In this tough economy, it's tempting just to cancel the Christmas office party altogether. But that's just being lazy. Let's explore some radical ideas that may save you some money in 2010:
Hold your office party during off-peak times. This is easily one of the biggest ways to save money on your event. My unscientific estimate concludes that nearly 95% of all companies will hold their office parties on either Saturday, December 4 or Saturday, December 11. I completely made that up, but you get the idea.
- Hold your office party any day of the week besides Friday or Saturday. There are five other days of the week to choose from. Show some love to Sunday. How about giving Wednesday a shout out? Want to really give your employees a thrill? Hold your party on a Thursday night and close the office the following Friday. Now that's a Christmas gift!
- Hold your office party any other month besides December. I've noticed more companies moving their events until after the holidays. January is a fantastic time to host your office party. The post-holiday doldrums have begun to set in, and people need a good jolt to get them fired up again for the new year. And believe me, venues, caterers and entertainers would love to have some extra business during January. You'll get a lot more options to chose from, less competition and possibly some significant cost savings.
- Hold your office party any other time besides 7PM. Lunchtime parties are becoming more common. How about a party at Noon on Friday, then close for the rest of the day? That's something to get excited about! What about 2:00 PM or 4:00 PM?
At least take a few minutes to ask if there are any costs savings to holding the event another night of the week. You may be surprised at what you find!
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