff, you need to you need to start planning now! It doesn’t matter if this is your 50th office celebration, or the first, one thing is certain – you need to make it memorable. Creating unique, crowd-pleasing events has been Bright Ideas’ mission for the past 25 years. Here’s some key factors for success we’ve learned in that time.

Bored guests waiting for their turkey dinner and then leaving right after dessert is a major event fail. To plan a winning event, make sure you start off right – by choosing a theme and steadily building anticipation as the date approaches.You can build up excitement prior to the event date by holding themed contests beforehand, creating an online space to post information, and generating excitement with regular updates.

Don’t forget to make your event interactive. This is a sure-fire way to get guests to mingle and socialize. Have an agenda offering a range of fun activities encouraging mixing, mingling, and communication. Team-building activities are a great way to get people talking. The best type of team-building activity is unstructured. We usually recommend activities where guests are placed on a team at the start of the event, branch off individually throughout the event, and then regroup at the end. This combination gives guests the sense of working/playing as a team, with enough autonomy to “do their own thing” as well.

Some of the most successful and fun events we have produced over the last 25 years included creativity. If the creative activity comes with a prize, it is even more appreciated.  A perfect example is Bright Ideas’ PartyHats. Your guests become creative hat makers; decorating colourful hats with all sorts of fantastic trimmings such as feathers, beads, flowers, etc. The fun and excitement continues as they wear the hats throughout the event, participate in a hat parade, and then get to take them home as a souvenir. This activity has proven to be a winner in our experience, regardless of age, gender, or occupation. With no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to create a Bright Ideas’ PartyHat, it’s a great way to let your guests get creative and build a festive mood.

Break the Ice with Creativity

Another successful creative option is the “Community Canvas”. Guests are invited to paint a small square of a large canvas. Painting and drawing for the pure fun of it is something that many people haven’t done since they were children, but the benefits to the brain are well documented. Plus, painting alongside your boss or colleague can break the ice and allows one and all to connect on another level beyond ‘shop-talk’. And, once the tape is removed the combined creative results are invariably magnifico!

Go Global for a Memorable Menu

Don’t forget the biggest reason guests come to a party: the

food and drink! Build your theme buffet to make mouths water. The standard Christmas dishes are anticipated and expected, but don’t be afraid to create some variety – pairing foods that are complementary to each other, showcasing foods or desserts from around the world, or featuring a few of the latest gourmet trends. Make sure to offer some healthy choices too. Many people forgo eating well in this season of snacking and it shows thought and respect to offer them a chance to make healthy food choices. Having said that… Candy Bars are hot right now! And don’t forget the presentation! Design an attractive display that creates a buzz. If it looks good and smells good, your guests will be more inclined to remember the event. It gives them something to talk about at the water cooler on Monday and builds the excitement for the following holiday season.

A Gift to Remember

And lastly, provide guests with a parting gift. Even a small gift of chocolates or candy is a great take away from the party. It expresses gratitude to guests for attending and sends them home with a memento of a great time they will remember long after the event is over.

When the time comes to plan your upcoming Christmas party, don’t burden your workforce by asking them to manage this big job along with their regular duties. Bright Ideas Events has the experience and industry contacts to implement this winning formula and ensure your event is a total success. Check out our beautiful boards on Pinterest and our Portfolio Gallery, to see some of the many memorable events we have created for our clients. Just remember, it’s all about making your event memorable and fun. So get into the spirit of the season now and ensure a happy holiday party by calling us today or request a quote today.

Say Thanks to Succeed

say thx to succeed

With over two decades in the event industry, we have learned a lot. But one very important thing stands out. If you want your business to succeed, you need to build strong relationships. Satisfied, repeat clients are the lifeblood of any business. Letting them know how much you value their role in your organization’s success is both good manners and good strategy.

There are many ways of expressing your thanks to clients for their ongoing business. Sending thank you cards or even little gifts for special occasions are nice gestures, but usually these are more of a one-way communication. If you really want to make a positive impression on your clients, you should think about hosting a client appreciation event.

Make them feel special. Inviting your most recent clients to a well-planned cocktail reception will show how your company appreciates this new business. For your long-time clients it’s a great way to keep your brand top-of-mind and encourage a continuing relationship.

 Show You Care

There’s a real value in creating a human bond between your business and the clients you service. An appreciation event lets you create personal connections and transform your company from just another faceless supplier to an organization staffed by individuals that understands their corporate goals and company values. In the competitive world of modern business, having your company positioned as one who cares about its customers, can make a big difference in your bottom line.

Whether you decide to host a VIP dinner for a small and select group, or invite all your clients to a casual cocktail reception, creating and strengthening the relationship with your clients is essential to your business. Request a quote today, and the Bright Ideas team will be pleased to share our 25 years of experience with you, so your next client appreciation event is unforgettable.

Top 3 Christmas Must Haves

Holiday parties are changing and evolving. Ensuring you incorporate these three trends into your event can create a lasting and memorable impact. Want even more ideas?
Call us or request a quote.

Theme Décor Experiential Events Evolving Agenda
Whether you’re planning a classic Christmas party or a non-traditional event, it is important to have a theme. A theme gives the event “glue” and should be introduced to your guests long before they arrive at the event. Build excitement and anticipation by including your theme on “Save The Date” messages as well as the official invitation or e-vite. This gives your guests the option of dressing in the appropriate theme clothing, which really contributes to their overall experience. An emotional connection between your brand and your guests cuts through the clutter of a crowded marketplace. Nowadays guests want an “experiential experience”. Think of the Rain Forest Café. Your five senses are stimulated, by lush jungle foliage, running water, smells of the forest, and sounds of animals in the distance. Great experiential events get talked about because they stand out – a crucial factor in building client loyalty and the mark of a successful event. Don’t give away all of your “surprises” when guests first arrive – by having all of the entertainment and activities on full display. Have performances happen throughout the evening so there is a steady stream of entertainment. You should also schedule activities throughout the night, so guests are being offered something new and fresh to enjoy. Then, once you have done all of this, make sure you give them a social media outlet to share their “cool” event experiences online with friends, colleagues, and family.

Ask an Event Planner
SHARONS PICTURE.8

When should I start planning my holiday event?
In an ideal scenario you should start planning your Christmas party about 2 weeks after you finish your last one, mainly so that you can secure your event date and location. If you are thinking of changing venues, you must have a backup plan, so it is advisable to hold space at one venue while you look around for another place. If you have any special event entertainment that you can’t live without, book them early as well. Good entertainers book up quickly!

What are the biggest mistakes you see people make when they plan their own event?
The most common mistake I see repeated again and again is a lack of knowledge about the demographics of guests attending the event. For example, if you have a younger crowd attending, find out what they like to do at the event. Do they like to dance, play games, sit down for a meal, etc? Plan your event around your guests. Nowadays, guests are looking for a customized, personal touch at events, so make sure that you have provided them with the options to create their own experience.

How do I know if I need to hire an event planner for my Christmas Party?
It depends on the size of your group and your event vision. If you have a small company of (under 50 employees) and all you want to do is go to a nice restaurant for dinner, chances are you can plan this yourself. However, if you have a larger group and you want to include a themed event with all sorts of event entertainment and activities, it’s best to call a professional to help you make the correct choices. Also, in my experience, when you do not hire a professional the committee in charge of producing the event in-house ends up working all night and won’t enjoy the evening. Not a great reward for their hard work!

Book Your Best Event Ever

A great event requires superior planning, preparation, and experience. At Bright Ideas, our award-winning corporate events and satisfied clients are proof we can deliver. Don’t risk wasting money and hurting your brand by relying on busy staff to manage the many details of a corporate event along with their regular duties.

Call us or request a quote to find out how Bright Ideas can create an exceptional event for your company. Want to see more great images from the events mentioned in this newsletter? Visit our portfolio for ideas and inspiration for your event. Want even more great ideas for your year-end holiday party? You might also like:

How to “Spice up” Your Christmas Event

4 ‘Bright Ideas’ for Corporate Event Christmas Themes

Book Your Christmas Entertainment Now

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