Holding an Open House or Special Event | How-to Guides for running your business from Business.com

The doors to your business could be open for days or years, but the second you offer food, drinks and entertainment, it instantly becomes more attractive to new customers. By holding an open house or customer appreciation mixer, you allow customers to enter a relaxed, fun, no-pressure environment. Consider a few of the many types of events you can host:

Ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce your grand opening
Holiday open house
Customer appreciation sales event
Local chamber of commerce mixer
Social gathering sponsored for a nonprofit organization

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Decide what type of event to host

Begin by brainstorming what type of event you'd like to host — a chamber of commerce mixer, a charity event, a holiday open house, a meet the artist/designer/inventor event, a private sale or some other event. Once you've decided on your event, bring in all the necessary parties to determine goals for the event.

I recommend: No matter what type of event you decide to host, you may want to add a little fun and excitement with a party theme, such as those listed at Party411.com.

Create a budget

Set a budget for your event before you begin planning the details. Consider the cost a portion of your marketing budget since you'll be using the event to publicize your business.

I recommend: The CorporateEventChannel.com and Eventageous.com offer budget calculators to help you come up with an accurate dollar figure for your event. If you're planning on hiring a caterer, get tips on budgeting for a caterer at eHow.com.

Hire a pro

If you need help creating a soirée to remember, hire a corporate event planner. They can manage all the logistics of the event including catering, audio-visual needs, lighting, décor and signage.

I recommend: The CorporateEventChannel.com features links to corporate event planners throughout the nation, or you can search for an event planner at BizBash.com.

Delegate tasks and create a timeline

Don't try to do everything yourself. Delegate tasks to employees and to any other parties involved in the event. Set a timeline for completion of each task and send reminders when deadlines are approaching. Create a master task list with the names of responsible parties and deadlines and circulate it to everyone involved.

I recommend: Download an event scheduling checklist to help you get started or try Raiser's Edge software, which has an event-planning module to track planning tasks. Learn how to create an "event bible" where all information regarding the event is placed.

Send invitations

Whether your event is a private affair or open to the public, send invitations. Your invitations serve as a great way to publicize your event.

I recommend: Choose from hundreds of designs of custom imprinted corporate event invitations from grand openings to benefits at InvitationConsultants.com. Electronic invitations are becoming more popular and streamline the process by allowing you to track RSVP responses and attendance numbers. Evite.com offers a few professional event templates and CorpNote.com offers the same service with a large number of business templates for a small monthly subscription fee.Guests can RSVP online through Cvent.

Publicize your event

For an open house or grand opening celebration to be a success, you need to create some buzz. If you're hoping to promote a new business, the media and local chamber of commerce should be at the top of your guest list. Most chambers offer ribbon-cutting ceremonies to new member businesses.

I recommend: Find the chamber of commerce in your community at 2chambers.com. Party411.com offers seven tips for publicizing your event, and BizBash.com provides additional tips on how to attract media attention.

Give samples and freebies

Everybody loves a freebie. Foster goodwill and give guests a reminder of your business with a sample or freebie. Consider giving away a signature product item, a discount on a service or a promotional item with your company logo.

I recommend: Check out Top Brands or Zagwear for a vast selection of promotional products.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

If you're going to serve alcohol, hire a bartender. Not only can they keep people from drinking too much, they can identify those who need a ride home and call them a cab, without drawing attention to them.
If your event is open to the public, make sure you send out press releases to television, radio and print publications to extend an invitation.
Create banners and signage for grand opening celebrations to attract people off the street who haven't heard about the event.
Consider holding a monthly or quarterly mixer for all of your customers, whether it's a special private shopping event or a customer appreciation event.

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