photo credit: More depth of field via photopin (license)

Believe it or not, the holidays are right around the corner. Here in the U.S., it’s common to have a holiday party or a year-end party for your employees, colleagues or clients. In Japan, it’s typical to have an end-of-year party and then a New Year party as well. Whatever the occasion, now is an excellent time to begin the preparations for your seasonal event. Here are a few tips to ensure that everyone who attends your gathering will have a wonderful time.

• Plan ahead. It’s always good to establish a set budget as far in advance as possible and then generate ideas that will fit comfortably within it. That makes it much easier to manage both costs and expectations. Generally, the further in advance you plan, the better cost savings you will be able to achieve. With enough lead-time, you may also locate the perfect event space or a wonderful musical group for the party.
• Give people the heads up. Schedules are already beginning to fill up as the end of the year approaches, so let people know as soon as you have a date and time for the party. Everyone will appreciate the fact that you showed consideration for their busy holiday schedules and that you gave them an opportunity to be a part of the special evening.
• Tailor your party to your company’s culture. Is your office culture laid back, casual, or a bit more formal? Take that into account when planning activities or even selecting decorations and refreshment for the special occasion. It’s also a good idea to consider the company’s current circumstances. Is the company undergoing some challenges or change? Then it might be wise to plan the event with that in mind. Did your company have an exceptional year? Then of course it’s a great opportunity for everyone to celebrate.
• Make sure the event is fun. This can be subjective and vary from organization to organization, of course, but in general your party should feature an atmosphere and programming that your attendees will like. Consider holding the party somewhere outside the office, for a welcome change of scenery, so everyone can relax and focus on having a good time. Any activities that provide people with a chance to come together and celebrate their collective successes will likely go over especially well.
• Attract people’s interest with exclusive VIP gifts. Want to ensure a strong attendance at your holiday or year-end party? Pique their interest with special gifts. You could offer exclusive giveaways such as gift baskets with candy or food, electronics accessories like custom bluetooth speakers, or a chic Godiva Tumbler Set to the first 25 people who show up, for example. You might even want to plan cool, special giveaways that are related to your industry in some way.
• Recognize people who have contributed to the company’s success over the past year. Take a moment to publicly thank those who have made an impact so that they know their efforts and talents have been appreciated. This is an occasion when you want to give back to all of the employees, customers and business partners who made your year a success. If you share your gratitude with them, they’ll be sure to remember it for a long time to come.

Are you planning a special holiday or year-end event for which custom branded products featuring exceptional design can make a difference? These are just a few ideas, but we can also offer tailored guidance and expertise to fit your specific needs. Reach out to us on social media—we’re on Twitter and Facebook—or call us at 877-881-6845 and we’ll be happy to discuss how you can achieve your branding goals this year and beyond.