Client appreciation events are a great way to show your clients how much you care. Not only will you set yourself apart from the competition, but you’ll also solidify meaningful relationships with the heart of your business. After all, happy clients mean greater retention, referrals, and expansion; everything a business needs to thrive long-term!
That said, a fair amount of planning is required to throw a successful event. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the process, we’re here to alleviate some stress.
Below, our in-house event planner shares her expert tips for throwing an unforgettable client appreciation event:
Schedule a date
Decide on your budget
Book an appropriate venue
Plan your decor and activities
Send invite reminders
Re-market your event
Host an Unforgettable Client Appreciation Event at Rocket SPACE.
With room for up to 300 guests, our spacious outdoor lawn, patio, and amphitheater make up the perfect venue for alfresco dining and speaker presentations. Your clients and team can gather, mingle, and take beautiful photos against the backdrop of our charming, airy space.
Worried about the AZ heat? Don’t be. We have a 1,200-square-foot climate-controlled indoor venue, complete with a refreshment bar and zoned kitchen area. Let our friendly staff set up tables and chairs (free of charge!) and decorate with personal touches to make your event “pop.”
Best of all, our professional event planner is here for stress-free planning. Whether you want to oversee all details of your event or let us take the reins, we’ll ensure your client appreciation event goes off without a hitch!
Schedule a Date
First things first, you’ll need to schedule a date for your event. We recommend planning at least 6 months in advance (if you can).
Depending on how many clients you plan to invite, or even if you’re planning a celebration for one large client and their staff, you’ll need to coordinate everyone’s availability. That’s a lot of communication leg-work! Especially if you’re looking to host during a busy time of year, such as the holiday season.
To help make the process easier, we recommend presenting multiple date and time options, either in survey format or simply via email. Once your clients’ responses start to trickle in, you’ll be able to plan internally for the best times to host your event.
Don’t be discouraged if your clients are slow to respond, or if your initial proposed dates don’t work and you need to rethink the calendar. Securing a date is often the hardest part of planning any event. It’s why we recommend planning months in advance. You don’t want to go through the stress of booking a venue or securing vendors, only to have to constantly re-schedule.
Decide on Your Budget
Once you’ve got a date set, it’s time to decide on your budget.
How much do you want to spend? Or, how much can you realistically afford to spend? It’s important to narrow this down fast. There are a lot of event hosting expenses that need to be allocated, and you don’t want to spend all of your budget on a venue, for example, only to realize you still need food, drinks, and other essential party vendors.
To start, we recommend setting a max budget for the entire event. Then, make a list of your priorities (food, decor, activities, music, etc), in successive order.
Do you want a killer DJ for a fun evening of music and dancing? An out-of-this-world caterer for an elegant sit-down dinner? Certain things may matter more to you than others, and by listing them in order of importance, you’ll have an easier time setting aside the budget for them.
Pro tip:
Keep in mind that event budgets fluctuate. There may be last-minute expenses you didn’t plan for. So, to alleviate any financial stress, we always recommend adding 15% to your total budget. That way if you have any incidental costs, you won’t have to worry about going over budget.
Book an Appropriate Venue
Once you’ve got your budget set, it’s important to book a venue that can accommodate your guest list and any planned activities.
For example, if you’re planning an adult-only get-together with hors’doeuvres, dinner, and drinks, you may want a relaxing, intimate space such as a restaurant, boutique hotel banquet room, or dedicated event venue.
On the other hand, if you’re planning a family-friendly, daytime event with games and activities like corn hole, paint by numbers, or pottery-making, it’s important to make sure the venue has the space you need for it.
At Rocket SPACE, our ½-acre outdoor event lawn, spacious amphitheater, and charming patio can accommodate up to 300 guests, and comes with convenient indoor amenities like a zoned kitchen area, refreshment bar, and restrooms just steps away.
We also provide handpicked vendor recommendations, so if you’re looking for local caterers, bartenders, photo booths, event rentals, and more, rest assured we’ve got you covered!
Our event staff is here to make the planning process stress-free and easy. Call us at (480) 347-9687 or book a free tour online today.
Plan Your Decor and Activities
Now that you’ve got a venue secured, it’s time to think about how you want to decorate the space or set up your activities.
To get inspired, search on Pinterest, Instagram, or Google for “event decor” or “event themes” and start scrolling through some images. If you find something you like, click on the image to see similar suggested photos or ideas. Then bookmark, save, or pin what you like so you can begin to identify what aspects of the event you want to replicate.
Do you love the table settings, floral centerpieces, and tasty appetizers? Or do you see fun event activities like wine tasting, cooking classes, or ice cream socials? Whatever you choose, it’s important to start making arrangements. Be it coordinating with local florists, reserving a caterer, or purchasing decorations, you’ll want to start thinking about layouts for your event, and how to set everything up the day-of.
At Rocket SPACE, our friendly event staff will help you brainstorm and envision creative ideas for your decor and activities. And on the day of your event, we’ll handle the setup of tables and chairs to your exact specifications, at no extra charge!
Send Invite Reminders
Once you’ve secured a venue and planned your decor, food, and/or activities, it’s crucial to send our event reminders. With how much time and money you’ve put into preparing for your event, you’ll want as many clients as possible to attend!
Event management sites like Eventbrite are great for managing RSVPs, and they’ll often send automated reminders to guests who haven’t replied yet. You can also utilize Facebook event pages, and then make your own reminder posts with incentivizing “teasers” that drop hints at the tasty food and drinks or fun activities to come.
Re-Market Your Event
On the day of your event, your top priority should be mingling with clients and having FUN. But in the midst of enjoying the day or night, don’t forget to snap plenty of photos so you can re-market the event later.
By posting on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other social channels, you’ll not only remind clients how much fun they had, but also how fun your company is to work with! Chances are, your clients will share these posts, which means your business will gain exposure to more communities. This in turn could lead to new clients who are enticed by how well you treat your current ones.
Need a beautiful venue for your client appreciation event? Take a tour of Rocket SPACE, a hidden gem in the heart of Phoenix’s East Valley.
As a local Gilbert event venue, we know firsthand how special clients are. That’s why our dedicated event planning staff will work closely with you to throw a magical event for your clients or customers. Rest assured they’ll leave smiling and glad they RSVP’d!
We have a large event lawn for dining tables and catered buffet lines, a spacious amphitheater and stage for entertainment and speeches, and convenient indoor amenities like a 24-foot indoor bar and restrooms.
Plus, Modern Moments is conveniently located within minutes of I-60. No matter what direction your clients are coming from, they’ll enjoy easy access— including ample parking.
Call us at (480) 347-9687 to schedule a free tour today. We’d love to show you around, answer any questions you have, and help you plan the event of your dreams!