44 . Glasgow Business October 2016
the preferred date, and the numbers likely to turn up. At this time of year, your date is very likely be determined by venue availability, that’s if you’re not hosting the event on your own premises. It’s a good idea to send a ‘save
the date’ email to everyone as soon as you’ve decided. To make life easier, ask about special dietary requirements or allergies you’ll need to consider when selecting menus. Setle the budget. Your budget
has a huge impact on the type of event you organise so it’s important to setle on how much you’ll spend as soon as possible. When you’re allocating remember the event is a ‘thank-you’ to staff, so should be organised for them, not for directors. And it’s always a good idea
to set some budget aside as a contingency. Source the venue. Identify
suitable venues that have availability, are within budget and easily accessible for guests. Request a quote from each. If you go for a venue you’re not familiar with organise a site visit to get a feel for the location.
Before signing anything,
check the quote to make sure it includes everything you need and there are no hidden charges.
FOOD AND GIFTS
When it comes to food, don’t think you have to
stick with turkey, especially if you’re planning to eat at a specialist restaurant. A traditional Christmas dinner can be prepared poorly in a Chinese eaterie and can be worse than no turkey at all. Terefore, if traditional food is important choose somewhere that will do a good job.
When the party is designed
to be a thank-you to staff it’s good to actually say that. You can have a director or manager deliver a short ‘thank-you’ speech and (if appropriate) give out a couple of awards to people who deserve to be recognised. But remember – the speech should be short, loud enough to be heard and not done too late. If you’re having awards or giſts
make sure you arrange them well in advance. It can be a good idea to give someone the task of taking them home for safekeeping if you think your colleagues might not remember
at the end of the night. TRANSPORT
Making sure people can get to and from the
venue in good time is important. You can collect local taxi numbers and details on public transport for that night and send details to guests in advance so they can plan ahead. Organise a coach if needed and make sure you book it for suitable times so people aren’t leſt hanging around or dragged away when the party is in full flow. It’s important to supply people
with all the necessary details. Plan the wording for the invitation and include date, location, start time (and finish time if appropriate), format, dress code, menus, transport, and RSVP. Remember, be prepared to chase guests for responses.
PICTURE IT
When planning any event it is crucial that
you get a clear picture of how you want things to work on the night, so you can be prepared for all eventualities. Visualise how you see things
unfolding, making sure you’ve not leſt anything out. Take a note
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52