1 “Boh-nen-kai”: Forget the Year Party
Look to the Land of the Rising Sun for a lesson on how to wipe the business slate clean. A bōnenkai (忘年会 meaning "forget the year gathering") is a Japanese annual party that takes place at the end of the year, and held among groups of co-workers or friends. The purpose of this aptly named party is to forget the woes and troubles of the past year and look optimistically to the new year. These much-anticipated parties are centered around eating delicious food, games, karaoke and of course, copious amounts of beer, saké & whiskey. It’s often seen as appropriate to invite vendors or close business allies, but not clients. To host your own bōnenkai, choose a restaurant that can accommodate with platters of appetizers like yakitori, gyoza and sushi and plenty of bottles of beer and saké. Encourage everyone to mingle by setting up cocktail tables instead of dining tables. A great DJ can serve as your event emcee and provide the A/V equipment for a short speech/toast. If you have had big changes in your company or industry, or do business in a particularly stressful environment, hosting a bōnenkai is a great way to say ‘sayonara’ to 2015.
Pro Planner Tip: This is the kind of party that you will definitely want to put both a start and end time on the invitation. A 2.5 hour time limit tends to keep the revelry just within professional bounds. Scheduling complimentary taxi rides at the end of your party makes sticking to the time limit easier.
Venue Suggestion: Sushi Yako on 36th offers a stylish party atmosphere, has the menu, saké list and space for a DJ and dance floor/karaoke.
2 Volunteer Activity for Charity
Embrace the spirit of giving this season by sponsoring volunteer activities are not only fun for employees, but also good for business. Although not technically a party, this is a celebration of your staff’s gifts and the opportunity to share them with those in need. Invite customers, vendors, business supporters, friends & family to volunteer at a local charity. You can enhance your team’s esprit de corps while building the kind of community you would like to see. Best of all, a volunteer activity helps communicate your values in a tangible way.
Pro Planner Tip: Set up a tour of the entire facility and schedule a short presentation to hear from a leader in the organization about the charity’s mission & impact before you start your volunteer shift.
Venue Suggestion: The Downtown Soup Kitchen offers a wonderfully organized and bonding way for teams to spend a day in service. Order holiday aprons with your company logo on them for volunteers to wear and take home as a great reminder of the day.
3 Networking Holiday Party
There is more to holiday parties than free booze and puff pastry appetizers- they can be business building goldmines! As an entrepreneur or business professional, you need to take advantage of every opportunity to network and lay the groundwork for business growth in the new year. For professionals in Alaska, networking and relationship building are the lifeblood of our career health. By offering a networking event, you establish your soiree as an essential destination on the holiday party tour. Sell the value of the connections guests can make at the event, not the free food or booze. In order to deliver priceless networking that results in new contacts and business opportunities, the priority for your planning efforts should be to create a great guest list and ensure they come. The key to meeting your attendance goal in this busy season is to invite at least 300% more people than you would like to see.
Pro Planner Tip: This is the type of party you will want to advertise within your industry, but more importantly in the industries you want to build more clientele. Encourage your guests to bring business development and sales team members who are most likely to find value in networking.
Venue Suggestion: The Hard Rock Cafe Anchorage- 2nd Floor private party room offers the most stylish spot for the money thanks to stellar lighting, music, and a great bar. In addition, they validate parking at all the nearby garages & can create custom menus. Ask to use the Hard Rock Cafe step & repeat photo backdrop and bring in custom props with your company logo on them. Create a hashtag to help track your post-event social media buzz. #AKbizbash #rockinaroundtheANC #whoswhoANC
4 Hottest Tickets in Town With VIP Party
Thanks to the Anchorage Concert Association, the Anchorage Opera and myriad theater companies, the holiday season is chock full of cultural performances for all ages. This is the
perfect opportunity to let employees, customers and vendors invite their families. Employees appreciate being able to treat their families to special experiences that they don’t have to pay for. You may want to provide at least four tickets to each employee so their family or friends may attend. Don’t be stingy with the tickets: Remember, you are offering access to a great holiday experience. You will benefit from as many people as possible raving about the event & your generous company afterward!Host a VIP reception at any one of the nearby restaurants before the performance. Be sure to pre-order the food so you don’t miss your show times and have signage at reserved tables featuring your company branding so it feels official.
Pro Planner Tip: If you want to accommodate a variety of tastes, or have a large number of attendees, let your employees choose between two events. Be sure that you attend both shows that you offer tickets for. Provide thoughtful hospitality by paying for snacks/beverages during intermissions.
Venue Suggestion: This type of alternative holiday party could also center around a hockey game or even the Star Wars movie premiere. Imagine how excited the adults kids will be when you hand out light sabers at the end of the movie!
Private Venue Suggestion: With Rob Kineen & Delicious Dave taking over the kitchen at The Tap Root, the music hub now offers a fantastic space for a casual, festive party with private music performances, great food and a full bar. The space can be decorated and customized for your branding, and there is even room for a photo booth in the green room.
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