It’s safe to say the hospitality and events industry is well and truly back after the pandemic, and we’re all here for it! We’ve enjoyed nothing more than welcoming everyone back through our doors for private events and corporate events alike. However, it takes something special for an event to stand out, make it memorable, so this where this blog post comes in handy.
If you’re currently in the planning process of an event for your company or charity organisation, give this article a read for some inspiration on how to make your event memorable!
The Content Sessions
One of the best ways to plan an event is to break it down into different sessions. Whether these are actual sessions (like a conference) or simply sections of the event that go together, for example drinks reception, meal, entertainment, in order to make your event memorable, you’re going to need to think about these in detail.
Firstly, consider the length of each session. If you’re delivering a high intensity session with lots of information, make sure this is broken down into manageable chunks and ensure there are breaks. On the flip side, if you’re thinking about your drinks reception, make sure there is plenty of time for everyone to get round to say hello to each other and get a drink from the bar before asking everyone to be seated. The lengths of each of your sessions can determine how smoothly your event runs which ultimately leads to how your event is remembered.
Next, think about how interactive each of your sessions is. Break up lectures with an interactive activity to keep your audience engaged. If you’re hosting an awards ceremony, break up prize giving with videos and live entertainment to mix it up and keep everyone on side.
Lastly, why not consider enlisting the help of a key speaker? These work well whether you’re organising a formal conference or a more informal dinner. If you’re going down the conference route, pick a motivational speaker or someone that is relevant to your industry with stories to tell. If you’re planning an awards dinner, why not entice your audience with a special host, maybe a local celebrity?
The Refreshments
We all know the stomach rules the brain, so food and drink at your event is going to play a big factor as to whether your event is memorable – and you don’t want it remembered for the wrong reasons!
Catering is a really easy way to get creative when it comes to your event. Why not incorporate some of your company culture into your refreshment breaks and meals? If your company is keen on eco-friendly policies, you could offer a vegan-only menu as eating from a plant-based diet is better for the environment. Or, you could create cocktails and mocktails in your company colours. There are also plenty of small, local businesses that will create branded treats, such as cupcakes, brownies and cookies which will really wow your guests and make your event stand out.
As well as offering unique catering options, make sure you plan enough time for breaks and ensure there are plenty of them. For example, if you are organising an awards dinner, often each course of the dinner will provide a break between giving out the awards. It’s really important to get the timings right when it comes to food and drink, so that your guests have enough time to enjoy and relax at your event in order for it to be remembered for all the right reasons – no one wants to be rushed through the dinner!
The Equipment
How many times have you attended an event where you can’t see or hear what’s going on properly? It’s not only really annoying, but it also means that your guests aren’t really involved in your event and are guessing what’s going on all the time.
When planning your event, consider what equipment is needed in order for your guests to have the best possible experience. It might be that you want to create a branded stage set with your company branding and logos, or you might need to hire repeater screens so that everyone in the room will be able to see the presentation properly. Equally, don’t forget to ensure you have a good working PA system with plenty of microphones and no feedback!
If you have entertainment as part of your event, consider what they will need to do their job properly. Often bands and DJs will bring their own equipment, but they may need to check certain requirements with you to ensure all of their equipment will fit and work correctly.
If you’re searching for an event venue, then please get in touch with us. We’d love to help bring your event to life and we can certainly make it memorable!
Pop us an email to office@thejazzcafe.co.uk or call us on 01189 681 442.
