Planning a good Christmas party can often be overwhelming and stressful. With time constraints, small budgets, and high expectations to top last years event, planning a Christmas event can significantly raise your stress levels. However, if you follow these 5 simple tips when planning your event, you will be enjoying the process without the worries.
1. Make A Plan To Raise Hype For The Event
Here are some simple ways to promote the occasion that will ensure excitement for your event.
- As soon as you book your venue, ensure that you send out a ‘Save the Date’.
- Stick posters up around your work space.
- Invest in your invitations and ensure that they capture the event perfectly.
- Each email or invitation you send out should be planned prior, and contain new information with each reminder to initiate intrigue and excitement about the event.
2. Ensure Your Venue Has An AV Partner
Here are some simple ways to promote the occasion that will ensure excitement for your event.
AV (audio/visual) is possibly THE most important part of any event, and, for some reason, it is often disregarded. A good AV experience can completely transform your event and, if you’re smart enough, you can spend less on styling by using screens, projected lights on floors and walls, sound effects, smoke machines and more instead of the traditional banners and streamers.
If you can find a venue that has an AV partner, you’re in luck, as external AV hire can become very costly, very quickly as you have to include operation costs and equipment hire into your budget. Know the audio and visuals are taken care of by renting a premium venue where you are likely to receive a good deal. Be sure to check if your venue provides an AV partner before you finalise the booking.
3. Make Sure You Have A Trendy Theme and Style
Styling and theming should be an important element of every event, and incorporated in every aspect. Don’t simply put some streamers up, take time to properly style your event. Many people are shifting their styling elements to incorporate more AV as it creates an unforgettable night for guests. When reviewing your AV partner and venue, make sure to talk to them about combining styling and AV to maximise your budget.
Don’t forget to consider the journey your guests take and be sure to consider:
- The entrance to your event
- What is the first thing guests see when they walk through the entrance?
- Whether the toilets be styled according to the theme?
- Whether the menu be designed in accordance to the theme?
4. Your Branding and Styling Must Be Balanced
The balance between branding and styling is one element of every event that causes stress for the planner. If you’re too heavy with branding, then your event loses its festive theme, whereas if you’re too light with branding then your brand is lost. The key to a successful event is to balance branding and styling. Canvas prints of photographic quality or backdrops custom designed for your specific event ensures that you integrate your branding into your event in a way that works with your styling.
5. Try Having an Interactive Element
One element that can be one of the most talked about by guests after the fact is the entertainment. Good entertainment is essential because it can help bring guests together and ensure that there are no prolonged awkward moments between colleagues.
Why not take advantage of people’s constant use of social media? A popular choice among event planners is the integration of a live social feed. Have a dedicated hashtag for the event that allows you to display posts for all to see on a screen from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram instantly. This element encourages your guests to interact with one another and get into the festive spirit.
Another trend in workplace Christmas parties is award-giving entertainment. Simply a fun way to reward staff members for their hard work all year and recognise their individual achievements, an event poll is often used for entertainment purposes at social events. At your event, you could use an event poll to ask guests to vote for best the best dressed staff member or the most valuable person. With an event poll, it is easy to engage with guests in a variety of ways that won’t break your budget.
Though these options are intriguing, choosing the more traditional option of hiring performers or entertainers is just as effective and may capture your theme best. From circus acts, stunt shows, comedians, magicians, after-dinner speakers or aerial artists, you are ensured that there will be something perfect for your event.