17 Tips for Bringing Your Event to LifeWritten by Susan Friedmann
Your job as an event planner doesn't stop with meeting in company boardroom. You may be called upon to organize an employee appreciate event, an awards dinner, a product launch, celebration of a company milestone, a gala recognizing a longtime employee's retirement, an incentive event for company's sales force, a fundraising event, a holiday celebration…the list goes on and on. One key to a successful special event is to seek out entertainment or decorations that are unique and fun to spark conversation among guests. As you begin envisioning your event, picture mood you want environment to create. For example, determine whether you want to create a jubilant, celebratory atmosphere or one that is more serious. The ambiance you aim for depends a great deal upon type of event you're having. If it's a product launch where you want to create an aura of enthusiasm and excitement, you'll likely lean toward an exhilarating atmosphere. If you're organizing an event for your employees and their spouses, perhaps you want mood to be somewhat romantic. Whatever you decide, following seventeen tips will help you shape and enhance atmosphere with entertainment, decorations, and food you choose. 1. Think outside box when planning atmosphere at your event. Novelty is key to your success. Give your guests something to tell their friends about! 2. Create a fun, interesting, and exciting ambiance using special stage settings, lighting, special scenery, music, ice carvings, flowers, centerpieces, candles, balloons, colored linens, printed menus, a photographer and gift items. Budget determines much of your wish list turns into reality. 3. Consider all sorts of amusements – strolling musicians, chefs' demonstrations, palm readers…anything out of ordinary. 4. Keep in mind that your entertainment doesn't have to come in form of people. An elaborate coffee bar or startlingly beautiful champagne fountain will have your guests raving. 5. Vary your decorations depending on type of event you're throwing and venue you choose. Find out whether facility has house decorations that it's willing to provide at no additional charge. 6. Check all decorating plans with venue in advance since many have restrictions on what they allow you to do in their establishment. 7. Create a theme especially for a large event to help make it more memorable. In addition, it helps make it easier to organize programming, food, décor, and other accessories. Carry out your theme before, during and after event for true ambiance and memorability. 8. Cut down on decorating costs by choosing a themed venue and then building your event around décor rather than molding a venue to theme you've chosen. For example, find an elaborately decorated ethnic restaurant, and then provide musicians and entertainers from appropriate area of world. 9. Select a theme that fits your group and complements tone and content of your event. But don't have a theme unless you're prepared to follow through with it. 10. Ask for theme ideas. If you're at a loss, consider having a competition soliciting ideas from your target audience. Your best ideas often come from others. But, remember to offer a fun incentive.
| | The Art of CommunicationWritten by Mark Susnow
The Art of CommunicationYou're on way to airport ....You get on plane with a book that you've been planning to read for quite some time. As you open your book you glance at person next to you... A few minutes later person next to you asks you a question and you reluctantly answer...You lower your book a bit to be polite and after a few minutes you find yourself putting your book down and engaging in a conversation, although with a lack of enthusiasm ...And then person next to you, let's call him John, makes an observation about you that's quite perceptive and sensitive....You start to become curious about John and who he is and in course of conversation he tells you of an experience he has only shared with a few people. You let John know that you have had same experience. By now you're totally engaged and listening to John's next words and closely watching for every nuance in inflection of his voice and in way he moves. Time seems to stand still and next thing you know plane lands. You say goodbye and go on your way. You're feeling empowered and feel that you were just with a kindred soul. The next day you receive an email from John acknowledging your greatness and you respond. We would all love to have these experiences more often. You feel heard and everything seems possible. It is communication at its highest level but unfortunately it's a lost art! "Too many of us have lost touch with fire of conversation. When we talk together, it is rarely with depth. For most part, we see our conversations as either opportunities to trade information or opportunities to win points. Difficulties that might otherwise be resolved or even dissolved persist. And often we find we simply do not have wherewithal to genuinely consider new possibilities, new options. Such miscommunication or misunderstanding condemns us to look elsewhere for creative intensity that lies dormant within and between us. Yet it is an intensity that could revitalize our institutions, our relationships and ourselves" Isaacs, William, "Dialogue and Art of Thinking Together", page 14
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