s How creative you can be in your theme choice will often be determined by your budget, so urge the accounts department to confi rm the budget as early as possible. Don’t forget that an event will be a
success if the people attending enjoy it. Elissa Holmes says enthusiasm for the
event can be generated in various ways. “I love the fact there is no limit to the amount of theme ideas in this world, and you have the ability to do something no one else has done before. “Involve your invitees, and be mindful
of the type of atmosphere you want to create. Some great ideas that work include hiring a caricature artist to draw a picture of each guest, or hiring a fl ash mob that can also double as the wait staff for the evening. Have them break into song and dance throughout the evening.” Food can make or break an event. Get it
right by hiring caterers who have a proven reputation or who are fl exibile. In Sydney, for example, boutique caterer Snodgrass (
www.snodgrasscatering.com.au) has a philosophy of providing contemporary dining experiences tailored to the type of guest, choice of venue and budget.
HOW You will be the central point of communication between all parties. Liaise with decision-makers to move fast and tick the boxes on your to-do list. Telstra Business Centre administrator
Deon Spann says the biggest challenges are time and providing an event that meets not only the brief from management, but the expectations of staff while working within the budget. “List everything,” he advises. “Make
that list right from the very start. Update it constantly and confi rm everything in
Make it rewarding
Your end-of-the-fi nancial-year celebratory event is a great opportunity for staff members to be recognised for their hard work throughout the year. They can be made to feel part of the company’s success if they are given a gift. Thought needs to go into what would be appropriate (no-one wants another dust-catcher with a company logo on it). Diff erent gifts suit diff erent events. For awards, Elite Crystal (
www.elitecrystal.com.au) off ers
corporate awards and trophies, and to make an impression, Luxury Promotion (
www.luxurypromotion.com.au) off ers high-end accessories from European brands plus a personalised customer service. This can include sophisticated branding, such as using corporate colours in bespoke jewellery. As Pascale Helyar-Moray from
www.StyleRocks.com explains, “Increasingly, customisation is the way forward for corporates, clients and staff . Jewellery is highly valued by those who receive it. This means it will be worn by the recipient, which is the best outcome for all.” An ideal way for a group of workers to be recognised, or even the whole staff , is a private
screening at an Event Cinemas (
www.eventcinemas.com.au) – again the prize for Boss of the Year in the Executive PA Magazine Awards this year. Food and beverage packages are available for groups along with choice of movie at Gold Class, VMax or even traditional cinemas. Canapes or meals can be served to guests in their seats in Gold Class screenings.
54 APRIL/MAY 2013 I
WWW.EXECUTIVEPA.COM.AU
You will often face the issue of not being able to make everyone happy
writing. If you delegate, be clear about your expectations and the time frame for the task. “Use technology to your advantage. You
can never have enough preparation.” Spann says that guests should know
how to fi nd the venue, if they need ID for entry, what the dress code is, what time the event starts and when it is expected to end.
AND LATER... Every event you organise off ers a chance for you to learn, so after the event is over be sure to evaluate. Survey the participants. Their honest feedback is important, not only for your development, but to fi nd out what worked well and where improvements can be made.
HOT OR NOT
Elissa Holmes of
TheVenueZone.com.au shares a few tips:
VENUE HOT: Pop-up venues. They add a surprise element and a feeling of exclusivity. NOT: What you did last year. Go somewhere fresh and get people excited about the event.
THEME HOT: Go for green. Hold a sustainable event with reusable products and concepts. NOT: Company theme songs, dated tag lines and karaoke.
DECOR HOT: Industrial, cirque, international. NOT: Anything that looks like a wedding.
FOOD HOT: Food stations. They are a great way to get people mingling and trying diff erent foods. NOT: Large plates with small meals.
DRINKS HOT: A themed cocktail created and named just for the event. NOT: A cash bar with a queue.
ENTERTAINMENT HOT: A fl ash mob doubling as wait staff . NOT: The Chicken Dance.
GIFTS HOT: Something useful (iPad holder, USB stick, lunchboxes, smartphone/tablet covers or luggage tags). NOT: Anything embroidered or with the company logo.
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