10 Event Planning Essentials Learned From Crashing An Ad Agency's Party

Editor's Note:  The following is a guest Marketing Mulligans post by Jessica Levco, a staff writer at Ragan.com and the editor of Ragan's Health Care Communication News, and that originally appeared on Ragan.com's events channel. There's a ton of planning and attention to detail that goes into the orchestration of a successful event, whether it's purely a social affair such as the one described in this article, a press conference, a media and analyst tour, or a high-end dinner for important clients. So what are some of the most important elements of an effective event? Read on to find out.

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Recently, I attended (read: crashed) an ad agency party Chicago. Every year, Optimus, a big ad firm, throws a "block party" for its clients and employees.

I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to get a glimpse of what it would be like to enter Don Draper's world, 21^st Century style. (Note: It involves a lot of plaid and aviator sunglasses.)

Waltzing into the party was easier than expected. After saying the name of my employer and getting my ID checked, I was given a wristband and was greeted by throngs of artsy-types: digital media directors, graphic designers, and copywriters. I watched them all checking out each other's texting ability, color sense, and grammar, respectively.

But as it turns out, I wasn't the only party crasher. Apparently, everybody else was, too. This party was open to the public—including a few tourists, who said they just happened to stumble into the party and had no idea what it was for.

Slightly disappointed that I didn't technically crash a party, there was only one thing left I could do —report.

If you want to throw a kick-ass company party, here's what I learned:

1. Invite Everyone

Limiting a "work party" to just "work" people isn't much fun. Just imagine the conversations you and your co-workers can have when you open up your party to the streets of Chicago. Ok, that might be a bit much, but you get the idea.

2. Theme

Picking a theme for your party is essential. Go with something that shows the vibrancy of your company. The Optimus party centered on that feel-good neighborhood block vibe, with lots of hot dogs and beer. In a city of more than two million people, this block party felt very homey.

3. Timeliness

The party was on a Friday night, on the eve of Lollapoolza, a three-day music fest in Grant Park. Already, the environment was ripe for dancing, talking and listening to music. If you're going to throw a party, don't just pick an arbitrary date. Plan wisely.

4. Swag That Stays

Not only did I write this story on a free notepad and pen from the agency, but I also took home a beer koozie and a fake tattoo. If you want people to leave with a positive impression of your company, give them a tchotchke they can show their friends.

5.  Special Guests

Each year, Optimus invites a guest to attend the party. Illinois ex-governor Rod Blagojevich went to the party last year. This year, party-goers were entertained by the Chicagoan who won the U.S. Air Guitar Championships. Why promise a special guest? Because the buzz and anticipation lasts longer than two glasses of Chardonnay. Your guests want to stick around and see who it will be.

6. Be Transparent

If you really want to show off your company, open your doors. I was free to roam the ad agency's headquarters, peek into offices, and sit in the cafeteria. Inviting people in is a great way to give people a feel for your company's culture.

7. Clever Signage

Even though the block party was in a confined area, there were a lot of signs to point out the essentials: bathroom, food and beer.

8. Crowd Control

Friendly staff in blue shirts helped party-goers find the bathroom or beer, just in case they couldn't read.

9. Brand Ambassador

One person at the party was unmistakable:  a guy dressed in a brown bear costume. Word on the block says the "bear" attends the party yearly. Make sure your party has someone that party-goers can look forward to seeing every year. You want someone who stands out — against the vintage tees and plaid shirts.

10. Free Beer and Wine

Need I say more?

© 2011 Ragan Communications, Inc.

Six Tips For Aspiring Event Organizers

Editor's Note:  The following is a guest Marketing Mulligans post from Natasha Alishan, an account executive at Moonlight Media, Ltd., a U.K.-based PR firm which works with companies that develop technologies used in wholesale financial markets. This piece, which first appeared in PRNewser, discusses the basic criteria required to plan and orchestrate special events, a vastly-underrated skill not typically possessed by most marketing and communications professionals. Event marketing, along with the strategic management of the thousands of details associated with the coordination of a special event, is an art form in and of itself, and an outstanding capability to add to one's resume and skill set. This represents some invaluable advice to one and all.

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One common misconception is that creativity isn’t, or shouldn’t, be structured. Having good ideas is great, but you must organize these ideas to successfully execute them. Every event is different so there is no one-size-fits-all approach, but with a bit of common sense and the following tips, you should be good to go.

1. Define Your Goals, Audience, and Theme

The event must serve a clear purpose whether it be to create awareness of the brand/company or simply to celebrate an achievement. This leads to the theme of the event, which in turn determines the target audience.

2. Create A Detailed Action Plan

Make a thorough plan of all the steps needed to achieve your goal. Usually, in event organizing, there are many elements to pull together at the last minute so it is useful to have everything written out, with a timeline and the dependencies. Set out the steps assuming everything goes to plan, but also have a plan B. What if something goes awry? Don’t forget to double-check every detail; don’t just rely on yourself, but also on everyone in your team. Event organization is about teamwork, and two heads are better than one. Keep every document and write everything down for back-checking when expected phases don’t happen on schedule.

Don't let your next event turn into a "Real Housewives"-style fiasco.

3. Choose The Right Venue

Consider your budget limitations vs. expectations and impact. The venue is essentially the first point of impact of the invitation. Not everyone can afford to have an event at a prestigious venue but choosing a location that has some links to your client is important. It must be easy to get to and appeal to your target audience.

4. Choose The Right Date

Think about which date will have the most impact. It was no coincidence that the Royal Wedding was the weekend before a holiday. Avoiding major sporting events is also extremely important and, much as I hate to admit it, no one’s going to turn up to your event if it falls on the same day as the Super Bowl or game seven of the World Series or NBA Finals.

5. Learn To Love Your Phone

Emailing is valuable but not enough. Calling your vendors, suppliers, and potential guests (simple rule – if you don’t ask, you don’t get) is more personal and in these situations tends to be more effective. However, follow up all calls with a confirmation email, to ensure all parties know what they’ve agreed to.

6. During The Event, Be Proactive and Stay Positive

There really is no problem too great. You can deal with any unexpected hitch if you remain calm and focused. If you believe in the event and its success, so will your team.

7. Enjoy!

And finally, enjoy. A good party is often influenced by the organizer’s demeanour, and you’ve worked hard to achieve success. Savor the moment, and take pride in a job well done.

© 2011 WebMediaBrands, Inc. All Rights Reserved.