Event Food Trends to Salivate Over

Who says that event food trends have to be boring? When you are delivering an event experience to your top clients, you want everything to be perfect, and that includes food and beverages. The good news is that you can safely pass on the boring buffets and make way for fresh, fun and bold cuisine. Here are five of our favorite event food trends of 2017-2018. What are yours?

Locavores

Locally sourced meats, produce and provisions are not only a top trend, they help a venue and/or vendor, like a caterer, operate in a more sustainable way. When a chef knows the quality and freshness of a product, they can ensure that they are delivering only the best and most flavorful ingredients. Plus, there is less shipping and packaging when your source from local producers. It’s a win/win. Delicious food and a lighter impact on the environment.

Highlight Wholesome

Let’s face it. When planning food for a large event there are going to be a certain amount of dietary restrictions. Veganism is more mainstream, gluten-free needs are considerable, as well attention to more widespread allergies like nuts. It can be quite a puzzle to configure a menu that fits everyone’s needs and tastes great, but it can be done. Creative chefs are leading the charge with healthy, minimally processed foods and using plant-based options whenever possible.

Creative Classics

Just look at the donut revolution and you can see that people love what they have a strong memory association with. But they will appreciate a fresh twist. Try fancy grilled cheese sandwiches with house smoked bacon and a slice of an heirloom apple. Spruce up an old-fashioned dessert like hand pies with updated fillings like bourbon soaked figs. People will appreciate the nostalgia and the fresh take on old favorites.

Artisan Everything

Tune into the products that your geographical area does well by hand, and try to incorporate them into your event. If your city produces whiskey, set up a craft cocktail bar as request a signature drink just for your event. Things like bread, cured meats and cheeses and even handmade napkins will have your party looking like a popular Pinterest board. Attendees will enjoy the attention to detail and the unique tie to a small business.

Food Trucks

When in doubt, schedule some food trucks. Food trucks continue to be a strong trend for events of all kinds and will draw a large crowd. Many truck vendors will work with event planners in advance to plan a meal, negotiate price and secure all permits. No need to wait for the credit card machine to process or to bother with tips, all of that is handled for your guests in advance. 

These are the hottest food trends in events that are sure to have attendees coming back for more. Do you have a question about the next trend that will turn your event into an experience? Call Strategic Event Design to request a free bid.

Why You Should Start Planning the Holiday Party Now

With the fall season starting to settle in, not many people are tuning into the holiday spirit.  As an event planner, or simply one who plans holiday parties, try to use this down time to your advantage.  There are so many benefits to placing yourself ahead of the holiday ball, so to speak.  Here are a few reasons why you should start planning the holiday party right now:

The Early Bird gets the…

Best venue!  Early fall, venues' calendars are wide open, so pick your date.  If you are looking for a deal, there can be deep venue discounts for the early planner, say planning 90 days in advance or choosing a Sunday through Thursday event date.  Also, there could be a specific date that a venue is looking to sell, sort of like a clearance rack for days, and a holiday party might be a good fit.

Food and beverage is the second big component to planning the holiday party.  A coveted caterer loves to have plenty of time to plan in advance.  The time that you spend meeting and communicating with your caterer will ensure that you get exactly what you want.  Seasonally sourced craft cocktails?  No, problem.  Corporate logo on a caramel drizzled cookie- a snap.

Timely Trends

By early fall you’ll have a strong sense of trending themes.  Are moustaches still fun?  What patterns and colors are on the top of everyone’s list?  By planning early you’ll have ample time to research and special order unique decor that will place distinctive touches on your party and make your event everyone’s favorite of the year.

Calendar it!

Parties aren’t fun without attendees, right?  Planning the holiday party nice and early gets it on everyone’s calendars, before all the other holiday festivities populate it.  A well forecasted party date also gives people something to look forward to, and a chance for them to plan to attend with their best foot forward; well rested, well-dressed and ready for fun.

Pat Yourself on the Back

For a job well done!  Taking the guess-work out of party planning early on makes the job a whole lot easier for the party planner.  Sure, there are small details that might need addressing, but overall you’ll be able to sleep a lot better and enjoy yourself a lot more knowing that the big details are squared away.  And isn’t having a wonderful time what the holidays are all about?

Productivity Apps for Event Planners

As any successful event planner will tell you, times can get hectic. Even the simplest event can have a seasoned event planner multi-tasking like crazy which can lead to feeling frazzled and inefficient. Luckily for us, with the dawn of technology, a wonderful array of apps has developed that not only make your life easier, but more productive! Here are a few of our favorites and why we love them:

Trello:

Throw away your sticky notes and say “Hello” to Trello. This organizing app can get a whole team on the same page, and fast. Arrange anything from to-do lists, group projects and long-term goals. You can add media, checklists, due dates and even attachments.

MailChimp:

MailChimp is an email marketing tool. It’s a great productivity app to manage contacts, send emails and track results. If you have an existing email list, try sending an invitation their way or report on the success of an event. MailChimp also has a fantastic testing feature to fine tune your message.

Guidebook:

Build apps with this app. We know that dedicated event apps are all the rage, but who has the time and resources to work with an app-developer? Enter Guidebook, the app provides upfront pricing and functionality to help you take your event to the next level while saving money, time and headaches.

PlanningPod:

Tired of all those spreadsheets and emails floating around? Check out the productivity app PlanningPod. Designed specifically for event professionals the PlanningPod system is really a dozen planning tools in one app. You can create floorplans, manage guest lists, track budgets and create templates for future use. There is also a website feature and credit card processing.

FullContact:

Updates, job changes, emails and phone numbers have made contact mis-management a constant in the lives of many professionals. FullContact has been developed to handle just that. It takes phone, file, google and social media contacts and syncs them in one spot. It also updates and deletes duplicates and for the very cautious, you can export to hard copy. Magic. A bonus is that you can use this with multiple Gmail accounts.

JotNot:

Put a scanner in your pocket. For those important documents that you have to save and share like contracts or invoices, check out JotNot. Many professionals find themselves on the go and not necessarily carting around a scanner, so take a snap shot with your mobile device and save the image as a high quality PDF, then email to anyone.

Paperless Post:

This productivity app is too pretty to leave off the list! It’s an event app that lends a sophisticated aesthetic to designing online and paper invitations. Popular for weddings and small events, you can even design the online envelope.

Many of these productivity apps offer slick “How-to” videos and free trials. Try one or two out and see if you have more fun staying organized!

Brand Activation Events

The appeal of a brand activation is building trust in your brand message, especially when your brand is making a fundamental pivot. For example, when Porsche launched the second generation of its Cayenne in 2010, it sought to bridge the rational and emotional sides of the buyers. It was revealed at a brand activation during the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, followed by an online reveal. 50% of the car’s purchases were from buyers who were new buyers to the Porsche brand - a huge success.   

A brand activation requires a lot of communication and clear goals. Make sure and spend plenty of time with your client so there is clear communication and clear expectations. A successful brand activation can take 3-6 months to complete so make sure to schedule an adequate amount of planning and meeting time. 

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Outdoor Event Planning Checklist

With so many factors left to Mother Nature, an outdoor event can go wrong fast. Take these outdoor event planning tips to heart. We've learned some of them the hard way.

Prepare Your Guests

Prepare your guest for event conditions with an email. A week before the event contact guests and let know what type of weather to expect and how they should prepare for it. You don’t want a guest to leave early if they are too hot or too cold. Detail what they should bring in terms of jackets, coats or hats and let them know other special considerations like if the event is on grass, high heeled shoes may not be the best option.

Rain or Shine

When planning an event outdoors, consider the possibility of rain or snow. Check often for weather updates and have another plan in place if a storm arrives. Pick an alternate site or consider tenting your party. If you do decide to a tent, trouble shoot for the wind and make sure that everything is adequately weighted and staked down.

Alternately, the sun can be difficult especially in severe heat and humidity. If this is the case have plenty of cold water and umbrellas or parasols for attendees to use. Having a small air-conditioned room or even a vehicle can also be helpful for attendees to take brief breaks from the heat.

Lead Time

Give yourself plenty of planning time to get your check list in place. Work with an event planner to help manage the work load and help you stay on top of things. Coordinating with an event planner also frees up some of your time so you can to work on the fun special details.

Outdoor Event Planning Check List

•  Have an alternate plan in place in case of weather
• Hit the event area and parking area with a leaf blower before and after event
•  Make sure the sprinklers are turned off!!!
•  Oder all tent rentals well in advance, make sure they are large enough to accommodate a crowd during rain
• Make sure WIFI works and is reliable if it is needed for your event.
• You may need to bring in a hotspot or a more powerful and reliable internet connection.
• Test your walkie-talkies to determine if they work for throughout your event parameters. If not you might consider a repeater.
•  If you are relying on cell service to communicate with your team, test coverage with the different carriers to determine if cell service is available and strong.
•  Check your power sources and determine if there is enough to support all of the elements of your event or if you need to bring in a generator. If a generator is needed confirm requirements before arriving on site with your generator. 
• Fees and Permits can be handled through your event planner
•   Tent and stage flooring, staging, and draping
•   Heaters and/or air conditioning
• Portable Restrooms, the more VIP the better. For a quick formula calculate 2 toilets per 100 people
• Securing outdoor areas can be an important job so make sure attention is paid to this and your plan accordingly,
• Fencing and Crowd Control can be very helpful for guests as fencing won’t let kiddos wander away. Stanchions can be used for lines at the bar, photo booth, etc.
•     Parking and traffic control, do you need a valet service and can the same team direct traffic?
•  Make sure event staff have all necessary phone numbers and can communicate clearly with each other
•    First Aid make sure and have a well-stocked kit at least and keep plenty of sun screen and drinking water handy
•  Detail who takes care of trash during and after the event. Make efforts to recycle or reuse.

We know this is a long outdoor event planning checklist! Being well prepared is the most important step. Recruit some help. For worry-free planning hire an event planner!

Let Strategic Event Design plan your next outdoor event -there isn’t anything that we can’t handle.

Corporate Event Activity Ideas for Groups of 100+

All events are not created equal. Medium to large sized events have many "moving parts", so to speak, and so require extra attention to detail.

1. Luxury Box

Even the most reluctant sports fan can enjoy the amenities of an arena’s luxury suite. Depending on the stadium you can usually fit about 20-50 people into each suite, with multiple suites to accommodate your larger groups. Suites these days’ feature martini lounges, brick pizza ovens, fireplaces and celebrity chefs. If a sport isn’t your corporate event activity idea of choice, book a fun concert. Large arena shows are fun for everyone. It is a good idea to plan out your transportation well in advance. You don’t want your attendees stuck in a stadium-sized traffic jam.

2. VR

Give your attendees their first Virtual Reality experience using the latest technology. Utilize stock photos and company footage to assert your brand and customize your experience. Transport your users to a 360 video with a voice over, “Welcome to the (Your Company Name) VR Experience!” Each user experiences a 30-90 second experience. To ensure flawless execution you might have to do a little homework. Check to make sure your venue, or vendor, has adequate space, power and internet capabilities. In the case that the venue doesn’t, some vendors will come with their own power and other capabilities.

3. Small Screen Star Power

A fun corporate event activity is to hire a reality TV star to interact with guests. An affable Bachelor or Bachelorette would be a hit with a large crowd; how would you like to share a glass of bubble with The Bachelor? Plus, reality stars tend to work for far less money than bigger Hollywood celebrities. For a dance party, you could book a DJ and a contestant or group from a televised talent show. Guests will have a ball dancing the night away with a pro. A clever touch is to compliment your celebrity guest with a creative sponsorship opportunity like a dating app, or a florist-for red roses, of course.

4. Drones

If you are looking to shake things up, consider using drones at your next event. Some like to use drone technology as a visual aid to show clients a 360-degree view of off-site locations. This could be useful for promoting a development project, a new resort or a re-vamped venue. Another use of drones for large corporate events is meal delivery. Food and beverages can be delivered via drone but here is where the details can get messy! You should probably stick to sturdier foods like pizza, burritos and tacos. Check in advance with your venue to make sure there is adequate flight space, and no turbulence.

5. Think Local

Whether your event is attracting out-of-towners or folks within your region, it's the perfect excuse for the group to experience the local flair. Those who haven't been to town will enjoy seeing what's unique to your area, while those who are from there will enjoy playing tourist for a day. If your event is in the mountains in the winter, think skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoe tours. In Cincinnati in the summer? Try a riverboat tour. Whether this is part of your itinerary or a scheduled break from the main event, guests will be sure to remember it.

 With an eye on small details, large corporate events can be a blast, not a bust.

Create a More Interactive Event (with a Little Help from an Event Planner)

Do your events feel flat and boring? Get away from the same old event with the help of an experienced event planner who can make your affair more interactive.

If you are looking for more interaction and connectivity, there are a few things that you can do to incorporate these actions into your next event. You may have noticed that there has been a trend in events and conferences to get away from the speaker/podium. This one-way of information flow to passive attendees is shifting towards a more interactive exchange of ideas and increased engagement.

So, if you want to make your next interactive event hum with interactivity and collaboration here are a few steps on how to do it.

Frame the Story

A more interactive event begins during the conceptual phase of event planning. Think about your audience and begin with a more inclusive “we” mentality. Consider your stakeholder’s main goals and go from there and feel free to solicit advice and opinions. Send out polls and questionnaires to determine content, venue and what your attendees want to see. Feedback will not only set the stage for successful interactive events it will make your audience feel valued and important.

Structure and Flexibility

Communication is important during any event especially an interactive event. There are many apps than can help with this or even signage but a clear message from your speaker or emcee is a good way to communicate expectations and opportunities. Let attendees know that their participation and feedback is important and explain how this will be done whether it is through open discussion, polling/surveys or break-out sessions. Make sure and monitor your sessions with an event app and social media to see attendee comments on what you are doing well and what needs to be tweaked.

Increase Participation

Encourage attendee interaction with incentives. You could require attendance at each session and track attendees, or have attendees complete a number of tasks through your event app. Rewards like sponsor swag or gift cards could be given to people who complete the most tasks first. Interaction isn’t simply an ingredient to a great party; as an event planner, you have a responsibility to your clients to ensure attendee participation. Making participation fun should result in a high rate of participation.

Design an Experience

Design an experience at your event that your attendees will remember. A great way to do this is to collaborate with a sponsor on a sponsorship activation that will engage all five senses. Make sure your brand is aligned with your sponsor and build a wow-factor into your event for your attendees.

Continue the Conversation

Don’t let interaction end with your event. Continue the conversation through social media platforms, informal meet-ups and live hangouts. Have your speakers engage with these venues of interaction to reiterate important messages, and even promote the next event.

Follow these tips and see your next event flourish through interaction. Have questions or need a few other tips? Please give Strategic Event Design a call.