Category Archives: Corporate Events
Let’s be incredibly candid here: corporate events aren’t usually known for being fun. Whether it’s a catered networking event or a celebration for your company’s most recent big accomplishment, these corporate events often lack a level of entertainment.
But that doesn’t have to be the case. Here at Planet DJ Productions, we’ve helped organize countless corporate events throughout the Washington D.C. area and, believe it or not, we know firsthand that it is possible to create an entertaining corporate event that people actually want to attend.
Here are three of our pro tips for planning events that will have your team excited for your next big outing.
Turn to your food for inspiration
There’s no reason whatsoever for you to limit your food choices to traditional appetizers. Everyone loves great food, which is why your choice of food is the best place to start injecting some fun. Here are a few ideas we’ve seen through our own experiences:* Set up a DIY Food Bar: Pizzas, tacos, s’mores, ice cream sandwiches … each or all of these make for a great do-it-yourself food bar. This is great for picky eaters or folks with dietary restrictions, as they can easily accommodate themselves.
* Deconstructed Food: Deconstructed food is all the rage right now, and helps you put a fancy twist on regular foods. Deconstructed food refers to the idea of breaking apart elements traditionally combined together to make a dish, and serving the items separate in a unique way (such as in small glasses). You can check out some great examples on Pinterest, including this deconstructed pumpkin pie.
* Food Trucks: You could always bring in a reputable food truck or cart from your local community. Not only will it be a hit, but you’re also supporting fellow local business owners.
Go interactive with your corporate event
One of the chief reasons to hold a corporate event is to get people mingling. One surefire way to get your guests involved with one another is to introduce interactive event activities, including: * Photo Booths: Consider renting a photo booth with props to get your guests making instant memories.* Blank Canvas: We’ve seen great success with this – set up a large blank canvas. Guests will instinctively start scribbling on the canvas, including signing their name, offering words of wisdom or encouragement, and, perhaps, even show off their artistic skills.
* Trivia/Quiz Contest: When you host one of these contests, it’ll get guests working together on a common goal, all while having fun. Try to mix up your teams to allow coworkers who normally don’t interact to get to know each other outside of the office.
Go big on the entertainment
Do you really want your corporate event to stand out and become memorable? Then your most important step, without question, is to hire a professional corporate event DJ and emcee, who’ll set the mood and keep the party going.Take your entertainment one step further by considering:
* Scheduling a surprise performance in the middle of your event, when your guests are most likely to start getting restless.* Bring in special performers, such as Bollywood belly dancers
Whether your corporate event guest list includes 20 or 200 people, there’s always a way to make it stand out – and there are professionals like the team here at Planet DJ Productions who are here to help.
Category Archives: Corporate Events
There are so many factors that help create a stunning wedding or celebration. But perhaps one of the most overlooked elements is the dance floor.
Dance floors allow you to add a touch of flair, functionality, and fun to your big day. And while many folks assume renting a dance floor is only for outdoor weddings, you’d be surprised to learn that many of our clients throughout DC, Virginia and Maryland rent floors from us even if their reception is inside.
What types of dance floors can you rent for your wedding or event?
Being able to control and influence every nook and cranny of your wedding is important, which is why so many of our clients love being able to rent their own dance floors.
Here at Planet DJ Productions, we have a wide variety of dance floors for our clients to choose from, including more traditional styles (white and black dance floors) to more immersive floors, such as Starlit and LED dance floors.
Fusion, Starlit and LED dance floors
These type of floors will truly bring your party to life. Our technicians can customize the color scheme of the floor pattern to complement your theme. We can even customize the shapes and sizes of the patterns to help you create an experience unlike any other wedding your guests have ever seen.
Choosing the right size flooring to rent
How do you know how much flooring you’ll need for your wedding or event? Luckily, you don’t have to worry too much about it – our team will provide you a proper estimate. But to give you an idea, in our experience we’ve found that generally no more than half of the people at an event dance at any one time. Each couple requires nine square feet of space. Thus, if you have a party for 200 people, then 100 people (or 50 couples) will typically be the most number of people on the floor at any given time. You should estimate about 3’x3’ panel per couple.
But again, don’t worry about all that. The Planet DJ Production team knows how stressful wedding planning can be, which is why we’ll make it quick and easy for you to:
* Determine if you need to rent a dance floor
* Decide how much flooring you need
* Settle on the perfect style of flooring to suit your needs and budget
Remember, even if your reception is indoors, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the type of impact a rented floor can have on your guests. Looking to make your wedding or event memorable for a lifetime? Contact us today to see what we can do to help.
Category Archives: Corporate Events
Hosting a corporate event in the Greater Washington DC and Virginia area comes with its fair of challenges. It’s certainly not the same as planning a wedding or family party.
The audience is different. The atmosphere you’re hoping to create is different. And your goals for a corporate event are certainly nothing like your goals or expectations for a more intimate celebration.
And while there are many factors at play when hosting a corporate event, one of the most important – and first – steps you must take is choosing the right venue. But what, exactly, is the right venue?There are a few key factors you should always consider when choosing the venue for your corporate event:
– You should have a rough estimate of how many people will be in attendance.– You should know whether you need any special accommodations.
– Find out how long you’ll need the space for (and include the time it takes to set up and break down).
– What kind of AV needs do you have? Will you need surround-sound speakers? Will you need a screen or large, blank wall? Do you need rooms with plenty of outlets? With these questions in mind, it’s now time to investigate some of your possible venue options. Here in the Metro DC area, you’re fortunate to have plenty of venue options to choose from. However, keep in mind that DC is home to a lot of businesses and government entities. You can be certain that many venues are booked well in advance.
One of your best bets for finding potential venues for your corporate event in Washington DC is to find a company – like an event entertainment agency – that has close relationships with the venues in town.
Not only will this increase your chances of finding a venue that fits your needs and is available, but you might actually get a discount!
As you seek out your possible venue options, keep these 8 things at the forefront of your mind:
The Cost
You obviously have a specific budget for your event. Keep in mind that the cost of the venue is just one area of your budget to consider. You’ll also have to consider food, beverages, and entertainment.
The Location
Where are all your guests coming from? Are they coming from out of town, or are they all local? For out-of-towners, it might make sense to find a venue near the airport, or close to a travel-destination area in the city (so that they can get the most out of their trip).
The Ambiance
When you start visiting possible venues, keep your eye on the existing décor in each venue, as well as the architecture. Each event is designed to inspire and captivate your specific audience. Does your potential venue do the job well?
Amenities
Do you need a venue that has a kitchen? Is there a setup/clean-up crew? Does your venue have tables, chairs and linens that you can (and want to) use? And, very importantly, what kind of AV capabilities does your potential venue have? Do you need to bring your own equipment, extension cords and more?
Capacity and Minimums
If you followed our advice above, then you should already know how many attendees you’ll have. Now you need to know the venue’s room capacity, not only to ensure your venue can fit your guests comfortably, but also because there are strict fire and safety codes the venue has to abide by.
Also, are there any food and beverage minimums you should be aware of? If so, get this information in writing.
Parking
Do you need parking for your event? If so, find out if the venue has a lot or valet parking. Not every venue has a lot; if a venue you’re eyeing does not, find out if there are nearby lots that attendees can have access to.
Insurance
There are many venues that actually won’t do business with you unless you have liability insurance. Typically, you can ask your general liability insurance agent for an endorsement for your event. But start and plan early as this process can take some time.
Acoustics
Ah, and we finally come to the acoustics, a huge factor in whether your event is a hit, or a big flop. Have you ever been to an event where the speakers’ volume was so loud it was nearly impossible to hear? That’s because of poor acoustics.
Think of this: small, low-ceilinged venues may seem cozy, but can make your event extremely loud. A warehouse-like venue may result in large reverberation, so that your speakers sound like the teachers in a Peanuts cartoon.
You can discover more about the acoustics of your venue by:
– Asking to talk to past businesses that held an event there and get their reviews.– Working with an event agency that knows this kind of information about the venues across the region. As you can see, there’s a lot to consider when choosing your event’s venue. However, if you take the above into consideration when doing your research, you’ll find the perfect venue for your event.
Once you do, it’s time to choose the right lighting, sound, and entertainment. See what Planet DJ Productions can do for you to help your corporate event become the hit of the year.