Every great event marketer knows that truly memorable corporate events begin way long before the actual date of the event itself. Building the momentum leading up to your event and how you follow up with your audience after the event is almost as critical as the event itself if you want to leave event attendees with lasting good impressions. But how do you start the event buzz happening and keep it humming after the event is over?

​One of the best ways to drive pre-event attendee interest in your corporate event begins the moment you finalize your event objectives, design and elements. Let’s imagine you are hosting a company year-end event for example. Your objective is to highlight your year-end achievements, celebrate your success with your customer base and drive commitment for next year’s goals. You want a design which that will surprise and delight your attendees. You want to cleverly integrate event elements which that play on analogies within your scope of business targets. You need lighting, music, and cuisine to match a matching theme which that seamlessly delivers a branded experience your employees will want to hark back to be talking about months later.

​Start your engines! Create a set of intriguing questions in a company trivia contest which ties to what you’ve accomplished this year and email it around to your team. Announce your employee winner at your event and give them a fun award. 

Ask your team to vote on the customer champion they’d most like to acknowledge for 2016. Invite that client to the event (surprise!) and give them some applause. Design a raffle which that requires employees to submit one new business idea for 2018 as the “price” of entry. Post the top 10 ideas at your event with attribution.

​The follow up after your event is even more important than the lead-in. It’s really helpful to recap and remind your team what your event really meant in terms of company opportunities moving forward. Have your CEO send a thank you note for attending but not an email, in the mail to each attendee. Personalize it and consider sending it in the mail rather than email. Remind your team what 2018 is really all about and highlight their role in making that happen. Or Consider sending them a branded gift to “pay it forward” as an investment in them for what they are about to contribute in the upcoming year. Start a project team around the top two or three best business ideas they generated to show them that you take their ideas seriously. Choose the date for next year’s finale event and communicate it out along with any other important all-team milestone events.
At Anna Marie Events, we work with internal marketing and administrative teams at many of our event planning clients. We would love to connect with yours for your next company event!

Amber Gladys, Events Volunteer

​On Thursday, March 30, OrgOrg members gathered at the super-hip ZeroCater headquarters in San Francisco for our first ever Puppy Hour. Puppy Love Party came by with two tiny, adoptable puppies - Syd and Napkin - plus two adult Papillons. The founder, Sabrina, showed off how she can host events at any Bay Area office with adoptable pups. Reach out to her to book one at your location (sabrina@puppyloveparty.com)!

ZeroCater provided tasty California-Cuban treats like ceviche, empanadas and chimichurri steak from Havana Catering. The mojito bar featured flavors like guava jalapeno and prickly pear, and Wine + Moxxi served curated red and white wines. We event got to hang out in the speakeasy style second floor lounge and enviable roof deck.

Don’t miss the next happy hour in the South Bay - Details to come!

Looking for some creative ways to inject a little spring and summer fun into the office? Our top 10 list encompasses some of our favorite ways to add seasonal flair.
 
1.Walk to Work Day 4/7
Encourage employees to participate in Walk To Work Day and make the walk a little bit more enjoyable by providing breakfast for employees when they arrive. It’s a great way to start the day and fuel your team.
 
2. Earth Day 4/22
Celebrate Mother Earth by coordinating a volunteer event to get outside and give the earth a little TLC. Beach cleanups, trail maintenance, and gardening at public parks are a few of our favorites.
 
3. May Day 5/1
May Day is usually a celebration of song and dance in the northern hemisphere, used to celebrate the spring season. Get creative and enjoy a long walk outside or a spring themed lunch.
 
4. Star Wars Day 5/4
May the fourth be with you. This amusing holiday is fun for trivia, happy hour and more. Throw your office’s favorite Star Wars flick up on a TV and finish the week strong.
 
5. Cinco de Mayo 5/5
Tacos, burritos, queso, oh my! Serve up all your favorite Mexican eats. ZeroCater makes it easy to serve plenty of festive meals from breakfast burritos to happy hour; they take care of it all.
 
6. National Wine Day 5/25
Wine and cheese are the perfect pair, why not celebrate National Wine Day with this tasty combo? Use this holiday as an excuse to throw a happy hour featuring a variety of cheeses, cured meats, and your favorite vino. Enjoy a delicious charcuterie spread from ZeroCater.
 
7. Memorial Day 5/29
A chance to pause and remember those who have passed while serving our armed forces, and a reprieve from our everyday work responsibilities. Often considered the unofficial kickoff of summer, Memorial Day is a great day to start thinking about your summer plans.
 
8. International Picnic Day 6/18
With warm weather on the way, use International Picnic Day to get outside and enjoy a meal before the toasty days of summer hit. A potluck-style picnic is a great way to get your team engaged and keep costs low.
 
9. First Day of Summer 6/18
Longer days and warmer nights are here. Plenty of fresh produce and summer eats are some of our favorite things about the season.
 
10.  National Ice Cream Day 7/23
Throw a BYO ice cream sundae bar; it's a great way to keep your team engaged during the dog days of summer.