Perfect Events’ Tips for PLANNING a Christmas Party

 Make sure there is PLENTY of food, especially stand up functions which are notoriously light on in the food to drink ratio.

Consider dietaries and ensure vegetarians and others are catered for.

Book your venue EARLY! Seriously, get in NOW for next year if you want anywhere good on a Friday or Saturday evening.

Match any entertainment with the audience; the local church Christmas party is NOT appreciating the 12 Strippers of Christmas, Act!

Leave your car at home especially if you’re going to drink….if not get a lift from your work colleague who is pregnant. You know she won’t be drinking!

CAB charges are always a great idea.

If your Christmas parties are going to have team activities, make sure they don’t get to out of hand that you end up breaking into your bosses’ house!

Lastly, if you are going to have Santa appear at your end of year Christmas Function, just make sure he does not talk about the first thing that pops up when he is talking to your female staff!!

Perfect Events’ Tips for SURVIVING the Office Christmas Party

Unplug the photocopy machine….

This is NOT the place to wear that new risqué revealing outfit!

Match a glass of water with every glass of alcohol consumed

Drinking through a funnel is NEVER a good idea!

If you don’t trust yourself give your mobile phone to someone to look after if you are likely to send drunken text messages to your EX (or worse the boss).

Don’t declare your undying love to the boss or Phil from Accounts, it’s unlikely to be reciprocated.

If partners are invited make sure you are a good host and look after your loved one, and don’t leave them alone with the office groper OR just don’t bring them in the first place.

Always wear clean underwear to Christmas Functions. And another tip: it is never cool to see your naked bottom on the dance floor, just in case you’re wondering.

2011 has been the year of change in all aspects of the events industry and just in general. So much has happened, with people moving on to different jobs, new offices, new team members and the creation of new roles. Why is this important…because with change there comes a number of challenges which include the loss of IP to exciting new opportunities and dynamics in the team and company.

2011 for Perfect Events saw the creation of many new events. We had so many new clients but also clients asking us to prospect the opportunity of having a new event in their event calendar. We also had clients asking us to help them with events as staff members moved on and the team became one instead of five!

With change comes clarity, so a number of events we would traditionally run were cancelled or postponed. What this ultimately meant is some events just did not work for the client anymore and were not reaching financial expectations or basically did not fit with the objectives of the company and brand. We had an example of this where one of our clients traditionally ran their signature event in May but postponed it to later in the year. Due to a number of staff changes we decided to postpone the event and hold this key event later in the year and launch their calendar month of activities. Although we had 6 major events in 15 days and it was a lot of work…it was a HUGE success. What this meant for the client was that they had clarity as to what each event meant on an internal level for the organisation but also to the general public, each event made sense as to what they wanted to achieve from it.

It was such a successful month that their media and publicity of the events in that month were worth millions. They never had so much coverage in the past. It is a great success story which we plan to continue for 2012.

Show me the money!

In regards to fundraising, with a number of changes of personnel and company restructure, a lot of intellectual property walks out the door. For some of the larger charities that we work with, that is fine but with smaller organisations when your entire team of 2 or 3 leave and you need to get a whole new team or personnel and no one has the background on past events and attendees etc, then events can either be a huge success or a major flop!

 I have seen the fundraising dollar remain the same at all our events this year. The events that we know raise a lot of money continue to do so. However the smaller events that struggle and come to us to help them create magic and change the event to get more money or people in the room continue to struggle. Reasons for this include; “I am working with the same formula of event and I am not allowed to change it” (some people need to let go!!)…or “ I am working with an organisation that want more people and money in the room but are not prepared to go out there and build relationships to benefit from that”. In the end the events that are a huge success are those in which companies invest in. By investing I mean maintain relationships with people. Get sponsors on board and talk to them continually throughout the year…not just the one off for that specific event. We all want to feel loved so we need to invest in people, guests, sponsors and suppliers. That is why Perfect Events does so well and has raised over $2,000,000 in net profit this year from our clients through events, as we maintain great supplier relationships.

2012…where to next?

In regards to the next 12 months, I see the events market becoming increasingly saturated with more events but for less people. What I mean by that is having strategic events that have a purpose. So for example if you need to have a board room lunch, you get the right people in the room that will help pave the way for that policy you need government to write or that funding you require. Major fundraising campaigns will grow but they need to be aligned with your brand and have a meaning…so don’t have a cup cake day if does not relate to your organisation. The most successful major campaigns are those that relate to the cause and people can relate with. I am positive not all agree with that however in my experience a community fundraising event that has grown from the roots up is usually the events and campaigns that bring in the most money.

I would also recommend that organisations stop searching for that “golden egg” for events. Work on what you have already and make it a success. If the event is not a success and you have the event for the hell of it…then you really need to look at it and see if it is worth running!

People are still willing to donate and support events however they are becoming more selective. So if I was you, I would really analyse and take this opportunity – the year of change and look at what you want 2012 to be for you and your events.

Good luck!!

The teams from Perfect Events and Scope after the SYA Conference. The post-it notes were comments left by the students about what they learned.

There are many different types of people out there, and not everyone thinks visually.  We find that while some people have wonderful concepts and ideas, making these a reality can pose significant challenges.

Often we find the bigger the idea the better, as it is far easier and more rewarding to work on. What you need though is clarity in what it is you want to achieve from this idea and event and then set out ways to reach your goal.

Here is an event which originated from an idea – and led to a reality which exceeded all expectations.

Scope Young Ambassadors Conference

The Idea:

How do you engage young kids to become ambassadors for your organisation in the future? Well, in discussions with Scope we came up with the concept of running a leadership conference for school students so they could understand what “See the person not the disability” really means.

A leadership program sounds easy in theory but really we needed to break it down and see how we could engage the students enough so that they would want to go back to their school, engage with Scope see Me September and then continue to support Scope in the future.

Well I am proud to say we achieved this and more. The students were amazing and just proved to us how inspirational the conference was and the difference it made to them in understanding that a person with a disability is just like you and me! On behalf of Perfect Events and all the years I have been working with Scope this was my proudest achievement to see these Students excel and be so humble with all our presenters at the conference.

The Results: 

In just the first year, over 250 Students from Victorian Primary and Secondary Schools attended this 1 day youth conference at Etihad Stadium.

MC Dylan Alcott was dynamic and engaging.  A paralympic gold medallist and world champion with the Australian Wheelchair Basketball team, all before his 20^th birthday, Dylan’s maturity and poise shone through, as he guided the students through the activities of the day.

 Guest Speaker John Hughes, a contestant from season 3 of  Masterchef, spoke of the challenges he has faced over the years, living with slight cerebral palsy.  Another inspirational story, was that of Lynne Rowe.  Recipient of the Pride of Australia medal in 2011, Lynne, who was born with no arms or legs, is a role model for all young people, as living proof that you can achieve anything, even if you live with a disability.

Throughout the day, students participated in various activities which helped them better understand what it might be like to live with a disability.  We were all very moved by how well the students understood the message of Scope See Me September, which will surely allow this wonderful initiative to  grow in future years.

This conference was a great result and really brought the internal teams of Scope together to work on this conference. Congratulations to Scope and Perfect Events for making this BIG IDEA a reality!

Networking, Fundraising, Engagement, Message – or just a party?

At Perfect Events our clients come from a range of diverse backgrounds including not-for-profit organisations, large corporations, small to medium businesses, and private consumers – so we are faced with very different reasons behind the events we organise.

Understanding the WHY is imperative for both our client and ourselves as the event managers – to ensure event goals and other key objectives are met and exceeded.  Here are some different types of events and possible benefits or outcomes they offer.

Networking

Prevalent in the corporate world, but also very relevant across other sectors, networking events allow guests the chance to build relationships which may be beneficial to future business growth and opportunities.  The old saying ‘its not what you know, but who you know’ is more relevant than ever in a society already so connected by electronic means and social media.

The common objections – who has time to network, or from an employers point of view, where is my ROI from this type of event – are easier to answer today, than 3 years ago before the global financial crisis.  Many industries are now very aware of the importance placed upon personal relationships, face to face service, and the opportunity to connect to guests or an audience in a relaxed environment.

Social media keeps us connected, but is a compliment, not a substitute for old fashioned, face to face networking.

When considering your next function, what about an intimate dinner for 10, 20 or even 40 people at an exclusive location.  Experiences which money can’t buy are a great way to entertain.  Talk to us about innovative ideas for networking events.

Fundraising

In 2010 Perfect Events raised over $2,000,000 from events we produced.  As a leader in the not-for-profit sector we understand the vital role fundraising events can play for charity organisations – which is why it is so important that they are executed perfectly.

The value of a fundraising event extends far beyond the event itself.  Having the opportunity to engage an audience and garner financial support is one thing – but leaving guests with a clear understanding of the goals, aims and work of your organisation creates advocates for your brand – and potentially long term supporters.

When looking at your not-for-profits event calendar, it is also important to create opportunities for giving at all levels.  Gala dinners and other events for high net worth individuals and companies are not always accessible to the wider population. Community events can also raise important funds and potentially reach a much larger audience – while giving families, regional supporters and staff an opportunity to engage with your organisation.

Engagement and Message

From a product launch to an opening night gala, many events occur for the primary reason of promoting a brand, organisation, product, or festival.  Connecting with the audience which may comprise of A-list Celebrities, board members, prospective and/or current clients, and even government, is an opportunity to gain ongoing support and brand evangelisation.

Presentations have moved beyond the humble powerpoint presentation, and it is important to utilise the right mediums available to connect with the chosen audience.  At a recent gala dinner, our audience were given numerous opportunities to engage with the organisation’s message including – through a specifically produced dvd presentation, by printed collateral, by MC direction, and even special guest oration and musical performances.  This approach ensured that everyone was able to connected with in their own way.

A key to achieving success through this, is to keep the message of the event consistent.  Where some events fail, is to try and say or do too much, and the audience can leave entertained, but no more informed.  A simple yet engaging message will resonate more powerfully and for longer than one which is too complicated or poorly presented.

Working with many not-for-profit organisations as well as corporates, we experience both sides of the great sponsorship debate.  Now more than ever, with sponsorship becoming increasingly competitive, it is vital that charities and organisations seeking cash and in-kind sponsorships, realise the value of their brand, and their potential benefits to sponsors.

Here are some useful tips to help find your way around the world of sponsorship and partnerships.

Sell the benefits, not just the cause

The mistake some not-for-profit organisations make when developing sponsorship strategy and proposals, is to spend too much time promoting the cause.  It might sound cold, but the reality of marketing, sponsorship and promotional dollars for companies, are that they must show a return.  A business looking to align itself with a charity must first find a potential market for their own products – they must want to reach your audience. 

The best partnerships will create an opportunity for the corporate to distribute products and/or promote their brand, while also providing a financial benefit to the charity.

For the not-for-profit organisation to best capitalise on engaging willing sponsors, they must understand their audience (or potential audience) and strategically focus their attention to partners who may want to reach the particular demographic.  Do companies want to assist charities continue their work?  Absolutely.  Will they part with their money if they don’t understand the potential benefits to their organisation?  Probably not.

Unique opportunities set you apart from the rest

Businesses receive many, many requests for funding and sponsorship each day, so much so, that many large organisations have specific divisions responsible for the management of partnerships.  One of our favourite examples of a strategic business partnership, is the relationship between not-for-profit Kids Under Cover and Victorian real estate agent, Hocking Stuart.  As a major supporter of the charity organisation and their annual fundraising event, the Umbrella Ball, Hocking Stuart cleverly promote themselves in a humorous way, with key staff dressing in the theme of the ball, for a photo shoot and subsequent media campaign.

The 2010 images of Hocking Stuart CEO Nigel O’Neil dressed as MC Hammer were used on billboards, in print media and the companies own Red Magazine.  The partnership resulted in a massive promotion for the charity with Kids Under Cover selling out the Umbrella Ball 4 weeks prior.  The campaign was so successful for Hocking Stuart, that the concept was repeated in 2011 with Nigel making an appearance as a Ringmaster for the circus theme of ‘Under the Big top’.

Providing your sponsor with innovative ways to promote themselves, can secure long term relationships which work for everyone.

Be Visual

A sponsorship proposal must be much more than the old style table of Gold, Silver, Bronze and an ‘insert name here’ mail merged letter.  Use as much imagery as possible, let pictures tell your story.  Written content should be kept relevant, and where possible include statistics and other quantitative data. 

A potential sponsor wants to understand

-       How many people they can reach.

-       What the demographics of the audience are

-       Where the opportunities are to promote their products/brand

Using photos from past events or campaigns can be a good way to show sponsorship prospects potential exposure –  the size and composition of the audience, merchandise, the location.

Be creative and remember that sending out a proposal is only one small step.  Following up with phone, email and personal contact are imperative if you are to make a lasting impression which leads to a potential partnership.

The following information was gathered during the volatile economic climate following the GFC.  Research undertaken by the American Society of Association 2010 – of the 28,000 Marketing, Advertising and Sponsorship Managers surveyed across the world, Australia included; 47% of those surveyed said they would sponsor a live event as it is the best way to get their product or service in front of people.

It is often said that ‘it is not what you know but who you know’.  Many people in the events industry would agree relationships are definitely a contributing factor to creating a successful event. 

However, if the who you know is important; the WHAT you know is imperative – and in this case the ‘what’ is – how do we manage these relationships?

Here are some handy hints on how Perfect Events manages this:

Always be nice

This goes for everyone.  When dealing with suppliers, entertainers, managers and venues – whichever role we might be in – it is important to always remember our manners.  Negotiations are designed to achieve the best possible outcome for ourselves, and/or our client, but in working together with those we are negotiating with we can hopefully make life easier for everyone.

 Playing hard ball and making over the top demands might achieve some short term wins – but in the long run, people who are difficult to deal with once, are less likely to be dealt with twice.

For entertainers – beware the DIVA manager

We occasionally meet wonderful performers who are very poorly represented by overbearing, demanding, and constantly difficult management.  When the talent turn out to be great people, it really highlights to us how badly the management are representing the brand of their performers.

 As entertainers, an agent can be a source for work, and a vital cog in the negotiation of contracts, terms etc, however remember that clients and event managers may have already made up their mind about you, based on a negative experience with your management. 

Don’t sell yourself short, and make sure the person (or company) representing you is doing so in a way you are proud of.

 Work with people who recognise your value

As an event management company that does its best to get the right deal for our clients, we spend much of our time, researching quotes and negotiating rates, conditions, and inclusions.  It is no surprise then that many of the supplier relationships we have are long lasting and ongoing.  It is these people who generally go above and beyond to meet our needs and generally Perfect Events will work with them again as we have a trusting relationship. 

While Perfect Events work with many different clients, we are certainly not the biggest event services  provider in Australia – so what is the formula that makes our network of suppliers so helpful?

Understanding how we work, and the quality of events we produce – recognising our value – makes working with Perfect Events a mutually beneficial experience for our suppliers, clients, and their guests at events – its WIN/WIN/WIN!

There is not much point in negotiating the best rate with someone you do not want to work with, or whose quality is questionable.  Suppliers who see and respect your capabilities will negotiate where they can, and be honest when they can’t.  Mutual respect in supplier relationships goes a long way to producing amazing results, which in turn creates a Perfect Event!

 

It’s the biggest day of your life (so far), and there are so many ways to make it extra special. Here are some wedding trends of 2011.

Go green

Eco friendly weddings are a great way to minimise your carbon footprint while celebrating your big day. 

• Use recycled paper for wedding invitations, or even better, forget  the printing and send only e-invites.  
  
• Bonbonniere ideas such as packets of seeds are a nice way to celebrate your new life together by having guests plant a tree on your behalf.  
  
• Keeping your day local, or providing buses for destination weddings, will reduce the amount of driving for guests, and of course reduce greenhouse emissions.
  
• Register for change – gift registries are still used today, but a new innovation for the couple who has it all, are charity registries.  Having guests donate on your behalf to your favourite charity organisation is wonderful way to make your day truly influence the lives of others.

2 years ago, on bended knee in Altitude, a restaurant 36 floors above Sydney harbour in the Shangri-La hotel, I proposed to my amazing partner, and started a chain of events that would ultimately lead to one of the best days of our lives. 

What a journey it was following that night – planning a wedding is much more complicated than most people could ever imaging.  The idea may be simple enough, but as many events professionals will tell you – the amount of planning and preparation required to produce the perfect wedding, is hundreds of hours more than many of us have. 

What are the key tips to planning a wedding and how can Perfect Events make your day Perfect? 

Why does everything seem more expensive when I mention wedding?

Buying power – plain and simple.  The chance of repeat business or referrals from brides and grooms is fairly slim for some suppliers.  Venues, Bridal Wear Designers and Entertainers find that many clients are protective of their own special day, and accordingly do not promote businesses to friends and family.

Event Managers have much more room and leverage to negotiate with suppliers.  A higher volume of events combined with long term relationships, equals a better deal for you.  These benefits will also usually extend beyond price alone.  Inclusions such as no charge for alternating meals, minimal corkage for spirits, discounted rates on accommodation, and many more can often be arranged by an event manager.

This coupled with knowledge of the service provided means that there are no surprises from the chosen vendors, you can rest assured that their work has been tried and proven.

Time is everything

Visiting venues, florists, travel agents, wedding dress designers, caterers, photographers, videographers, musicians, MCs – and so many other necessary wedding suppliers, will account for a major amount of time (and stress) associated with planning a wedding.

The biggest realisation is that for each of these decisions to be made, many different options must be investigated, weighed up, discussed, and then compared to each other.  Combine this with a bride and groom with busy work and life schedules, and wedding decision making can become very complicated and exhausting.

In designing our wedding packages at Perfect Events, we focused on how to best simplify the planning process for prospective brides and grooms – saving you valuable time and money – and allowing you to focus on more important decisions.

Having someone else do the research and running around for you, and then presenting a shortlist of options that fits your wedding vision is practically priceless.

Creating your own style

Colours, textures, location, imagery, music and of course ‘the dress’, will direct much of the style and/or theme of your wedding. 

The ‘look and feel’ as we like to call it, needs to transcend all aspects of the day;

• printed design – save the date, invitations, place cards, order of service booklet
• visual design – florals, centrepieces, table settings, lighting,
• entertainment – band, MC, celebrant, ceremony music, AV Production,
• experience – bonbonniere, surprises

 Many brides (and occasionally grooms) have a vision of how some of these components will combine on their big day. 

Our Perfect Wedding package is the complete solution for taking all your best ideas and creating the day for you.  Ensuring everything ties together and nothing is left to chance – our role is to make sure the style of your wedding is a perfect reflection of you.

Who’s the boss?

Ok, so my amazing bride probably had to contend with more of an opinion than most grooms would normally have – BUT, it is important to remember what your wedding day is all about – a reflection of both of you, and the start of your new life together.

Compromise and balance are the keys here.  This includes taking into consideration the comments and thoughts of parents and future in-laws.  Yes the day is about the two of you, however there is an enormous amount of joy and anxiety for parents before a wedding. 

The pride of celebrating the person you (or your future spouse) has become is something all parents will experience – and in exchange for all those years of pocket money, advice, guidance and sleepless nights (while you were out and about) – they deserve some input into the big occasion.  

Sometimes having an external ‘voice of reason’ to weigh up the pros and cons, and even mediate the ‘discussions’ can be a huge help in the decision making.  Having to make these types of decisions every day (without the emotional attachment) – means that event managers are best experienced and equipped to hold your hand (or point you in the right direction) when opinions get heated.

 Letting go

I remember waking up on my wedding day, a little tense, perhaps even a bit nervous.  Then it happened.  My best friends took control of the house, cooking breakfast, directing florist deliveries, photographers, etc – and I realised there was nothing left to do but relax and enjoy the day. 

Having an amazing team in place to execute all of our best laid plans might have made the relaxing part a bit easier.

Wedding day management ensures that the only thing you have to do is hold back the tears and say I do.  I succeeded on that, for the most part anyway.  As far as Perfect days go – my bride was early, the page boy and flower girl (and all the kids) were so well behaved, the weather was 27 degrees with sunshine, the dance was a hit, and between the great band, photobooth and lolly buffet – everyone was involved, which was our vision for our Perfect Wedding.

Perfect Events wedding planning packages start at $1750. 

For more information contact us on 03 9384 1190 or weddings@perfectevents.com.au

Members of our team were excited to attend the Schmart Marketing Conference at the Sofitel in Melbourne recently.  As guests of one of the conference sponsors, Present Company Included (PCI), we would like to say a big thank you to Patricia and her team at PCI for inviting us along.

Most marketers and managers are familiar with the concept of the 4 P’s of marketing.  Conference International guest speaker, Jeffrey Hayzlett, former Chief Marketing Officer for Kodak, introduced us to the the 4 E’s of Social Marketing.

The rise and rise of social media is constantly evolving how we promote events and ensure we are reaching our audience.  Not-for-profit organisations, Government departments and Corporates, all have to be more efficient with their marketing dollars, and social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and 4Square to name a few, provide opportunities to connect with a huge number of people.

Jeffrey Hayzlett’s 4 E’s of Social Media Marketing

Engage

Capture your audience – You need to engage people with your product, service or event.

In marketing, we often hear the term return on investment used – how do you justify the money spent on a new promotional strategy?

The conversation about products, services, people and events is already taking place in the various social networks.

Questions were asked of us -

• What is the return on ignoring social media?
• How much will we lose if we do not become part of the conversation?

Engaging customers and building a community is especially relevant in the world of events.  Location services applications such as Facebook Places and 4square are being used every day allowing users to ‘check in’ and promote to their friends where they are.

What does that mean?

The average facebook user has 130 friends – so if 10% of your guests at a 200 person dinner ‘check in’ on their smartphones using facebook places, your event is being promoted to a further 2600 people.

Educate

Social media gives us the opportunity to educate our customers and be educated by them.

In our role as event managers, simply promoting an event is not enough.  Educating a potential audience about the event, and in the case of our charity clients, about the cause, ensures a fuller understanding, which will lead to an increase in followers and could translate into donations and supporters for the charity.

Listening to your online community is also integral in harnessing the educational benefits of social media.  A common hesitation that businesses have to embracing Facebook, Twitter and the like, is possibility that consumers will post complaints about them.  In reality, this is a fantastic opportunity to quickly and effectively address negative sentiment or experiences, and if handled correctly, can turn a detractor into a passionate follower and promoter of your brand.

Excite and Evangelize

Messages and campaigns that excite customers are longer lasting and more likely to elicit a response.

A small but excited group of Facebook fans or Twitter followers will spread your message further and more effectively than a much larger but inactive community.

Evangelizing your event, brand or product is the way in which followers promote on your behalf.  Retweeting or using your event specific hashtag, can quickly take a discussion or topic to many hundreds, thousands or even hundreds of thousands.  Smartphones and other mobile devices enable your audience to broadcast comments, photos and even video of your event – while they are still in the room!

Interacting with your clients has never been easier or more relevant.  Here are some ideas to point you in the right direction.

• Make sure you create a social media procedure for your organisation with clear protocols for acceptable behaviour by employees.

• Acknowledge that resources must be allocated to the management of pages and feeds – simply having a facebook page is not enough – investing time will reap rewards.

• Keep posts positive!  Your organisation’s social media pages should not be used to attack people or trash your competitors.

• Be yourself – much of social media is about connecting with a community on a personal level – your followers will not want to hear continual sales plugs.  Make your posts and tweets, interesting, informative and honest.

From start to finish, a successful event theme will help build excitement, include guests in the fun, and can even help raise more funds says Liliana Sanelli

The theme of an event can become the reason for an event’s success – or even its failure. There are many factors to consider when deciding on the best theme for your event.

Relevant themes engage guests

Keep in mind what kind of theme is going to be relevant to your organisation and the occasion.  For example, if a nonprofit is celebrating its 25^th anniversary, it could look back 25 years and celebrate the decade the organisation commenced. This gives the theme some weight and relevance. Often a theme that truly matches the occasion will result in better buy-in from guests and a better outcome for your nonprofit.

Make a good first impression

It’s important to thread the theme of the event right through from first to last impressions. The invitation is usually the first chance you have to introduce a theme, so it needs to clearly set the scene and start to build anticipation for the event. There are plenty of opportunities to extend the theme of your event, including room dressing, entertainment, menu, music, and guest gifts.

Theme your guests’ tastebuds

Make sure you discuss your theme with your chosen venue, as they may have creative ways to tie the theme in with the catering. For example, as guests arrive at a Hawaiian themed dinner, they may receive a lei and a pina colada. Simple things like that add to the evening.

A great example of a theme which has worked well was a black tie event that supported a breast cancer charity. As they entered the venue, every man was given a pink bow tie to wear, which many did. It was simple, but it made people feel included and it looked fabulous.

Great themes are inclusive

A theme should be easy for guests to be a part of. There is always a better result if guests feel a sense of belonging to an event or organisation.

Fundraising events will benefit from creative ideas that fit the theme and raise additional money. A perfect example is a Bond 007 or Las Vegas theme with matching casino games; guests need to ‘buy’ money to play in the casino, which is a fun way of making a donation.

Remember that the event is for the guests and organisation – not for the organisers.  Even though you may have seen or done an event theme many times before, it can still be fresh and fun for the guests attending.

70′s and 80′s themed events making a comeback

There’s been a resurgence in 70’s and 80’s themes, which are always fun nights! For some people it may be a nostalgic look back on their youth; for the younger Gen Y crowd it might be their first taste of the retro years.

Bond 007 and Las Vegas nights bring a touch of glamour (and a chance to get dressed up!) while some nonprofits are dabbling in newer themes, such as burlesque, Hollywood and Bollywood nights. They are all inclusive, and encourage guests to dress the part.

Match guests to themes carefully

Setting a theme that doesn’t match the guests or the organisation is a mistake that can be avoided by simply thinking it through. Guests need to feel comfortable if they are going to have a good time. A burlesque theme, for example, is probably not the right match for a religious nonprofit. Masquerade events are another example – at first glance it may appear fun, but who will want to wear a mask all night?

Get creative!

Working with a budget can be restrictive, but this is where creativity comes in. A fantastic and very cost-effective decoration idea that has worked well for an 80’s themed event involved using vinyl records as placemats. Great ideas don’t always involve a great big price tag!

As guests often only recall two or three things from an event, you want them to be positive. So ask yourself – what will guests remember from your next event?

5 top tips to make your event work for you

• You can stick to a budget without choosing a theme that looks tacky. It’s better not to have a theme at all than to look cheap!
• Sometimes you need to go out on a limb and be creative, especially if your event is annual. Create a refreshing theme that will help raise dollars and have people enjoying every minute.
• One bad theme can ruin the life span of an event … so exercise caution!
• Take pride in your event, and think of little touches that will make your event feel extra special.
• Don’t be scared to get things made to help the room fit in with your theme. Getting local fine arts students to produce theme-based murals as stage backdrops could be a cost-effective and smart way of dressing the room.

Liliana Sanelli has been an event organiser for 14 years and is the Managing Director of Perfect Events, a company that specialises in nonprofit events. In 2010 Perfect Events helped raise over $2,000,000 for various nonprofit organisations.

This article was originally published in the February/March 2011 edition of Fundraising & Philanthropy Australasia – fpmagazine.com.au