Three Ways to Avoid Planning a Boring Corporate Event

Let’s be incredibly candid here: corporate events aren’t usually known for being fun. Whether it’s a catered networking event or a celebration for your company’s most recent big accomplishment, these corporate events often lack a level of entertainment.

But that doesn’t have to be the case. Here at Planet DJ Productions, we’ve helped organize countless corporate events throughout the Washington D.C. area and, believe it or not, we know firsthand that it is possible to create an entertaining corporate event that people actually want to attend.

Here are three of our pro tips for planning events that will have your team excited for your next big outing.

Turn to your food for inspiration

There’s no reason whatsoever for you to limit your food choices to traditional appetizers. Everyone loves great food, which is why your choice of food is the best place to start injecting some fun. Here are a few ideas we’ve seen through our own experiences:

* Set up a DIY Food Bar: Pizzas, tacos, s’mores, ice cream sandwiches … each or all of these make for a great do-it-yourself food bar. This is great for picky eaters or folks with dietary restrictions, as they can easily accommodate themselves.

* Deconstructed Food: Deconstructed food is all the rage right now, and helps you put a fancy twist on regular foods. Deconstructed food refers to the idea of breaking apart elements traditionally combined together to make a dish, and serving the items separate in a unique way (such as in small glasses). You can check out some great examples on Pinterest, including this deconstructed pumpkin pie.

* Food Trucks: You could always bring in a reputable food truck or cart from your local community. Not only will it be a hit, but you’re also supporting fellow local business owners.

Go interactive with your corporate event

One of the chief reasons to hold a corporate event is to get people mingling. One surefire way to get your guests involved with one another is to introduce interactive event activities, including:

* Photo Booths: Consider renting a photo booth with props to get your guests making instant memories.

* Blank Canvas: We’ve seen great success with this – set up a large blank canvas. Guests will instinctively start scribbling on the canvas, including signing their name, offering words of wisdom or encouragement, and, perhaps, even show off their artistic skills.

* Trivia/Quiz Contest: When you host one of these contests, it’ll get guests working together on a common goal, all while having fun. Try to mix up your teams to allow coworkers who normally don’t interact to get to know each other outside of the office.

Go big on the entertainment

Do you really want your corporate event to stand out and become memorable? Then your most important step, without question, is to hire a professional corporate event DJ and emcee, who’ll set the mood and keep the party going.

Take your entertainment one step further by considering:

* Scheduling a surprise performance in the middle of your event, when your guests are most likely to start getting restless.

* Bring in special performers, such as Bollywood belly dancers

Whether your corporate event guest list includes 20 or 200 people, there’s always a way to make it stand out – and there are professionals like the team here at Planet DJ Productions who are here to help.

Using Social Media to Make Your Wedding Rock

Most people use social media daily to share their personal stories and important moments with the people in their lives. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are also used to gather information, entertain us and more.

But can social media be used at and for your wedding? Absolutely. As a leader in wedding entertainment in DC and beyond, we’ve seen some of our clients master the art (and science) of social media. Here are a few useful tips to use social media to make your wedding even better.

Using social media with your wedding vendors

You can use social media from the start of your wedding planning to select, and vet, your vendors (including your DJs, catering company and more). Here’s how:

* Research your potential vendors on social media and cut those that don’t fit your criteria.
* Read online and social reviews and stick to those vendors with the highest ratings.
* Reach out directly to your potential vendors – via social media – with any questions or concerns. Then gauge your satisfaction with their input and answers.

Get wedding inspirations through social media

You can use social media to design your wedding ideas and concepts. Pinterest is the platform for gathering inspiration, but each network offers plenty of opportunities for you to read about trends, ideas, designs, colors and themes that might interest you.

Then, you can share these ideas and posts with your vendors and friends to get feedback.

Add a hashtag to your wedding day

Create a wedding hashtag by using your wedding date, your names, nicknames, or wedding theme. Really, anything unique and fun can be used for your wedding hashtag (#MrandMrsDavis, etc.).

Spread the word early about your hashtag by printing it on your invitations and email blasts. Design signs for your reception that will remind guests to use your hashtag. The use of a hashtag across social media will allow you and your guests to tell your wedding day story and follow it in one, singular place.

Rules of the social media world

There are plenty of ways to use social media to enhance your wedding. But, if you plan to use sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, then there are some things you should prepare for:

For starters, when sharing your wedding story online, use only the networks that work best for you and your guests. Ask them which networks they prefer, and stick only to them.

Also, use sensitivity and common sense – post only appropriate photos. Stick to positive, light and fun messages – even if you are documenting the arduous task of wedding planning. Keep your negativity off the social channels.

If you plan to encourage your guests to be active on social media during your wedding, then you might want to offer up a social media station where guests can charge their phones. The social media station can also serve as a centralized area where guests can live stream to share with family and friends who weren’t able to attend.

Lastly, as amazing as social media can be, it’s more important to be present and enjoy your wedding day. Life isn’t lived through a smartphone, so don’t compromise real memories for social media moments.

Looking for more unique ways to modernize your wedding and make it unforgettable? Contact the Planet DJ team today!