Do you wonder how to reinvent the attendee experience to keep it fresh? As regulations for in-person events frequently change and the growth of online events continues, you may be looking for fun virtual event ideas.
Planning an event or conference is never easy. The process can be long and, often, a little bumpy as planners attempt to balance brand and sponsor interests, attendee must-haves and other high-value integrations. Sometimes it is a few little twists that add to small details of an event that change many perceptions.
To help you get inspired, in this article we have compiled some popular event theme ideas and formats that you can mix and match at will for your next great event, whether online, in-person or a combination of both. These ideas would definitely propel your events to be outstanding ones.
Corporate events
Corporate party entertainment ideas are fun activities that you can use to appreciate your team and lighten the mood during a corporate event. You can include photo booths, magic shows, and celebrity impersonations. These elements aim to offer guests a memorable experience, improve brand image, and make a lasting impression on the attendees. One should select activities that suit the event’s theme, venue, party goal, and brand image, out of the wide variety of party entertainment ideas. These ideas can be entertainment for office parties, corporate holiday parties, employee appreciation day events, and customer appreciation day events. These options are similar to conference entertainment ideas.
Some of the ideas are:
- outdoor event entertainment ideas for corporate parties
- interactive entertainment ideas for corporate parties
- unique party entertainment ideas for corporate events
- evening entertainment for corporate events
- corporate cocktail party entertainment ideas
A Short List of unique corporate party entertainment ideas
Corporate party entertainment activities can propel a brand to unexpected heights. One of the most vital aspects of a corporate party is offering the guests the right entertainment. However, selecting activities for the guests to enjoy remains a big challenge for party planners. Apart from the conventional events like Photo booth arrangement, body and face painting, etc. you may opt to have a few unique ideas that would set your event a little class apart from the rest – From aerial bartenders and escape rooms, discussed below is a list of the best party ideas that you can use to entertain the workforce.
- Talent Shows
If you are looking for corporate cocktail party entertainment ideas, then try a talent show, which never loses its charm. Talent shows are an activity of great engagement as willing employees come forward and perform. Dancers, musicians, and comedians are present in the workforce who might be eager to showcase their skills. They should get to the staging area with a mic and perform in their allocated time slot. The workforce can be encouraged to participate in future talent shows by offering participants a present as a token of gratitude.
- Roast Session
Who would not love to watch the gentle ribbing of the CEO and other team members? A corporate roast session is a perfect entertainment idea to lighten up a party. A separate roast session can be dedicated to employees who offer outstanding services, a retiree, or workers who are celebrating birthdays in the month. But one must keep in mind how not to offend people. To reduce the possibility of hurt feelings, the event can be started with sincere heartfelt words and close with the same earnest sentiments. Also, participants should be alerted not to cross the red line on sensitive topics and to remain respectful to all guests.
- Murder Mystery
Murder mysteries are much in vogue when it comes to unique party entertainment ideas for corporate events. Professional entertainers would guide the workforce through hilarious turns and shocking twists in an interactive show. By combining scripted theatre, mystery, comedic improvisations, and audience interaction, murder mystery events offer an unforgettable party. One can pick the murder mystery theme depending on the worker’s interests and the theme of the party. A murder mystery entertainment activity would light-heartedly teach the team creative thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Aerial Bartenders
For people looking for evening entertainment for corporate events, the aerial bartending idea is the best. In this activity, high-flying bartenders serve the guest’s speciality cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere. To enhance the event, you can also get bartenders who will perform interesting movements while serving the drinks. But this activity involves a considerable amount of risk, thus one must ensure put all safety measures in place.
5. Escape Room Games
Escape room games are a must-try for a memorable company event, as one of the most interactive entertainment ideas for corporate parties. The games would challenge participants to solve a series of puzzles and uncover hidden clues before time runs out. Interested persons might seek the services of mobile escape room providers where a team would come to the event space and transform the venue into an escape room experience. Escape rooms foster creative problem-solving skills, collaboration, and communication skills among participants.
Corporate parties are an option for workers to relax, have fun, and build relationships with coworkers. With or even without an impressive event agenda, impressive speakers, and mouth-watering meals, one can enchant the guests with some unique entertainment. Ideas can be lavish, as incorporating party entertainment ideas is an investment that will surely benefit the workers and the company at large. When choosing party entertainment activities, one must be sure to consider the audience and the desired party atmosphere.
Social event Ideas to Make The Guests Connect
Creating connections between attendees is a key objective for many Private parties & celebrations. But getting people to make those connections is not so easy.
In these types of events, the onus is on the event planner to make sure the right efforts are given in the areas which might create a scope of connections and eventually conversations happen. One must think outside the box and create an atmosphere that makes people feel comfortable and promotes engagement.
In the right environment, one must get creative and think about creating opportunities for the guests to connect. Below we have compiled a list of the most effective tips and tricks to get attendees connected at such events.
Tips for Producing a Networking-Focused Event
The Pre-Event Chatter – The Ice-Breaker – All efforts must be given to reduce nervousness and ensure that everyone has connected with someone in advance of the event.
- Having active social channels and providing Twitter chats for those attending for the first time will help attendees to feel more relaxed.
- Discussions around a topic or subject area can naturally bring out affinities or interesting debates and better identify who to connect with.
- Encourage those attending for the first time to arrive half an hour earlier to meet others in the same situation.
Think of the Audience – By nature, not everyone is confident or comfortable in networking situations. Some attendees need more support and encouragement than others. Whether the attendees are extroverts or introverts, effort must be given to try and maximise the opportunities to make new contacts for everyone attending.
- It is seen that introverts appreciate more structured and facilitated networking or anything that can aid the connection process. This could include being matched with someone with similar interests and letting both parties know that they should talk.
- Group activity can be a discreet option for getting people to chat.
- A dedicated set of staff might be kept who would look out for anyone that looks uncomfortable and be ready to strike up a conversation or introduce them to someone new.
Utilise Event apps for Better Connections – With an event app, people might be encouraged to reach out to others with similar interests so they have people to look out for at the event.
- You can set up meetings via some event apps.
- The networking process can be gamified by offering points for every person connected. This would surely give a fun and gentle nudge to make people more proactive.
- The use of AI-powered smart matching apps should be encouraged to ease the process and make better matches.
Social Event Ideas
- Smart Badges – Smart badges are a clever technology to improve networking. Fundamentally they use an app and mobile device to help pinpoint people of similar interests or specifically preset people to talk to and notify or light up when close to a match. These wearable devices can help to avoid the awkward “walking up to people” phase and give an immediate reason to strike up a conversation, as well as prioritising those who specifically want to talk to.
- Invite Storytelling – It is one thing to tell a story about an event but it is another to get attendees to share their own. Being open and encouraging storytelling makes deeper connections and memorable networking among the attendees.
- Virtually Social – Many people find introducing themselves online to be easier than in person. Connecting the participants via social media can help reduce the anxiety of not knowing anyone else at the event.
A private event group can be created on Facebook or a Twitter chat can be hosted to help people to get to know each other.
A fun way to transition to a real-world situation and create talking points is to set up a medium where guests can create their own avatar and customise it to suit them and talk to each other in a virtual world. Virtual reality networking is now highly possible.
How To Make An Event Extra Special
- Attendee Journey – To make an event really extra special, one must think about every single touchpoint of the attendee journey. If the event journey can start by providing transport and accommodation – Travel (Hotels, Villas, Jets, Experiences) to the guest too this can elevate the VIP Luxury Concierge Aided Ticketing and Travel, Best Restaurant Access can notch up the event experience.
- Add personalised gifts in the hotel room or offer beverages as part of the transfer. Capture a picture of every guest on the red carpet and share it with them as a memento after the event.
- Strong Theme Throughout – A theme needs to flow and be noticed by attendees throughout the whole event experience. It must be ensured that the invitation hints at the theme, so guests have an idea of what is in store for them. Think out of the box to avoid cliche and overused themes and be original. The little touches of exclusivity can be really captivating.
- The Element of Surprise – Some special details should be kept to yourself and not revealed in the beginning. The element of surprise will have guests talking about it for a long after the event.
- Forget traditions and ceremonies and mix everything up. Change the program flow, timings, and the way that food and drink are served.
- Use the human element and have specific surprises for guests, for instance, to reward and recognize their achievements or hard work.
- Rehearse surprises from the stage with the tech team, host and all key staff to ensure timing is impeccable. This is of utmost importance when it comes to the execution of surprises.
Organizing exclusive luxury events has been a forte for Travel motivations be it Corporate events, Private Parties or Entertainment business, we do it all.
