Party idea submitted by BizGirl Feb 2nd, 2008

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   • Corporate Events

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     By: The PartyGirl of Party411.com
     Company Picnic
     There are a lot of reasons to have a company picnic.
     * They build company morale.
     * They show appreciation for employees and their efforts.
     * They show commitment to employees and their families.
     * They strengthen teamwork.
     But the Number 1 reason to have a company picnic is to have fun!
     Of course, having all that fun requires hard work but if you follow a few simple suggestions your picnic will be worth the effort.
     Get Organized
     Start with a notebook divided into sections for Budget, Location, Raffle Items, Party Favors, Food and Beverages, Invitations, Activities, and Entertainment. For even the smallest picnic you’ll have to answer questions in each of these areas and the notebook helps you keep everything you need in one place.
     Start with your budget. The company will give you limited dollars to spend and that budget will dictate most of your decisions. Next figure out how many people will attend. For company picnics we usually figure 80% of the people invited will show. Multiply that number by 2 and a half to account for spouses and kids and you should have a number to work with that makes sense.
     Some companies augment their budget by charging employees a small fee for the event. Sounds gauche but if you have it at an amusement park or a water park it could be warranted and it will help prevent people inviting the extended families and all their friends.
     Pick a location
     Try to find a reserved spot for your group. Who wants to police other groups and compete over ball fields or horseshoe pits? Make sure you have enough room for your group. It’s a picnic so people will want room to move and kids will want to explore and run all over. Try to find a spot that offers alternatives for activities. Of course you’ll need a pavilion just in case it rains. Many companies pick amusement parks and they can be a blast. It is hard to get the group all together though and you won’t have much in the way of group activities. These parks are probably a better solution for larger companies that would be hard pressed to find a park setting large enough for thousands of people.
     Invitations, Agendas, Raffles, and Food
     Try to send your invitations out at least 30 days before the event. Summertime is busy for everyone so gets on peoples calendar as soon as possible. The picnic will be fun so your invitation should be fun too. A great option is a personalized candy bar wrappers used as an invitation. Your employees will save the wrapper and eat the candy and they certainly won’t forget the invite! Ask for an RSVP. It will help with your planning. Prepare an agenda for the day so people know where to be. You don’t want to cook food all day so let people know you are serving from 3-5 and the softball game is at 2, and the raffle at 6, etc. Raffles are a great way to spark interest in the picnic. Many of our clients ask for donations from other companies. It takes time to solicit raffle prizes and it should be the job of a committee not a single person! Try to have one great grand prize. It creates excitement and of course you can’t win if you’re not present at the picnic. Another great thing about raffles is they force everyone to get together for at least part of the day.

     Food is important!! Your picnic can be catered, potluck, or have your boss cook hotdogs and burgers on the grill. Remember your budget will dictate what you can or can’t do. Whatever the final decision let your employees know what to expect. You’ll find people can be very accommodating as long as they know what’s up in advance. Don’t forget to make the alcohol policy known.
     Decorations and Party Favors
     You really want to create a festive atmosphere. Get a professionally made banner from MakesParties. Imprinted balloons always liven up a place and they’re great fun for the kids. For party favors try water bottles with personalized labels. They’re useful. They’re different.
     Activities and Entertainment
     It’s a picnic, so everyone should have tons to do! Here are a few quick ideas
     * Carnival Game Booths
     * Horseshoes
     * Volleyball (bring a net from home)
     * Face painters
     * Paddle Boats
     * Clowns
     * Caricature Artists
     * Softball Games
     * Bocce games
     * Pony rides
     * Football Frisbee
     * Pinata bash
     * Sack races, egg toss, wheelbarrow races, etc for the kids.
     It’s a big list. Pick what works for your group and remember all kids like to win something. You’ll probably want to designate someone as the games coordinator.
     Well you have all the pieces you need to have a great company picnic. I can’t help you with the weather, but, if you have any other questions, drop me a line!

     Photo by: Timeflicks on flickr
     http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en-us

   • Party Type: Corporate event
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