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As a local business owner, hosting a soirée for your community is a great way to network, build relationships, and get your name out there. But simply inviting people over for drinks won’t be enough to make the event memorable.
You need to put thought and effort into the details so your guests walk away not just full of wine but also with positive impressions that will have them talking about your business. Whether you’re a wedding planner in Upstate New York or any other type of business, these strategies can help make your event stand out.
So, if you plan to host a business soirée anytime soon, here are four ways to make it work.
Create a Theme
Having a theme for your soirée will establish cohesion and make the event more fun and unique.
Besides, it’s what will likely create a sense of curiosity in your guests and make them look forward to
what the event is all about.
When choosing your theme, consider something that is connected to your business and can arouse
anticipation from your guests. Something like “Meal Festival” if you’re a chef, or “Wine and Design”
if you’re an interior decorator, etc.
After selecting a suitable theme, ensure you make it a part of the event. Use the theme in the décor,
menu, entertainment, and any take-home gifts. A theme may not be the foundation of the event,
but it will surely give your guests something to remember long after the event is over.
Offer Signature Cocktails
Creating a special cocktail just for your soirée is a creative way to make it distinct and give people
something shareable for social media. And you know how glued everyone is to social media these
days.
So, give your bartender free rein to concoct a delicious bespoke cocktail for the event. A good idea
would be to somehow represent your business in these cocktails, like ingredients that relate to what
you do or a name that contains your company name or tagline.
If you’re a real estate agency, you could serve a cocktail called “Key Lime Open Houses” with lime,
rum, etc. What about if you’re a wedding planner? Then, a cocktail called “Blushing Bride Bellinis”
with peach flavors could do the trick.
You want your guests to remember what you do (your business and services) after the event. So
leveraging the cocktail will not only cement your business in their hearts but will also help their
followers on social media see what you do and perhaps even patronize you.
To spice things up, provide the cocktail recipe in a small handout so your guests can make it at home
themselves. For extra fun, have them vote for their favorite signature cocktail of the night.
Serve Some Amazing Apps
Food is central to any great event. So, to take your soirée up a notch, wow your guests with delicious gourmet appetizers they can’t get anywhere else. The flavors should complement your theme and cocktails, too.
But more than taste, visually stunning small plates turn heads and cameras. So go for interesting presentations like mini skewers, shooters, and single-bite portions served in unconventional vessels.
This will give your local community folks lots of shareable moments for social media and conversations during and after the soirée.
Add Engaging Elements
Rather than having a dull event where your guests are shy and can’t even network, give them opportunities to participate in the soirée.
Design games, DIY craft stations, raffles, and drawings for door prizes, photo booths, live music, or entertainment that encourages dancing. This will eventually liven up your soirée and provide conversation starters, so your guests can open up and enjoy the event.
And that’s not all; you can also include an award ceremony as a special part of the evening to recognize important community members and leaders. Or better yet, you can partner with your local Chamber of Commerce to include Chamber of Commerce award categories for other businesses (and their owners) in the community, too.
Awards like the “Community Champion Award, Small Business of the Year, Legacy Award (for veterans in the community), etc., will certainly give your guests something to chat about while networking.
Your options are endless when deciding which elements to use for your soirée. So, please work with your budget and figure it out.
The Flow and Setup Matters, Too!
In addition to the ideas above for activities and themes, it’s also essential to include the setup and flow of the soirée in your plans. Here are some tips:
Acoustics
Position your speaker sets in such a way that they don’t interrupt conversations. The last thing you want is to have your local community members lose their voice after the event because they had to shout to engage in any interaction.
Food and Drink
Strategically place bite-sized apps, refreshments, and bar areas in multiple spots so people naturally circulate. Make sure to include dietary options with clear labels so your locals with special diets can know what they’re about to eat.
Branding
While avoiding going overboard on logos (you don’t want the soirée looking like a marketing event), subtly incorporate signage, merchandise giveaways, insignia on napkins or cups, or other branded elements you plan to offer as gifts.
Takeaways
Conclude the event with beautiful parting gifts that will continue to remind your guests of the event, such as baked goods, plants, fancy soaps, gift cards, or products featuring your brand. You can also offer them branded, patterned bandanas or reusable water bottles. These are useful and memorable gifts they’ll surely love.
Wrapping Up
Hosting an engaging local business soirée will require your intuition because you’re in the best position to know who these locals are, what they like, and how to attract them to your event. So, leverage the tips here and tweak them to fit your plans. Good luck!
photo credit Wax and Whale Collective