FALL INTO EVENT PLANNING

Tis' the season for all things pumpkin spice and apple picking. The sunshine days are getting shorter and the air is beginning to cool. With fall comes event planning, for the holiday season and 2022 tradeshows.  While in-person events are starting to make a comeback we're certainly going to see hybrid events continuing into 2022.

We're sure that this comes at no surprise and in an effort to ease the burden of reinventing the wheel once again (hello 2020 and 2021 we're ready for a break already!) It's our pleasure to provide some fun venue, gift, and planning hacks to help navigate the planning season. 

MEA's Tips and Tricks for Event Planning

• Need a venue for a fall event? Look no further than the local Drive-In Theater. This venue allows for proper social distancing, is outside, and is a change of scenery from the living room everyone's been stuck in.  Drive-ins have seen a resurgence in business during the pandemic, opening up for private company events, movies, and concerts. Don't know where the closest drive-in is to you? Check out this website, to search for a venue near you! 

• Workforce remote but still want to drive up engagement scores? Plan a costume and or ugly holiday sweater contest via zoom. Send out a custom kit with themed cookies, the contest rules, and a mug with a seasonal drink, then let the fun begin! Just because we're not in the office doesn't mean we have to miss out on the fun holiday festivities.

• Struggling to keep all of your planning details in one place? Utilize programs like Smartsheet and Trello to help keep all planning details neat and tidy. Each program allows for cross-team collaboration, attachment of important documents such as mailing lists, contact details, invite artwork and so much more. Work smarter not harder!

•  What do you get for the client who has everything? Well, that's a tough cookie to crack. Over our 35 years of promotional gifting experience has taught us one thing, give a gift you'd like to receive and make sure it's a quality made item. Personalization is always a nice touch, including a name or monogram on an item takes it up a notch if you know what we mean. Experience kits are still a popular gift item and leather goods such as a travel duffel, wine caddy or padfolio hit the mark too.

Fall is a busy time of year, with so many fun things happening and a new year to start to plan for it's no wonder so many people love fall. Make the most of planning this year and be sure to get any orders for gifts and promotional items in early. Unfortunately, the supply chain issues we're seeing on the news won't be going anywhere anytime soon.