How to Plan an Evening Business Mixer
A vital aspect in expanding your career options and growing is social networking with others in your industry. Having an extensive list of contacts can become incredibly beneficial. Business mixers are a great way to touch base with old colleagues and meet new contacts. It also encourages people to build new relationships in hopes of trusted, word-of-mouth referrals. The key to planning an event requires organization and planning. A successful industry mixer promotes interaction in a fun atmosphere but also supports fostering those business contacts after the mixer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Photographer
- Web designer
- Invitations
- Entertainment
- Event location
- Local media (journalists, photographers, industry bloggers, etc.)
- Gift bag with contact list
- Guest speaker(s)
- Catered food and drinks
- Servers
Instructions
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Event Planning a Business Mixer
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Make a list of all the guests.
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Find and secure a location (bar, club, conference hall, landmark) to hold the event. Discuss budget, seating arrangements, parking arrangements, doorman or guest list checker and any other important information.
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3
Hire a caterer who can plan either a full dinner meal or appetizers. Find out if they also provide servers and bartenders.
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4
Create and send out invitations.
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Invite one or two guest speakers who are leaders in the industry who can provide motivation and professional insight.
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6
Hire a photographer(s) to take pictures of the guest to encourage interaction.
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Hire a source of entertainment like a band, stand-up comedian or, for smaller events, a trivia host.
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Create a website for the event. Include a summary of the event, contact information, directions, etc. Use the website after the event to post pictures.
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9
Send press releases and extend the invitation to local media, such as newspapers, bloggers, television and radio.
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10
Create gift, thank-you bags for your guests. Add freebie gifts that are geared towards the specific industry. Be sure to add a contact sheet that includes all the guests' names and business contact information.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider expanding your industry to include others that may not be directly linked but are just as important. For example, if the business mixer is for real estate agents, extend the invitation to mortgage brokers and real estate developers.
To stay on budget and time, some locations may be willing to provide location, food, drinks and servers all for a discounted price.
Try using a free email invitation instead of mail invitations to save money and time. Just be sure to send it out with a specific RSVP confirmation reply and to follow-up with a reminder when it is closer to the date of the event.
