Senior Citizens fun day

Fun activities for senior citizens keeps the good times coming through their golden years. Many citizens appreciates such, no matter if they are a resident at a nursing home or live at home. Not all seniors have the same mobility skills, understanding this and adjusting to suit makes everyone feel welcomed. There is no need to reinvent the wheel, thinking through what they may love or always wanted to do helps make this process much easier. Simple Events Planning strives not to make these individuals feel old or unappreciated; they just love having a good time.

·      Outdoor Activities

Citizens who are capable of going outdoors would love to; they enjoy a breath of fresh air and the wide blue sky. Simple Events Planning helps plan for a senior citizens fun day, ensuring it is safe and enjoyable for all those involved in the outdoor activities.

·      Indoor Activities

Not because someone is unable to venture outdoors means they must be neglected from participating in fun activities. Activities where they can sit and be a part of such as jewelry or scrapbooking accommodates these individuals well. Also if it is a rainy day, those capable of outdoor, should not cancel fun.  

 Question: Is enough being done to accommodate senior citizens in our society today?   

The Corporate Meeting

Planning a corporate event is a multifaceted process. Therefore there must be considerable consideration into the planning process. It goes from obtaining the meeting space, travel arrangements, catering and housing if necessary. Simple Events Planning takes away the stress from planning. As events planners, we will organize every aspect of your meeting.

1.      Location

When choosing a venue for a corporate meeting, there is much more to consider than just the budget. Factors such as who is attending, how many persons and how far they are coming from. Other questions that should be asked is suitability; is it fit for the company’s image. Location, is it easily accessible to those in attendance. Size, availability and facilities must also be considered along with the cost for the meeting.

2.      Keep Control

There are some basic structures every meeting should adopt. This helps with planning and execution of a successful event which is the overall mark. Below are some factors that are necessary; it should be ticked off the checklist.

a.       Plan- creating an agenda makes it easier

b.      Inform- circulating the agenda in advance

c.       Meeting day- Keep control ensuring all plans are going smoothly

3.   Food and Beverage

Destination hotels and Resorts indicates the food and beverages served at the meeting contributes to its success. Understanding this fact, Simple Events Planning ensuring the food served compliments the meeting to ensure success is achieved.

 Question: Are the steps significant to ensuring the success of a corporate meeting? 

Hosting a dinner Party

Hosting a dinner party should be enjoyable for both guest and the host alike. There are some tips Simple Events Planning follows to ensure everything is well prepared and the experience is one never to forget.

Invitations

As mentioned in an earlier post, invitations are of paramount importance. This helps with planning; it gives an idea of the guest count due to attend the event. Giving guest the potion to RSVP makes it even easier as there is an accurate head count; making seating and other arrangements easier.

Table Setting

A beautiful set table is the canvas for a delicious meal. Having center pieces, floral arrangement, fresh flowers or some other design compliments the table. However bearing in mind, the centerpiece should be low enough that allows guest to talk over them.  Table cloth, glasses, plates napkins, knife, forks and spoons; the entire layout adds the finishing touches. Decorating the layout of the table should therefore be carefully thought out.

Seating

Seating arrangement are not an absolute necessity however it helps conversations flow. Put some thought into which of the guest are common and seat them next to each other. Putting guest with common characteristics can also foster beautiful new friendships.

  

Music  

Music is one of the easiest ways to create an ambiance for a dinner party. Providing music during the time dinner is served prevents award silence however the volume should be kept low enough that it would not interfere with conversations.

Hors D’oeuvres

Having hors D’oeuvres set out when guest arrives gives time for guest to mingle and allow those running late to arrive before dinner is served. Setting a platter at every table or at strategic spots within the hall helps as it avoids guest from crowding one corner of the room.

Dinner

Ensure to accommodate to guest; ensuring it is known if there are any food allergies or dietary restrictions. Guest will appreciate simple well cooked meals that compliments the event. Therefore if the food is being cooked by the host, no experiments and if it is being catered,  no weird or unfamiliar food should be served.

Dessert

Dessert is the best way to ensure everyone’s night ends on a sweet note. Serving something such as a chocolate cake or ice cream is simple and fitting enough. In sharing the dessert, presentation and taste is important.

Drinks  

At a dinner party, understanding your guest allows you to know what drinks should be to purchase. At this point, knowing your guest helps as purchasing the wrong drinks could become a disaster.

Relax

Hosting a dinner party should be enjoyable for everyone including the hostess. When guest starts arriving, relax and enjoy yourself along with them. Take the concept, tonight I am going to enjoy the good company, enjoy the party I have planned.

Question: Do you agree catering the wrong drinks can become a disaster at a dinner party?  

Planning the Wedding Cont’d

Before we mentioned some things that Simple Events Planning helps their customers with when it comes to planning their wedding. Below are some more of what assistance is also given with. Each client’s needs and budget varies. We understanding this allows clients to make their own choices that best suits their pocket with the help of our professional advice.

Setting up Bridal Registry 

Making trips to bridal stores has become customary for our team. This resulted in us becoming very familiar with the stores; knowing what they offer. As the planner, there is knowledge of what is the client’s budget. This allows the team to best advice which bridal store would suit the client for their registry. Once that decision has been made, our team is able to go to the store and set up the registry on behave of the client.

Transport

Arranging transport to accommodate an entire bridal party with the bride and groom may seem a bit challenging as this is not an everyday transportation. It may be challenging for other but not for us; Simple Events Planning. The client has to first and for most inform what are their expectations and leave the rest up to us the planners.  We would arrange whatever kind of vehicle so desired.

Cake Ordering

Not everyone can make a wedding cake or make it with the desired design for the bride or groom. If the couple does not have someone in mind on who should bake their wedding cake, getting one is not a problem. With our vast networking, we can call one of our on board persons and make arrangements for your wedding cake in time for your wedding day.

Hair and Makeup

Because this is a once in a lifetime moment, brides want to ensure they look totally floorless. Many brides may have their regular hairdresser whilst other may not. If a bride does not have a hairdresser of her own on that day, making arrangements on her behalf to have one come home to her or she go to their saloon can be done with ease. Everyday makeup, party makeup and wedding make are all done different. Getting a professional that has the wedding makeup technique down pact is hassle free for our team. Our clients just have to say the word and it is done.

Day of Timeline

The day of timeline makes up all the similar details of what would transpire throughout the day of the event; it is similar to a program. This should be done at least one week before the event. Giving details to what has to be done at what time by whom.

Assigning Seats

The choice is the client’s to decide if they want to assign seats or have open seating. Assigning seats helps eliminate the discomfort among guess; helps breaks the ice. A guest entering a hall, not having an assigned seat creates a bit of social discomfort. If the client decides they prefer seating arrangements, helping them plan how best to place their guest would be an absolute pleasure for our team. To make it  even easier, placing name tags on tables or seats to help guess easily find their seats would be done.

Question: Is it necessary to do a day-of timeline if there is a program?

Planning the Wedding

Many of times the question is asked how soon should a planner be hired before the big day? Simple Events always responds the sooner the better. Hiring a planner before plans go into a shamble is always better. A good planner once hired early may not be in constant contact with their client but sure does keep an eye or ear open for their client; letting them know when something interesting appears on radar. Below are some things Simple Events Planning helps their clients through when planning a wedding. 

 Reserve the Venue

As events planners, booking venues has become a norm under our company portfolio. We understand what are the process to book a venue; most times in writing and what contractual arrangements maybe needed. Deeper into this, we inquire from our clients what ambiance they desire and are able to advise what are the venues best suited to help them attain that goal.

Photographers and Videographer

A photographer is a person who stills pictures whereas the videographer takes videos of the moment. Dependent on our client’s budget, they may need only photographer or only a videographer. If however the both are needed, they can come from the same company or different persons/companies. Simple Events advices their clients accordingly to align their budget.

Florist

Does the client want fresh flowers or artificial flowers? This is the first question that must be asked when choosing flowers. This must be asked as some brides prefer natural flowers whereas others prefer artificial as it can last years after their wedding once taken care of.

Carterers

Getting a carter that offers both quality and price is very hard to find. Simple Events having planned hundreds of events before knows some of the best in the industry. Therefore we allow our clients to decide what menu they are comfortable serving on that day and then inform them of carters that offer services within their budget. They are also allowed time to do their own research and get feedback from their previous clients before choosing. After they have decided, our company then makes the bookings arrangements for the wedding day.

Bartenders

Many bar tendering services offer both drinks and servers to complement their services. Other offer only servers and the host provides the drinks. Allowing clients to voice what are their desires may paint a good enough picture to advise which bartenders to hire.   

Entertainment

The host may have their designated Dj that would play for the event or they may not have one either. If they so desire to have that arranged, Simple Events Planning can arrange to hire a dj on their behalf. Arranging live entertainment is also arrangements that can be done by our company. Whatever form of entertainment our clients’ desire, we are more than happy to deliver.

 Question: Do you think a beautiful wedding can be planned without a planner? 

Next Post: Planning the wedding cont'd 

Getting Corporate Sponsorship

As indicated in the previous post, there are ten steps that simple events follows to ensure their customers receive the desired corporate sponsorship to help make their event a success. The first part of the post only names five (5); below explains from six (6) to ten (10), the remaining five of the ten.

6.     Write a Proposal

To catch the company’s attention, writing a proposal is the best shot; highlighting the impressions.  In that proposal, indicate the type of people participating in the event, what are the marketing opportunities available and sponsorship opportunities. To ensure this is successful however, tailoring the proposal to the company increases the chances of receiving the sponsorship.

7.     Research Prospects

Companies with large local advertising budgets are likely the companies that would be interested in sponsoring an event. Therefore before sending out these proposals, research companies that sponsor events; they might be interested in sponsoring more than one. To narrow down the search, look at companies with generally large profits, spending, companies trying to increase their market share, maintain good community relations or new companies trying to establish their brand.  This research can be done through government directories, media or company websites.

8.     Seek Discovery Session

When the list of potential sponsors has been developed, call each company and inquire who are the person/persons responsible for purchasing sponsorships. After this information has been received, send the event proposal for their viewing.  Thereafter follow up to ensure it has been received, also requesting a meeting to discuss what are the benefits to the potential sponsor. Discuss in the meeting the likely media attention, what access there is to a certain group of people, where they can take their clients; sponsorship activation which is additional benefits from the sponsorship.

9.     Negotiate Agreement

After the sponsor determines the best package available for their company, put it in writing in a more detailed manner than the initial proposal. The details of this would include terms of payment, benefits to attendees, logo specifications, payment of logo signage and whatever else details that are necessary from the sponsoring company. For sponsorships where naming the sponsor at the event, their contract should be much more detailed than the other contacts. If both parties want to ensure they are not cheated out of anything, legal advice can be sort.

10.   Fulfillment and Follow-up

If your sponsorship attends your event, ensure they are given VIP treatment. After the event, ensure each sponsor is supplied with evidence that you fulfilled your commitment to the contract. This can be done through the media, photos, videos and sending it to the sponsorship in an electronic format for the sponsor to see the success and impressions generated as estimated in the proposal. To ensure renewal of sponsorship the following year if the event is an annual event, meet with sponsors to review fulfillment; not forgetting to also send thank you letters for their corporation. 

Question: Do you think it is necessary to go through all ten (10) steps to successfully acquire a sponsorship? 

Getting Corporate Sponsorship

There are many events that are extremely costly to be paid by one person or company but promises great financial rewards and success once well organized. As a result many companies are approached to help fund the venture to ease the financial burden off an individual’s or company’s pocket; this move is known as sponsorship. Simple Events Planning uses a ten (10) step plan that guides to achieve the desired sponsorship success for their customers.

1.      Plan the event with Sponsors in Mind

During the initial stage of planning, after first draft budget recognizing there is a need to ease the financial burden is important. With that in mind, understanding sponsorship is a form of brand advertising gives a clearer picture on what companies this event wants to be associated with. The association is very important as naming companies or displaying corporate logos are done by the media which advertises the event.

2.         Identifying Assets

Identifying the potential places a sponsor might be able to advertise their brand name or logo at the venue is the next step. Such advertising can be done in different forms, banners at the entrance, back of seats, booths on site or even t-shirts. Imagining all this should be done with the intension the sponsor can meet their marketing needs. To further help them achieve this, having intensions to issue exclusive back stage passes, allocating places where product sampling can take place or have product be displayed. After these has been identified, keeping track of such through documentation is important as it comes in handy.

3.     Count the Impressions

Corporate sponsorship is a form of advertising. Therefore advertising efficiently is important as there is value in the number of impressions received. There are companies that has such good reputations, consumers are willing to spend their money once that company is associated with anything.  Measuring ads for the event can help convince companies that their association with the event increases their marketing shares.

4      Evaluate Your Assets

Once statistics has been analyzed for each advertising medium, a price can then be attached. This can be done for example 10,000 people attend the event, each logo they see will be worth about $100. The price can however be adjusted however based on number of times each person sees the ad and prominence of the company’s logo.

5.     Package the Assets

Bundling assets into packages for sponsors at incremental amounts is a persuasive tactic. Bundles such as $5,000, $15,000 or $20,000. Bundling to help maximize sponsorship can be done according to location of venue, parts of program or other ways; to name sponsors can be special bundles.

Question: Should corporate sponsorship be used as strategy to eliminate financial burden for large events? 

Next Post: Getting Corporate Sponsorship Cont'd.