A Twist on the Company Holiday Party

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The company holiday party is a time to celebrate and acknowledge your organization’s accomplishments over the last year. Holiday parties do not have to be the same old DJ, dance, have a drink and work your way over to the boss type of events.  You can use this opportunity to encourage your team by highlighting their achievements.

Put a twist on the company holiday party and consider how you might recognize the team members that have contributed to the organization in big ways. This may be through length of service, top sales numbers or most community hours given.  You could name an hourly employee and manager of the year. Celebrate the company’s successes and bring any awards won to light again. The associates helped win those awards and get the company recognition, so it is important to revisit them.  A little pat on the back can go a long way toward keeping morale high in your organization.

Remember to change up the event also and not have everyone sitting down to a traditional dinner and PowerPoint presentation. Consider using your corporate mission as a guide for the theme of the celebration. If for example, your mission is providing excellent service with genuine comfort and care, ask yourself what screams comfort? Why not invite everyone to wear jeans, decorate with soft seating, lighting, and utilize gentle colors. Continue to comfort your guests with comfort food, warm beverage stations and beer and wine bars, and treat everyone to casual music. Recognize your guests the way they recognize your clients with care – show them you truly care about them and they will continue to give back to your organization as well.

8 Mistakes Planners Make When Booking Entertainment [BizBash]

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By Rose Curiel

Planners and producers weigh in on how everything from placing too much importance on a big headliner to choosing the wrong venue can negatively impact entertainment at an event.

A lot of work goes into successfully producing musical performances at events, which means there’s also a lot of room to commit mistakes. Whether it’s launching a music festival or hosting an intimate corporate event featuring talent, avoid these mistakes to secure acts without upsetting band members—or guests—along the way.

1. Ignoring the audience
While organizers may think they have excellent taste in music, event attendees might disagree. In fact, TCG Events’ Kim Atwell Martin says one of the biggest mistakes planners can make when booking talent is “selecting entertainers based on personal likes or dislikes versus the demographic of the event.”

Similarly, Adam Kahan, senior vice president of Empire Entertainment, which has produced more than 1,000 concerts, including performances for artists such as Diana Ross and Robin Thicke, suggests thoroughly researching the anticipated crowd.

“The most important information, I think, when it comes to booking musical acts for corporate events is the age range of the audience; it will tell you a lot about the type of music they will be into,” Kahan says.

2. Choosing the wrong venue
“A venue that has a lot of windows might have great sunlight and views, but glass, generally speaking, is difficult for sound,“ Kahan says. “The same goes for marble, actually. There are some really spectacular, beautiful spaces that just aren’t ideal for sound. Good production companies can work around that but it’s just not ideal.”

3. Breezing over the contract
What the event’s host and band expect from the same gig may differ greatly. “I would suggest putting anything very important in a written offer to the agent,” Kahan says. “Don’t just say, we’re offering $150,000 to Huey Lewis and the News to perform on the stage if you also know that you want Huey Lewis to do a meet and greet and hang out with a few V.I.P.s before the show.”

Martin Atwell adds: “Key elements of a contract should include cancellation policies, rider negotiations (if applicable), stage and production requirements or restrictions, travel and accommodations, set times, attire, sound check times, media—including social media—clauses, and rights to photography and videography.”

4. Disregarding up-and-coming acts
Bigger is not always better, especially if you’re on a budget and want to avoid diva-like behavior.

“Find someone who is recognizable but is on the verge of stardom; they are great value at low-cost, they typically are putting lots of effort into their shows, and their demands are usually low, making for a great working relationship,” says Atwell Martin. “Look out for them being a little rough around the edges—they may not have quite figured out what is and isn’t appropriate for the corporate or social event settings.”

Likewise, Aurelian Marketing Group’s Rehan Choudhry, who founded Las Vegas’s Life Is Beautiful festival in 2013—and attracted a crowd of 60,000 over a two-day period in the process—points out that a big headliner doesn’t necessarily guarantee a good fit.

“More often than not, when people are booking talent for an event, they typically want to get the biggest band they can get for the price they can pay,” Choudhry says. “People end up booking just based on the name and what ends up happening is that there’s a disconnect between the experience and what they’re trying to achieve or create.”

5. Bypassing music industry pros
So, when it comes to actually booking a band, who should you turn to?

“There’s protocol in the industry: when you book an act, you go to the exclusive booking agency,” Kahan says. “The booking agent will take your offer and bring it to the manager, and the manager will then discuss it with the artist.”

And once you’ve actually settled on a musical act, you want to make sure you tap an expert who understands how to deal with the band’s logistical demands.

“When it comes to the block and tackle production of the stage for musical talent, it’s really important that you have someone with a lot of experience,” Choudhry says. “Have a great producer, who knows how to produce shows with the type of talent you’re bringing in. You want to make sure that when the talent is on the ground that they have a flawless experience.”

6. Waiting until the last minute
The bigger the band, the sooner you should start taking action to book them.

“The ideal situation for A-list entertainers can be a one-year lead time,” Atwell Martin says. “Smaller acts are best secured within a three- to six-month window.”

7. Promoting an act as a surprise headliner
A surprise act can create buzz, but it can also generate problems.

“I think it’s a mistake when some clients have their headline talent be a surprise for attendees because I’ve seen at least one example of the audience starting a rampant rumor that it’s going to be one performer that everybody gets really excited about when, in fact, it’s somebody else,” Kahan says. “When the other person comes out, there’s a bit of an ‘oof’ moment, like a grenade. Also, if it’s a surprise it doesn’t give a lot of people in the audience a chance to listen to that artist’s music in advance, which you need to do if it’s a newer artist.”

8. Neglecting local restrictions
“Permits are always something to keep top of mind,” says Discovery Communications vice president of global events Jeff Kaplan, who recently planned the first FinFest in Hermosa Beach that included a concert with Jimmy Buffett. “Sound ordinances and curfews are always key in figuring out how long a set can go, and what other noise restrictions are allowed. Are there any load-in, load-out restrictions once the headliner equipment is set? How do other bands need to work around the stage? These are all things to consider when in the booking process.”

Read the original article in BizBash.

10 Tips for Hosting a Wildly Successful Event on a Tame Budget [Entrepreneur]

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By Cassie Brown

When you consider events, you might think “My business isn’t big enough to hold an event large enough to make a difference. Where am I going to find the budget?”

That is a mistake. Events, when done right, are a successful technique for marketing, engagement and networking. Bigger isn’t always better, even when you have the budget. What’s most important is spending your event budget on what will make the strongest impact conveying your message to the audience you need.

The need to track expenses under a microscope can inspire creativity that results in an event your attendees will remember for all the right reasons. At TCG Events, we re-invented a “ribbon cutting” at a biotech center where we had the ribbons fall from the ceiling on a grand scale with a kabuki drop. It incorporated an element of surprise the audience wasn’t expecting.

Here are my top 10 do’s and don’ts on how to spend your event budget to create maximum impact with minimum headaches.

1. Plan. Don’t treat events like an afterthought. Plan ahead. Budget for them. Be strategic about objectives. The event should have a business-driving purpose beyond “it’s nice to have a holiday party.”

2. Drinks. Don’t assume that a hosted bar, in which you pay a set amount per guest, is the best deal. In most cases, a consumption bar, in which you pay for what people actually drank, is a more cost effective option. On a hosted bar you are paying the same charge if a person drinks soft drinks all night or a string of Long Island Ice Teas.

3. Fees add up. Don’t forget to include all the additional fees into the budget. The fees in hotels are endless – chef fees, bartender fees, service fees in addition to charges for power, loading docks, security, etc. A good event planner can provide you with insights into which fees are negotiable.

4. Snail mail. Instead of an email invitation, design an invitation to stand out and spend the money to mail it.

5. Tunes. It used to be that a live band was the prestigious thing to have but DJs are hot again. A great DJ is more fun than an average band at half the price. Design a cool stage set for the DJ so they can make a great visual as well as keep the energy high.

6. Pay to play. Avoid major fines after the event is over by making sure you have music licensing in place up front, whether DJ or live music.

7. Linen on the table. Do use linens to the floor. Linens that touch the ground are more appealing to the eye. It is also an inexpensive way to add color to an event.

8. No swag. How many mugs, beer glasses and t-shirts do we really need? Instead of handing out party favors and swag at your corporate event, add an experiential aspect where people can get involved.

9. Less talking, more watching. Don’t have a guest speaker/talking head address the crowd from the front of the room. Instead, take those dollars and invest in create a compelling two-minute video featuring your employees and senior leaders. They’ll appreciate it!

10. Brevity. Don’t disregard the two-minute rule for videos. There are almost no exceptions to this. Videos should be less than three minutes.

There is a reason commercials are a minute or less. The most successful viral videos on YouTube are short. Shoot less b-roll and spend more time in the editing room. Make the most of this opportunity to brand your company!

Read the original article in Entrepreneur.com.

Make Your Next ‘Big Meeting’ Unforgettable [CEO]

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By Cassie Brown

It’s that time of year again: the big company meeting that you hope will be even better than last year’s. However, for some reason, registrations aren’t flying in like they used to. This isn’t exactly good for business and could be a strong sign you need an event “refresh.”

As CEO, a company-wide meeting is the last thing you want to worry about when you already have so much on your plate. Consider these five reasons your attendance may be dropping and how to keep your business partners, vendors and other attendees excited about the event.

The old format is dead.

People love the unexpected. They love the mystery involved in an event and not always knowing what will happen next. Therefore, if you have the same general theme, type of speakers, predictable content and refreshments each year, what’s to get excited about? Change up that hackneyed pre-event networking cocktail party from 6-8 the night before with not-so-great wine, with only people they know.

Evaluate what’s not working.

You may typically have an after-hours session with a key speaker or a presentation that is similar to content already in the program earlier that day. If few people are going, and it’s not delivering much value, scrap it. Moreover, to truly take an accurate pulse on what is and isn’t working, make sure attendees have access to feedback cards or email feedback forms to gauge what they like and don’t and would like to see happen.

Have a format.

Yes, guests like a bit of surprise, but they also like structure too. It’s important to keep speakers on time and moving. Don’t let speakers go too far over their allotted time, as once you’re off schedule it’s difficult to get back on track. Research shows that the human brain can work well for about 90 minutes then it needs a break. That’s why the best speeches are 18 minutes or under. Every 7-10 minutes there should be a change at your event – a song, a video or something interactive to allow the attendee’s brains to take a break.

Make it intimate.

For a big meeting, letting people do their own thing and “hope” they talk to the right people or make connections isn’t the way to go. Instead, consider having smaller groups of people in intimate breakout sessions with one or more facilitators to structure the networking. Small breakouts and spaces encourage more thoughtful and engaging conversation especially with those they didn’t think they should meet.

Don’t shy from controversy.

I’m not suggesting you invite the local picketing group to your conference. However, if all the speakers have all similar views, it’s not really challenging attendees and bringing any fresh viewpoints. It’s okay for people to disagree. It engages people and gets them to reassess their assumptions about a particular subject.

As CEO, it can be difficult to strike the delicate balance between an informative and a fun company-wide event. But with just a few critical pieces in place, you can pull off a successful event with no hiccups.

About the Author:

Cassie Brown is the chief experience officer at TCG Events, an award-winning, full-service event planning company.  TCG’s work includes milestone, corporate, and nonprofit events, grand openings and more. TCG Events specializes in planning and executing corporate events with the company’s proprietary EventSmarter™ approach. This includes a detailed pre-event walk-through that covers every facet from the perspective of the attendee, to ensure absolute success.

Read the original article in CEO.com.

Birthday Party in Paradise: Margaritaville in Charlotte [Catering Magazine]

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By Catering Magazine

TCG Events brought Margaritaville to Charlotte, NC, for the 40th birthday celebration of Robert Frost, the president of a Charlotte-based company, who enjoys traveling around the world with his wife to attend Jimmy Buffett concerts. Inspired by the Parrothead lifestyle and the Tommy Bahama luxury brand, TCG created an event of tropical sophistication at the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte. As they entered, ladies received fresh floral leis and men kukui nut leis from Hawaii. During cocktails, guests mingled amongst tropical plants, while being served tropical-inspired appetizers and drinks as a ukulele player performed. In the background played a photo montage of the guest of honor’s favorite island vacations and Jimmy Buffet concerts. In a photo booth, guests could pose with live parrots; the images were printed on site and put in custom frames for guests to take home. After cocktails, doors opened to a room filled with cabanas, lounge furniture, hammocks, tiki huts, a steel drum band, flair bartenders, and a custom dance floor draped with bamboo, string lights and fabric. Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean—one of the host’s favorite characters—greeted guests as they entered. Hula dancers performed a traditional Hawaiian dance for guests, who were then invited to learn the moves themselves. The linens, flowers and décor created a lush, breezy, tropical vibe. On small cards, guests wrote notes to the host, responding to prompts such as “The first time I met Rob…” and “If I could dedicate one Jimmy Buffett song to Rob, it would be…” Guests were sent home from the tropical bash with bottle openers for the men and nail polish bottles (with such names as Bikini-So- Teeny and Barefoot) for the women.

Read the original article in Catering Magazine.