Events | Shannon Procise

How to Celebrate Your Company’s One-Year Anniversary

October 11, 2022 By Shannon Gronich Leave a Comment

So your company’s coming up on its one-year anniversary. Congratulations! That’s a pretty significant milestone, one that you’ve put a lot of work into achieving. All that effort certainly warrants a celebration. So what should you do to celebrate your company’s one-year anniversary?

Talk about Your Successes

If there’s ever a time to brag about your business, it’s when you’ve reached important milestones. Your company’s one-year anniversary is a great opportunity to reflect on the successes that have brought you to this moment. Share them with any partners you have, your employees, and the community that supports your business. You could send out a newsletter, create a celebratory social media post, or even just take advantage of moments that present themselves in conversation.

Plan an Event

Holding an event is a great way to celebrate your company’s one-year anniversary. Just make sure you give yourself enough time in advance to put everything together. The date and purpose of the event are already a given, so the next big thing is to pick a venue. A good venue will have appropriate lighting and atmosphere for the purpose of your event. Once you pick the venue, you’ll need to book speakers, catering, and entertainment, figure out who you want to invite, and decide how you want to spread the word for your event.

Give Back to Those Who Made It Possible

There are quite a few people who made it possible for you to have a one-year anniversary to celebrate. Partners, employees, community, and consumers alike have all had roles to play. Why not give something back to them as a way to thank them for helping you get this far? Depending on the people you wish to give back to and the role they played, you could accomplish this by handwriting a personal thank you note (great for partners and employees), offering a celebratory bonus (employees are sure to love that), holding a sale (a great way to encourage repeat business and attract new customers), or engage in meaningful community outreach. In a way, it pays off to find a meaningful way to give back. Not only are these the people who have helped you get this far, but they’re also probably the ones who are in the best position to allow you to celebrate other anniversaries in the future.

It’s good to celebrate your successes, and seeing your company reach its one-year anniversary is a success that is worthy of a celebration. There are plenty of different ways to celebrate this milestone. Pick one that means something to you and those who have been with you from the beginning, whether that includes partners, employees, customers, or all of the above.

Check out this article on what your business needs to stand out visually!

Filed Under: Business, Events

How to Prepare to Hold Your Annual Corporate Event

August 18, 2022 By Shannon Gronich Leave a Comment

No matter what industry you work in or what business you work for, there is almost certainly an annual corporate event that takes place every year. These events have the potential to be a blast and to increase productivity, boost skills and education, and help connect your business in ways you never imagined. ON the other hand, corporate events can also be quite boring, pointless, and downright painful for attendees. It all comes down to your planning abilities. Here are three steps to help you prepare to hold your annual corporate event.

Choose a Venue

The first thing that you have to do to prepare to hold your annual corporate event is to choose a venue. The venue that you choose sets the stage for your event. You can host a large conference-type event in a conference center, depending on the size. But if you want to go for something a bit more unique, you can consider different areas like outdoor spaces. When choosing a venue, be sure to factor in location, seating, staffing, and security, as well as the necessary technological features and/or amenities that you need for your particular event.

Delegate the Planning

The next step to help you prepare to hold your annual corporate event is to delegate the planning as best you can. There are a lot of details to iron out for your annual corporate event. If you try to take everything on yourself, you will burn out. Everything right down to the music needs planning. Music can affect the energy in the room. But handling all of these details yourself is too much. As soon as you can, start handing out different tasks to others who are best suited to handle those details. Meanwhile, you can focus on the major issues.

Stay Calm

The final thing you need to remember to prepare to hold your annual corporate event is to stay calm during the process. The planning for your annual corporate event is going to be stressful. It is totally normal to be anxious that it won’t come together. But remember that it always feels like this, and it will be okay. Just trust yourself and your team and you will all make it to the other side in one piece.

Throwing an annual corporate event is no small feat. It takes a lot of hard work and preparation to bring it all together. If you can handle these three things, you can hold your annual corporate event without a hitch.

Check out this article on how to revamp your company benefits!

Filed Under: Business, Events

Nail Your Short Presentation at Work with These 5 Tips

November 22, 2018 By Shannon Gronich Leave a Comment

Making a brief presentation at work may seem like a no-brainer, but preparing one can prove to be challenging. It’s always a good idea to iron out the details of your presentation well ahead of time so you can nail it when the time comes. Here are five easy tips that can help you give an informational, inspiring and persuasive presentation in the workplace.

Keep the Audience Interested

Few things are less interesting than having to sit through a presentation that’s given in a monotone voice. Use voice inflections and intonation to emphasize important words and transitions, and pause momentarily to let important ideas sink in. If the occasion is informal or semiformal, you might address the audience directly rather than discussing the topic in third person. Use examples and details that relate to listeners so they can feel included, making references to daily life or demographics that connect with people in the audience. Also be sure to make eye contact occasionally with the audience throughout the presentation.

Resource: https://minutehack.com/guides/5-ways-to-keep-your-audience-interested

Pace Your Presentation

Rather than choosing to simply wing it and hope for the best, practice pacing your speech beforehand. Make an outline with key points and rehearse the talk smoothly from one point to the next. Keep an eye on the time to ensure your speech stays on track. A good rule of thumb for giving presentations is that every minute is roughly 125-150 words spoken, so a 5-minute speech would usually require 625 – 700 words. That being said, it’s always a good idea to plan for a few extra minutes in case audience members wish to ask questions afterward.

Resource: https://wordcounter.io/blog/how-many-words-is-a-5-minute-speech/

Incorporate a Story

Everyone loves to hear a good story, so aim to include some type of story in your talk that illustrates one of your presentation’s principles. A good choice is to draw from current events in the news that many in the audience will have heard of and perhaps identify with. You can also use personal experience or observations about the lives of others in certain situations. Using characters, real or fictitious, and a narrative format often encourages the audience to listen more attentively, and it can stoke their interest in your topic.

Resource: https://blog.slideshare.net/how-to-tell-great-stories-during-presentations

Use Humor

Like smiling, humor is a universal element that everyone can relate to. Many successful speakers start a presentation with a humorous anecdote or a comical remark about the context for the presentation. Use lighthearted humor rather than a sarcastic tone. However be sure to avoid slapstick comedy, which can dilute the seriousness of your topic and cause the audience to feel more entertained than educated. Self-deprecating humor is another easy way to start the presentation and often helps to put the speaker on par with the audience.

Resource: https://totalcommunicator.com/vol2_2/funnymeeting.html

A short talk can feel like it is over much too soon for audiences who enjoy and appreciate what they hear. Practice beforehand and give listeners fun and interesting things to consider. By following these steps you can ensure that your talk will not only be interesting to hear but also have the desired impact on your audience.

If you feel a little lost on or anxious about leading or running a business, then let Shannon Gronich help you out!

Filed Under: Business, Coaching, entrepreneurs, Events, Relationships

What are the Secrets to Throwing a Successful Seminar?

August 27, 2018 By Shannon Gronich Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Real Estate Elevated

Nowadays, there are seminars on all types of subjects. The purpose of these seminars is to provide quick access to information in a short amount of time. People visit seminars with certain expectations, so it is essential to make it as successful as possible. A significant key to a promising seminar is good leadership and teamwork. Here are other vital secrets to throwing a successful seminar:

Devise a Specific Theme

You will want to select a theme that correlates with the primary objectives of the seminar. The primary theme for any seminar should be to train and teach on a specific subject.

Showcase Leadership Qualities

Effective leadership skills will allow you to take charge of the flow of the seminar. Leaders stay organized, and they work to get the job done. These skills are critical to the success of the seminar. Those who attend and those who work under you will recognize that you are confident, in control, and you know what you are doing, and they will respect you for that.

Identify Keynote Speakers

The speakers that you select should have relevant knowledge on your specific seminar topic. The speaker should be reputable and charismatic. They should also be able to entertain while providing specific information to seminar attendees. Speakers could also be experts in their fields. Some great ways to find speakers are looking on LinkedIn, checking out other seminars and seeing who spoke at those, issuing a call for proposals, and using industry publications. Be sure that speakers have the right accommodations as well. Speakers will need to be able to park as close to the venue as possible. It is also a good idea to provide speakers with information for alternate modes of transportation to ensure they will arrive in a timely fashion.

Plan to Succeed

In order to plan to succeed, you must prepare. Research trends in the area you expect to host your seminar. You must also envision a successful end result for your plan. Plan a specific date, time and place for your seminar to be a success. Notate the specific tasks that you will need to accomplish. Assign a task for every detail to prevent mishaps and mistakes. Consider each and every small issue that could arise in advance.

Choose a Central Location

The location of the seminar is the ultimate predictor of the success of the event. It is best to choose a location that is easily accessible and offers free or low-cost parking. The location should also be functional. Attendees should have enough space to mingle and interact with one another. It is important for the seminar site to be in close proximity to an airport for attendees who aren’t local. This will attract more attendees for even greater success.

Focus on making your seminar as successful as possible by focusing on speakers, patrons and session topics. If these factors are in place, people will flock to attend. To book a complimentary event strategy session go to www.Meetme.so/ShannonGronich

Filed Under: Business, Events, Marketing

How to Become a Respected and Engaging Leader in Your Workplace

March 15, 2018 By Shannon Gronich Leave a Comment

Becoming a workplace leaders does not always mean that you are given a title and a pay raise, at least initially. You may have to prove yourself first. Fortunately, it is not that hard to do when you utilize the following strategies.

Lead by example.

Dress, speak, and act the part of the leader you want to become. Treat others the way you want to be treated to earn their respect. Don’t play favorites; instead, view everyone as equal. Perform your work in a positive and productive way to let others see that you are serious about your job and expect others to be, as well. Avoid negative behaviors such as being overly critical, judgmental, or biased. Maintain ethical integrity and encourage employees to do the same.

Apply leadership tactics.

Read books about leadership and study positive role models. Then do as they suggest to build rapport and gain respect at work. Plan projects efficiently to ensure success, selecting the most suitable individuals for each role. Monitor without micromanaging. Provide adequate training and skill-building opportunities to help employees reach their potential and excel at their jobs. Use company resources prudently to build success.

Encourage input.

An interactive workplace is more effective than one that operates from the top down. Use various means to solicit employee suggestions and feedback. For example, a suggestion box may attract new ideas or recommendations. Company newsletter recognition fosters awareness and appreciation of employee efforts. Meetings or focus groups enable employees to have a say about their department’s performance or problems. An interactive in-house discussion board may elicit informal comments or insights. Employees who feel valued are more like to respect and follow company leadership.

Provide structure.

Employees want to know how the company is doing and where it is headed. Routine updates or periodic reports will keep them apprised of the organization’s status and allow them to feel like they are part of the loop. Employees who feel disenfranchised are less productive and more likely to grumble about company policies or even leave their jobs if they are dissatisfied and feel unappreciated. Maintain a hierarchy of authority and an environment of openness to instill employees with security and a positive attitude toward your ability to lead.

It has been said that leaders are born, not made. But someone who is willing to stand up and show the way to others within a company can quickly earn respect as a leader.

Apply to attend the upcoming Business Acceleration Summit and mastermind with our industry leaders and mentors, including Forbes recognized Transformational Leadership Strategist.

Featured Image credit: ASEA

Filed Under: Business, entrepreneurs, Events, Relationships Tagged With: business, retreat, teamwork