A celebratory event is a great way to show your employees how much you value them.  It’s also an investment in engagement and culture building, so it makes sense to spend your resources (including time and budget) wisely by making thoughtful event planning decisions.

Elettra recently worked with the Vancouver Airport Authority to produce just such an event. The first annual YVR Stars celebration was a cocktail party and awards show to honour the airport workers and volunteers who go above and beyond for customers. The event was a great success and inspired us to offer insight into how smart decision-making can lead to a top-notch corporate event. Here are four tips to take your appreciation event from ho-hum to stellar:

1)   Let your guests be your guide.

Start your event planning by mapping out everything you know about your guests. From this, create a guest profile to guide the planning process. Check your all decision against that profile. This includes everything from your venue location (is it convenient and easy for your guests to get to?), to the food and beverages you’ll serve (have you considered a variety of dietary needs?).

At YVR Stars, the nature our guest list – which included shift workers, 9-5 office workers, and volunteers – shaped the event. We chose a time that made sense for all workers and ensured it was drop-in style so that shift workers could stop by on a break. We even created plan for getting the invitation to guests who don’t work at a desk and therefore might not be able to receive an invitation via company email.

2)   Set the mood.

Have you ever been to an event that was billed as a celebration, but somehow just felt flat? Well, the truth is, mood doesn’t create itself.

Oftentimes lighting gets overlooked or even cut out entirely due to budget, but it really is critical for setting the tone. House lighting will never deliver on a party atmosphere, but proper lighting design adds drama, sparkle, and even the opportunity to brand the event through use of coloured lighting.

You might not think about the connection between food and mood, but have you ever been standing at an event for 30 minutes before a server finally appears with a tray, but then can’t even make it ten steps from back-of-house before his/her tray is empty? A hungry guest is one that doesn’t feel valued. When planning an occasion, collaboration with your caterer doesn’t stop at selecting a menu. Work with them to ensure that the food is tasty (you can even ask to do an advanced tasting), plentiful, and ready to go the moment your first guest walks through the door.

Of course setting the mood doesn’t stop there.  Décor and entertainment are also important. Don’t just hire a DJ, actually work with her/him to develop a playlist that suits your guest profile. For YVR Stars we injected some fun with a Tap Snap photo booth. Décor-wise, you can see from the photos what some colour can do.

3)   Say it out loud.

Though treating your guests to food and drink is a great start, showing your appreciation is about saying it out loud. In the case of YVR Stars we accomplished this through an awards show presentation. The program provided an opportunity to share and celebrate the stories of workers who went to great lengths in the name of customer care. This was backed up with a thoughtful gift in recognition of their efforts. We also spread the love around the room, incorporating reflections on everyone’s efforts and gave away many stellar door prizes that were a fit for our guest profile.

4)   Bring in the experts.

Creating a successful event is not about ticking off a to-do list. It takes strategic vision, technical know-how, strong supplier relationships, and, most importantly, time. If your company could benefit from this assistance, then it’s a good idea to call in an expert. Look for an experienced event planner, someone who views challenges as an opportunity for creativity. A good planner will act as your partner, providing smart counsel and making sure every last detail is considered. Together you’ll make event magic happen.

Elettra Communications has a combined 35 years' experience creating successful events of all shapes and sizes. We've done it all, from award shows and galas, to fashion shows, launches, and corporate celebrations. Our services include:

• Event feasibility studies and budgeting
• Venue selection
• Event planning and execution
• Collateral production
• Show scripting and direction
• Entertainment programming

Contact us for a complimentary one-hour brainstorming session at info@elettra.ca.

Next up in our book club is Steven Fink’s Crisis Communications: The Definitive Guide to Managing The Message - a follow up to Crisis Management: Planning for the Inevitable. 

Fink is well positioned to be an authority on the subject of crisis management and crisis communications having dealt with more than his fair share of difficult situations on behalf of clients.  He has provided counsel for some of the world's most prestigious companies in crisis management and crisis communications, strategic public relations, corporate communications, and high level, confidential issues relating to economic espionage.

Whereas Crisis Management deals primarily with the reality of the unfolding crisis and how to manage it, Crisis Communications focuses on the perception of the event and, most especially, the perception of how it is being managed.

The book doesn’t make any groundbreaking revelations on the dos and don’ts of developing a crisis communications strategy, however, what makes it an entertaining and enjoyable read are the real life examples of well known companies who have hit the mark in their crisis communications…or missed it completely.

The book contains detailed analysis of recent high profile catastrophes such as the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the crisis at Pennsylvania State University in 2011, and the unintended acceleration glitch that rocked Toyota in 2010.  Fink uses these examples to reinforce the importance of being prepared and having a carefully thought out crisis communications strategy in place.  These case studies also highlight many examples of what not to do should your company find itself at the centre of media circus.

Here are a couple of key takeaways from the book….and if you’d like to know more about crisis communications for your organization then please give us a shout!

Perception always trumps reality

Throughout the book Fink comes back to this one single point.  It doesn’t matter if your company has not done anything wrong, if it is perceived otherwise in the court of public opinion, then that perception is what people will remember. And that perception may ultimately affect your business and the value of your brand.

If a crisis is being managed well, the goal of effective crisis management is to form the public’s perception to match the reality. In the end, crisis communications, or the lack thereof, is all the public remembers.

“Remember: even if you know you’re right, if the perception is that you’re wrong, you ARE wrong.  Or, at least, you’re wrong in the eyes and minds of those who matter.”

Reservoirs of good will

Things are chaotic enough during a crisis that you need every advantage you can muster.  It is therefore a good idea to take stock of how your company is perceived on a normal day.  Are you considered trustworthy?  Are you communicative with your publics?  If there is something you need to address then do it now. 

It is important that your publics think good things about you before crisis hits.  This is what Fink calls “reservoirs of goodwill”. 

“Part of your proactive crisis management and crisis communications strategies should be to measure the depth of your goodwill reservoir and see what you can do to increase it.  The more goodwill you have in the bank or reservoir, the more your public will tend to trust you and believe you when your crisis hits, and the more you can draw on it to tide you over.”

This is the second post in our ongoing series, "Two Minutes With”. We're getting to know a little more about the Elettra team, our clients, and our partners/suppliers. Today we chat with our friend and partner, Lisa Edward, Art Director/Owner of  Studio Chartreuse.

​Favourite publication:Paper Mag

Favourite social media sites or blogs: Design Milk, My Modern Met, and Dwell

Favourite quote: You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. —Wayne Gretzky

Role model: Barbara Kruger

Favourite place to visit: Cannon Beach Oregon is my favourite beach along the Oregon coast. Tons of fond memories from family vacations here throughout the years. Cannon Beach is one of those places you wished were part of your everyday walk. Incredible rocky coast with miles of sand to walk while you listen to the waves crashing…

Favourite restaurant or food: Spicy and ethnic are my go-to’s: La Mezcaleria has an amazing atmosphere and the most amazing Mescal Margaritas! Kin Kau is a new one in my neighbourhood. The combination of excellent spicy Thai food with a relaxing modern interior is the perfect combination for me.

Favourite author: Stephen King (specifically ‘The Shining’)

Morning beverage of choice: Bulletproof Coffee - gives me so much more energy throughout the day without making me jittery

Favourite spot in Vancouver: Too many to list, but one of my ‘new favourite spots’ is the new Convention Centre. I can’t get enough of the stylized 3D stack of lumber walls throughout. Did you know that there are over two acres of wood feature walls!

Oxford comma: Yay or nay? Depends on which font I’m using ;)

Favourite font: Univers Condensed, Gotham Black, HelveticaNeue-UltraLight.

What are you most proud of in your career? Being one of three women who completed the design of the Scitech Technology Center in Al Khobar Saudi Arabia.

Why do you choose to live in Vancouver? It is such a beautiful city with oceans, mountains and is the exact perfect speed for me. Not too fast, and not too slow. I worked six months in Toronto and realized that even though I often work late, I definitely relate better to the west coast speed of things.

Fun fact about you: I’m quite the computer geek and love all things technology. Whether it’s installing a better Wordpress plugin for my clients site, or setting up a VOIP telephone system so I can work internationally with clients in different countries - I love learning so much and it gives me a great sense of achievement when I’ve mastered something I knew nothing about a few hours ago.

Spring Advertising hosted their annual Boink Day today to raise funds for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and people were eager to jump into action.

The Spring Advertising team was there showing off their pogo stick skills and encouraging people to join them in boinking for a good cause.

Despite the typical Rain-couver weather, passersby were happy to join in or donate to help the Food Bank.The team provided music, tips, and of course, pogo sticks to anyone interested in hopping on.

For every boink, Spring donates $0.10 to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and for those skilled enough to boink long enough, Spring offered treats from Happy Planet and Fatburger.

Included in the great turnout from today were visitors from Vancity Buzz and Breakfast Television. Check out what Vancity Buzz had to say about the event or watch our friends from Breakfast Television give boinking a try!

If you missed out on the boinking festivities today, it isn’t too late to help out. Visit the Boink Day website to donate.