After these past years of constantly living on the edge of uncertainty, this coming holiday season is expected to be a big one. With many employees still working remotely or in a hybrid setting, team connection could use a big boost. Parties are the perfect opportunities to build trust and community within your organization. They provide an environment for people to reconnect with each other on a more personal level without communicating via a device.
However, this holiday season will also be a challenging one. With the hospitability severely impacted by the pandemic, sadly many hospitality businesses did not make it. The ones that did are likely short-staffed (aren’t we all?) and their calendars are already booked months out. If you are hoping to have a grand holiday party this year, it’s crucial that you begin planning now. Venues need to be rented, decorations ordered, food planned and staff hired and trained. To make things more complicated, these areas have also been impacted by the pandemic…food shortages, shipping delays and staff shortages. Make no mistake, you will need to plan your event as far in advance as possible if you would like it to go off without a hitch.
Here are 4 steps to get you started so you can have a successful company holiday party:
- Book a Venue (ASAP)
Getting invited to an after-party is like reliving high school while being cool. Everyone is going to be talking about the party and hoping for an invite. We have connections with all the best venues in San Francisco and Las Vegas (and beyond) and have access to local DJs and performers to throw an exclusive after-conference party to promote your brand like it’s 1999.
- Chefs and Caterers
Similar to the reasons why booking a venue as early as possible is advantageous, you will need to secure your chefs and caterers directly after. Reputable chefs and staff book out quickly and will likely have holiday plans themselves, so you don’t want to delay. Plus, food is, and will always be, the focal part of the party so you want to get it right.
- Music and Entertainment
Company parties can sometimes be… well, a little stale. While food and drinks definitely help lead conversations, a holiday party only happens once a year so it’s worth making it special. DJs, live performers, magicians, acrobats, and fire dancers all orchestrate the energy of the party. Sure you can just settle on a DJ to play some jams, but make sure they are actually good. There’s nothing worse than a DJ that can’t read the room.
- Photographers and Videographers
The best parties are the ones that are remembered. Having a good photographer to capture moments that you can send to your attendees afterward is a great way to extend the fond memories of their experience. People love sharing photos and videos of themselves on social media. if the video is done well, it will likely be shared and have a small chance of going viral…
These are just a few tasks that go into planning a successful event, but there are many more. Invitations, gifts, guest list, games/raffle, prizes, lighting, transportation and most importantly, budgeting. Fitting all of your event needs within a budget is the most challenging part. That’s why it pays off to work with an event planner that has planned hundreds of high-profile events working within a variety of budgets.
Make your company holiday party one to be remembered. We organize everything, so you can focus on more important business matters.
To get started, email us at info@thebonsoir.com or call (628) 223-3510.