by Kristin Healy | Mar 16, 2023 | blog
Caring about the Environment does not need to be a hassle. Making a few environmentally conscious decisions can make a huge difference. When planning your next event, there are many things to take into account including venue selection, transportation, food and beverage, and technology. Here are three ways to “go green” and make your next event sustainable!
1. Reduce Paper Usage
We are living in a digital world, and while planning events we can utilize it to our full advantage. Using online programs can help not only the environment but also help track and make data-driven decisions. Create digital invitations, utilize social media for marketing, create an event website, and send follow-up emails and surveys via email after your event. Embrace the digital world and stay paperless!
2. Plan for Proper Waste Disposal
Waste management should not be a forgotten step in your event planning process. The typical types of waste to plan for are:
- Organic waste: food leftovers, beverages, biodegradable decor (flowers)
- General waste: plastics, balloon remanence, single-use cups and plates, napkins
- Recyclable waste: paper waste, cans, glass, cardboard
Setting up a proper waste disposal system can make a huge sustainable difference. Have proper bins as well as signage for each bin. This can be a great way to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills from an event.
3. Reduce your Event’s Carbon Footprint
There is a lot of travel involved in attending an event. This increases the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere. Reduce this by creating a transportation plan!
- Group Transportation Options- if guests are staying at the same hotel organize a shared shuttle system. Shuttle multiple people to your event rather than having them individually drive to the venue.
- Venue Selection- choose a location that is a short commute for your attendees or where they will have easily accessible public transportation.
Sustainable event planning is making the conscious decision to reduce the environmental impact of your event. With these three steps you can minimize the environmental effects of your next event!
by Kristin Healy | Feb 14, 2023 | blog
Happy Valentines Day! This year show your employees some appreciation. Whether your team works fully remote, hybrid, or in-person these gift ideas are guaranteed to be a hit. Your staff needs more than just the basic essentials to thrive while working out of the office. Select one of these items or all and make traveling between workstations easier for your staff.
HyperGear 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock
Help your staff keep their work area organized. This is a great tool to keep their desk wireless and ensure all essential technology can be easily charged.
Wireless Transmitter
Do your employees travel often for work? Gift them with a transmitter and help make flying more enjoyable! The product pairs wireless headphones or earbuds to equipment that does not have Bluetooth technology. Perfect for watching a movie on the plane.
Tangelo Boike Wireless Travel Mouse
A wireless and compact mouse is a must-have for a remote, hybrid, and in-person employee! Sleek design is easy to travel with or keep on your desk without taking up too much room.
Pillar Light-Up Bluetooth Speaker
A Bluetooth speaker is a great and affordable tech gift that every demographic tends to enjoy. Add your company logo to the top of the speaker.
Tech Organizer
Customize a tech organizer bag and help your employees move between workspaces. A great place to store and travel with all the above-mentioned swag gifts!
Auden Bamboo Lap Desk
What could be helpful to a remote worker? Gift them a lap desk! The bamboo surface paired with a vented tray keeps computers from overheating. It also includes a built-in mouse pad, phone dock, and ledge to keep your computer in place.
The smallest of gestures can make your team feel valued, appreciated, and special. Let them know their hard work is paying off, and gift them with items that will make their work life easier. All of the items above are sourced from Print House.
by Kristin Healy | Feb 13, 2023 | blog
The New Year is here and ready to bring some change. Whether you are in the beginning stages of your event or have been planning for a while, here’s what you can expect in 2023!
In-Person Events are #1
While we are still managing the pandemic and other illnesses, one thing is clear, in-person events are and will continue to be the preferred option. People want to be in the same room with their coworkers and let’s face it, networking just isn’t the same through a computer. We expect to see more hybrid events, however, strictly virtual events for large celebrations, award ceremonies, dinners and networking, have certainly been put on the back burner.
Bright, Bold Colors
People are ready to be bold in 2023! Pantone’s color of the year is Viva Magenta, which promises to add a joyful and optimistic tone to your design. We’re expecting to see colorful, eye-catching pieces that will truly make your event pop. Whether rooted in florals, ceiling fixtures or lounge furniture, bright colors are going to be incorporated in events this year and we couldn’t love this trend more. With the steady popularity of social media, creating something to get people talking about and taking photos of is beneficial to all involved!
Utilizing Event Data
With the uncertain economy, tracking your event ROI is more important now than ever before. As planners, we are constantly doing things differently and better, based on what’s worked, or not worked in the past. Being able to prove how and why your event was so successful will help you make this an annual event. Not to mention the ease of planning when you have historical data to reference. With corporate events, you should know session popularity, engagement rate, number of registrations, attendance rate, cancellation rate and how many of your attendees are returning participants. Tracking your event data can help you grow and improve your event guaranteeing, its successful year after year.
Nontraditional Venues
With the return of in-person events, there is now even more pressure to impress your guests and provide them with an event to remember. A critical component of this is selecting the best venue to meet your needs and whenever possible, going with a nontraditional venue. If guest counts allow, we’ll be seeing companies opt for something other than a traditional ballroom. Venues that you will see a lot more:
- Museums/ Art Galleries: Provide an immersive experience.
- Outdoor Areas (ex. gardens): Nature is the wow-factor.
- Lofts and Rooftops: Give your participants a great view to talk about.
- Dinner Cruises: Relaxing experience on the water, sets the tone for any event.
- Vineyards: Encourage a more laid back, often picturesque atmosphere.
- Warehouses: Open area and can be transformed into anything!
Immersive Entertainment
Corporate events are now expected to have all the bells and whistles. If you’re planning a day of meetings, the attendees are looking for entertainment throughout the event, a reason to be in-person and not in front of a computer screen. This could mean bringing in live music, food and wine experiences, a magician, a 360-photobooth, coffee artist, LED or Laser show, or various other performance artists. The possibilities are endless and leveling up your event with an entertainment factor will surely have your guests returning next year!
We are very excited for what’s to come in 2023, and we hope you are too!
by Kristin Healy | Nov 11, 2022 | blog
5 Fall Cocktails for your Next Event
We love a good cocktail made with Prosecco. It can be combined with seasonal ingredients to make the perfect drink anytime of the year. We’ve pulled together a list of our favorite Fall Prosecco Cocktails in case you also like the occasional bubbly refresher.
Harvest Punch
Photo Credit: Jonathan Boulton
1 bottle of Prosecco (chilled)
6 cups ice
½ gallon apple cider
1 cup vodka
2 cans Ginger Beer (12-ounce cans)
3 apples (sliced)
2 oranges (sliced)
8 cinnamon sticks
<add cinnamon sugar for rimming>
Serve this delicious cocktail in a large bowl. Be as creative as you would like, even a punchbowl can add to your overall event theme and décor. To add more flavor, use an orange wedge to wet the rim of the glass then dip it into the cinnamon sugar.
Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail
Photo Credit: SPFoodie
1 bottle of Prosecco
1 ounce Cointreau (divided)
add cranberry gingerale
add cranberries (frozen)
This cocktail is a refreshing cocktail to serve at your next event. The warm red tones of the drink scream fall.
Spiced Apple Prosecco
Photo Credit: SPFoodie
6 ounces Prosecco
2 ounces Spiced Rum
4 ounces Apple Cider
add slice of apple on rim to garnish
This is packed full of flavor. The prosecco gives your classic apple cider that bubbly feel. A picture-perfect cocktail!
Prosecco Royale Cocktail
Photo Credit: Delicious Magazine Co.
1 bottle of Prosecco (chilled)
3 teaspoons Crème De Casses
The bright orange color of this drink is perfect to match an Autumn themed event.
Enjoy!
by Kristin Healy | Feb 1, 2022 | blog
It’s cold out, we just made it through a nor’easter, and it’s time to show your employees some love! The smallest of gestures can make your team feel valued, appreciated, and special this Valentine’s Day. Couple that with a team lunch or coffee run on the boss and you’ll have the perkiest team in town. Here are six sweet swag items to gift your team this month. Everything below is sourced from the Print House.
For the entire month of February, mention SWANK EVENTS and enjoy 10% off your first promotional product order.
A pair of sleek, subtle branded bluetooth headphones to take calls on the go, listen to music or podcasts, or dial into a meeting from anywhere!
An insulated, vacuum sealed bottle with your logo in elegant silver to hold water or coffee hot or cold for up to 10 hours! You could even accompany it with a Dunkin’ gift card to fill up right away.
Cozy joggers to rep their favorite place to work while feeling nice and toasty warm in their off-time.
Have a team that’s extra on-the-go? Field sales representatives or employees who work outdoors? Why not gift them a warm and stylish way to wear your brand with an insulated packable puffer!
With many teams coming back to the office after two years at home, their old work back may be shoved deep in the back of a closet, or long gone. This laptop backpack has room for much more than just a computer – including designated iPhone pockets, a water bottle holder, and lots of space for desk snacks and other necessities.
And finally, if you’re feeling extra sweet, couple a branded tumbler with decadent Godiva gift box and you’re sure to be Manager of the Month!
Any of these gifts are sure to be a hit, and don’t forget to mention Swank Events to score 10% off at Print House!
