5 Ways You Can Create a Memorable Corporate Event On The Red Bus Bistro
If you want to build relationships with your existing customers and get the right kind of attention from potential new clients, a corporate event ticks all the boxes. It gives you the opportunity to get to know people in a relaxed setting and make a great impression. The main challenge is creating an event that will stand out in the memory. How can you create a corporate event that gets your customers talking and encourages them to do business with you in the future? Here are our tips for creating a memorable event.
1) Make your guests feel welcome
Sometimes the simplest things can set the tone for your event. If your guests receive a friendly greeting as soon as they arrive they immediately feel relaxed. Make sure they know where to sit, where to leave coats and, most importantly, where to get a drink. Then you’ve laid the foundations for an enjoyable event that leaves a good impression.
We provide on board hosts for all our events so everything is taken care of as soon as your guests arrive with us. First impressions start with the invitation so think about the welcome you’d like to create.
2) Create the ‘wow’ factor
There are lots of different ways you could create the ‘wow’ factor at your corporate event. It could come from the kind of entertainment you choose, the food or the location. Ideally all of these elements will combine to impress your guests. It’s a good idea to choose one distinctive element then build everything else around it. For example, if you’re celebrating your company’s centenary year you could create a prohibition era party with themed food and cocktails. We’ll leave it up to you whether you want to persuade your customers to don fancy dress.
We find that boarding a vintage bus creates the initial wow factor for our guests which we can build on as we go.
3) Get people talking
The best events are the ones where conversation flows. Your guests feel relaxed and they’re left with an overall impression of having spent the evening in good company. You may be lucky and find that this happens naturally, but don’t leave it to chance. Giving your guests talking points will help your event stick in their memories. Provide them with something to photograph and share and this could also benefit your social media marketing.
Our events incorporate bus tours around Glasgow and Edinburgh and we’ve found that the sights get people talking. These are often landmarks that our guests see every day so it’s surprising, but it seems to work!
4) Keep your guests fed and watered
The quality and quantity of food and drink that you provide can make or break your event. Even if you aren’t hosting a gourmet experience, people remember the food. If it’s bad or even slightly disappointing, that’s what people will remember. We’ve found that it’s often best to choose a limited menu and do it well.
The same applies with your drinks. Choose a cocktail theme, gin tasting or afternoon tea and your guests will know what to expect.
5) Make it easy for yourself
Organising events can be a full time job. If it isn’t your primary role, we recommend keeping things simple and working with a company who will co-ordinate everything for you. When you’re working with multiple suppliers it can be extremely time consuming.
We offer our clients a single point of contact to arrange everything from food, drink, decorations and hosting during the event itself. That way the only thing you have to deal with is the guest list!
If you’d like to know more about our tours and tailored packages, please get in touch.