How to Plan a Magical Christmas Event

Christmas is coming, and what better way to welcome in the holiday season than by hosting your own business event? An evening of sophisticated entertainment, great networking opportunities, all supported by a slick social media campaign, what could possibly go wrong?

When it comes to planning any business event, in particular around the festive season, you need to get organized and always have a plan B. If you don’t want your dream event to turn into a Christmas nightmare, then you need to set realistic goals and strict timeline for your entire team to follow to ensure that your event is a resounding success.

What type of event is it?

Remember that your event can’t cover all bases. Are you running a festive charity auction for a good cause? Perhaps you want to host a seasonal networking event with a hint of glamour thrown in for good measure. Before you even send out the invites, it’s essential that you establish what type of event you want to run. This step will help you to avoid any confusion or embarrassment later on.

Now you are decided, you can send out the invites. It’s best to send copies via mail and email too so that your attendees can block out time in their diaries before they become booked up. Make sure that you confirm numbers a few weeks prior to the event too – and be prepared for a few extras to turn up on the night.

Run a raffle

Running a raffle is a great way to encourage your guests to get involved and mingle altogether. Plus, you could consider asking around local businesses for some fabulous prizes, such as a spa weekend or even a night at a local hotel, to raise their profile too. Create custom raffle tickets to add an extra edge of sophistication to your night. You may even find that local business attendees will want to provide your prizes for next year – so it’s definitely worth the investment.

Social media support

Ensure that your social media support is slick, timely and calculated down to the nearest second. Whether you are tweeting raffle winners or adding photos to Facebook of attendees, it’s crucial that you check your guest’s consent to being filmed and photographed while at your event. You should also use a hashtag across all your social channels so that people can follow your event in the weeks up to the big night. It’s a great way to catch up on the top tips or gossip the next day also.

Catering and entertainment

Last but not least, no event will be a success if you don’t provide catering or entertainment. Stilt walkers and magicians are a good option for welcoming guests, and they encourage interaction from attendees. When you send out your invites be sure to double check for any dietary requirements or food allergies, as this could seriously spoil someone’s night. Always be sure to cater for more people, rather than less, as hungry guests will kick up a fuss. Once you are all sorted, relax and enjoy the night.