The 6 Best Event Planning Ideas for Summer

Summer is a great time to put unique event planning ideas into action. Here’s some tips that will help your company make the most out of the season.

1. Add the unexpected; take it outdoors.

Most brand events are held indoors in traditional venues like conference rooms, banquet halls and business centers. Attract notice by being different and take your event outdoors. You might even get the added bonus of financial savings since the summer is offseason for most corporate events. But be sure to let people know the date as soon as possible so they can schedule it around vacations, family outings etc. If you plan to have your event on a weekend, make sure it doesn’t conflict with other popular summer events like festivals and concerts.

2. Discover new venues for your brand experience.

Add that wow factor to your event planning ideas by focusing them around outdoor experiences that aren’t commonly associated with business events. A local park, zoo, botanical garden, ballpark, golf course, cruise, beach or pool can give your event a more personable feel and sense of fun with which a stuffy conference room can’t compare.

3. Plan with the weather in mind.

Summer weather can be unpredictable depending on your event location. The season can be extremely hot or harbor hurricanes and storms, so make sure shelter is available in case the unexpected happens. Having a pavilion or room with a large patio nearby or adjacent to your event can offer quick relief from the rain or other extremes.

4. Offer plenty of refreshment choices.

With the hot temperatures, it is important to make sure that everyone at your event stays hydrated. Prepare with plenty of beverage selections that incorporate fresh fruits and even fun details like umbrellas and branded drink stirrers and cocktail sticks. For food offerings, think in-season locally grown fresh fruits or vegetables and lighter fare foods that contain water.

5. Showcase the season as part of your event planning ideas.

Make people feel like they’re on vacation instead of giving one up to attend your event. Create an event theme that uses fresh flowers or watermelon, grapefruit or other locally grown fruit as centerpieces. Party favors with a tropical flare are always popular and easy to do well.

6. Make your entertainment personalized and powerful.

The cornerstone of any event is great entertainment options. It not only attracts attention but also gives people fond memories of a great time spent together. Music can add ambience to any event but also consider doing something innovative, especially if your company is in the high tech or other type of cutting-edge industry. It can associate your brand with a sense of magic and even give you practical information about your audience.

For instance, a social media photo booth provides event guests with the opportunity to capture the moment with branded photos and videos they can print out or share on social media, while collecting valuable information like email addresses, phone numbers, customer feedback and more. Plus, all the images can be uploaded directly to your social media fan pages boosting your followers and ‘likes’, while enlarging your event audience online as well as offline. It can also add authentic user generated content to your online presence.

From simple in-store product launches to industry conferences or music festivals and sports expos, successful event planning ideas start with original concepts that inspire personally meaningful and memorable interaction. Summer is the perfect season to spread the word about your brand with one-of-a-kind event experiences.