Category Archives: Party Planning

How to attract social media attention to your grand opening

Grand Opening Ideas: How to Attract Social Media Attention

You only get one chance at a grand opening. These unique ideas using photos and social media will help make the launch of your store or business a viral sensation. 

It’s not exactly revolutionary to point out how popular social media has become. Social networks are everywhere, it often seems, and research backs up this conclusion: According to data compiled by Statista, 81 percent of Americans had a profile on at least one social media site. On a worldwide basis, approximately 1.96 billion users are on social media, with projections positing that 2.5 billion profiles will be active by the time 2018 rolls around.

Its imperative to consider how a grand opening will appear, not only for the attendees, but also how people in the Facebook, Instagram and Twitter-verses will react to and spread word about the event.

Use the right networks
Facebook is, by the numbers, the most prominent social media platform, having surpassed its peers some time ago to reach 1 billion users and claiming 1.5 billion accounts as of January 2016. As such, if you haven’t set up a Facebook page in advance of the big day, it behooves you to rectify that sooner rather than later.

Fit Small Business emphasized the high value of Facebook-based promotions, and particularly how ideal they are for grand openings. Your company should post some photos of the finished location (exterior is better, for aesthetic reasons) as well as pictures of its products, if applicable. But don’t neglect other networks per se: If the company has a broad demographic appeal, add Instagram, Twitter and other platforms to the social media mix.

Stage the opening like a party
There’s a reason for the use of the word “grand” in the term “grand opening.” It’s supposed to be a celebration! Your event should be worthy of the large-scale joviality that such a phrase is meant to indicate.

As Entrepreneur magazine pointed out, it will be prudent to budget the event like a party, albeit not a massive one – after all, you will soon need to be allocating your financial resources toward day-to-day business expenses. But it’s no massive expense to purchase a red carpet backdrop that you can place within the entrance, to aesthetically whet the appetite of incoming potential customers. If seeking to further the impression of a gala affair, a backdrop with the company’s logo stitched diagonally across will stand out quite prominently.

To help persuade grand-opening attendees to post images of the event on their own social media profiles, consider staging a contest for the goofiest photo, or the most appealing pose that incorporates the company’s product. With the right hashtag, this can blow up online faster than you might think.

Throw your own fashion week gala!

Fun and fresh theme ideas for a local fashion show

Hosting a local fashion show is a great way to raise money for a good cause, instill school or community spirit or just have a fun social event. Giving your local showcase a specific theme can really help get everyone excited and make it easier to promote, offline and on social media. Consider some of these fun and fresh theme ideas for your next runway spectacular:

Seasons in transition
A seasonally inspired show is a great way to mark the passing of time and to give your designs a cohesive color scheme. The fashion blog LEAFtv urges budding designers and fashionistas to follow these basic seasonal guidelines:

  • Winter: Crisp whites, furs (or fake fur), chic scarves, hats and other accessories. Complete your decor with a white runway and blue lighting.
  • Fall: Rustic fashions composed of reds, yellows, oranges. Velvets, yarn and fleece. Create layered, practical looks. Adorn you runway with dried leaves and tinder.
  • Spring: Rich, vibrant pastels with floral finishes. Mix earthy tones and textures with accessories that simulate the budding of flowers.
  • Summer: Bright colors, bold tropical hues. Keep the clothing itself light and flowing for a breezy, fun feel.

Whichever season you choose, adding a step and repeat/red carpet area for arriving guests will add to the fun. SignArtEtc offers customizable backdrops for photo ops, in any color and with any graphics you would like to use. And our professional layout services are free! The backdrop will make your photos look like they came straight from a big-name fashion show in NYC, Paris or Milan.

“Have your designers make futuristic dresses.”

Back in time – or to the future
Instead of trying to emulate modern fashions, why not choice a specific era in history and have models dress accordingly? Do a little research into the Renaissance, ancient Rome, the Victorian or Elizabethan era and see what fashion of the time seems the most exciting. Or for something a little easier to design on a budget, why not try a more modern era like the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s or ’80s? You can borrow your parents (or grandparents) era-specific clothing or raid your local Goodwill in search of the perfect outfit.

Not interested in seeing past fashions repeat themselves? Look to the future! Have your designers make futuristic dresses and space-age formal wear inspired by fashion to come. Let your imagination run wild!

A trip to the beach – or under the sea
Swimwear has always been a staple of chic fashion shows, so why not throw your own beach or nautical themed showcase? Turn your venue into a tropical paradise by adding some cardboard cut out palm trees and distribute leis to your guests. Everything from swimwear to sailing outfits will give the show a fun, summery feel.

Alternatively, you let your theme be “Under the Sea.” Turn your models into mermaids and mermen with sequined fish scale designs, seashell accessories and bright undersea colors.

A fall fashion theme can be a great way to celebrate the season!A fall fashion theme can be a great way to celebrate the season!

“Who says all your models have to be humans?”

Fashionable pets
Who says all your models have to be humans? A pet fashion show is a fun and funny way to get the community out to see what kind of crazy costumes and couture-inspired outfits you can come up with. Just be careful: Some of your “models” may be a bit touchy and overexcited by all the noise and stimulation.

Fictional or historical characters
Think of this as a part Halloween costume contest, part high fashion show. Have your designers take their favorite works of art – whether it’s a novel, movie, painting, song, etc – and base their work on that. Encourage them to think outside the box and just use the work of art as inspiration, rather than feeling beholden to reproduce it perfectly.

Whatever theme you choose, the key is to have fun and make it a can’t miss gala event. A customized backdrop can give your guests and models the touch of glamour, just like a Hollywood red carpet. Contact Sign Art Etc today to learn more.

A charity fashion show fundraiser can do wonders for your favorite cause.

Charity Fashion Show: Themes and Ideas to Boost Donations

A charity fashion show – often mounted in conjunction with events like New York Fashion Week – can be a great way to raise funds for your cause of choice. While benevolence is certainly a strong motivator, throwing an event that is fun and exciting can make it easier to attract attention, get locals interested in attending and boost proceeds.

“You can seek sponsorship from local or national businesses.”

Getting started 
The most important thing you’ll need to do to get your fashion fundraiser underway is secure donations. Ideally, try and get your designers to donate their time and designs to the show, or at least work at a discounted rate. Similarly, see if you can find a venue with owners willing to support your cause. If you can contact local retailers and put together some donated raffle prizes, all the better.

Alternatively, you can seek sponsorship from local or national businesses. This sponsorship can take the form of a direct contribution, the donation of a vital resource or even some kind of matching donation, where your sponsor kicks in money for every ticket sold or dollar generated. These sponsors can be promoted and acknowledged via custom backdrops and banners with branded logos printed on them. 

Set admission and raffle ticket costs low enough so that you attract the most amount of attendees. KonectIDY says that the most common price point for charity event admissions is $5 per ticket. The authors also point out that maximizing ticket sales ahead of time can help in budgeting and incentivize people to plan on attending.

Having trouble deciding on a show theme? Here are a few fun ideas — and what you’ll need to make them happen:

For Kids
A kids fashion show is a fun, exciting idea – particularly if you can feature designs or models who are part of the group you’re raising money for. Reach out to local schools, after-school programs, clubs and other groups with kids of various ages and take a roll call as to who would like to take part. Have the kids design their own fashions and outfits – you might be amazed at how inspired and eccentric they turn out! Plot out the show into sections segregated by age group, so that kids of roughly the same age get to walk the aisles together.

The kids taking part in the show will love the opportunity to strut their stuff and you’ll be able to raise awareness for your cause through their enthusiasm.

Prom Fashions 
As a way to get fashion inspiration for one of the biggest social events of the school year, a prom-themed show is sure to be a hit. Ask local teens to design or pick out their favorite formal wear and invite them to be models for a day. From dresses to tuxedos, look for what’s hot from the world of pop culture and try and create a spin on that. Make sure to plan it in advance of local school proms, homecomings and other formal dances. To really maximize funds for your charity of choice, consider raffling off some of the showcased outfits or custom tailoring services from a local suit or dress shop.

Maternity
For a show that can subtly evoke themes of family and parenting, maternity fashions are often underexposed, yet connect with people on a deep level. Additionally, if you are trying to raise funds for motherhood- or adoption-oriented charities, this can tie the whole event together.

As Fundraiser Help points out, the market for maternity wear is significant, yet it is a relatively niche product, thus offering a more limited selection. Reach out to prominent maternity wear designers and retailers, but also encourage local designers to generate their own outfits. You can even involve some infant fashion to make your event more varied — and adorable.

Whether you are looking for a backdrop to complete your red carpet or you need branded vinyl banners for your sponsors, Sign Art Etc can make it happen. Contact us today to learn more.

A step and repeat backdrop can give your engagement party a fun, beautiful atmosphere.

Engagement Party Ideas to Celebrate the Love

While traditionally the bride’s parents are in charge of the engagement party, it’s perfectly common for the couple to host it themselves. Whoever is planning the event, these ideas will help ensure a fun, beautiful event for both families.

Atmosphere
If you’re holding the party at a restaurant or function hall, you can work with them to help set up decorations, or bring your own. Whatever type of motif the wedding will have, an engagement party with a personalized backdrop can set the tone. At SignArtEtc you can design it yourself with custom text, colors and images. Or just give us the specs and image files and we’ll design it for you at no extra charge.

The happy couple, their families and other guests can pose in front of the banner, letting them practice for all of the wedding pictures they have coming!

Guests
While traditionally the engagement party was an opportunity for the bride and groom’s immediate families to meet one another for the first time, over the years it has become more of an opportunity to invite their closest friends and family to celebrate the happy occasion. Some couples include friends, colleagues and people they care about who might not be invited to the wedding. Some couples may stick with tradition and only invite their families and closest friends. For most, guests who are invited to the engagement party are also invited to the wedding, but really, it’s whatever the couple wants it to be.

A step and repeat banner will give any engagement party a beautiful, fun atmosphere.

Food
Unlike the wedding, the engagement party doesn’t need to have a proper sit  down dinner. Since the meal doesn’t have to be formal, you can serve whatever the couple likes. You can set up a buffet-style meal to make it easier, or even bring in a food truck if it’s outside. Hello Magazine suggested serving a cake with a cute message like “She said yes!” as the dessert. Just make sure it doesn’t show up the future wedding cake.

Drinks
Champagne, of course! Once the party is in full swing, hold a champagne toast to the happy couple. If you’d rather go the non-alcoholic route, sparkling cider or other type of juice is the perfect alternative. If there are other guests making toasts, such as family members, Punchbowl suggests that you find out ahead of time so you can allocate time for everyone. In addition to champagne, you could also serve a specialty cocktail of the couple’s choosing.

Get into the spirit this Valentine's Day!

Ideas to Plan a Love-Filled Valentine’s Day Event

For local businesses like bars, restaurants and nightclubs, Valentine’s Day can be a blessing or a curse. More than almost any other date of the year, consumers are inclined to hit the town for a day or evening of romance and adventure. At the same time, if your Valentine’s Day event doesn’t woo your prospective guests, you could risk losing them to “sexier,” more exciting local happenings.

Valentine’s Day can be big business for local establishments. According to the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association “Valentine’s Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey,” consumers as a whole spend an average of $13.19 billion every year on the holiday, with the average per person expenditure a little over $100. Over a third of consumers celebrating the holiday will have dinner at restaurants. To make sure that your Valentine’s Day event hits its target like cupid’s arrow, consider each of the following ideas for turning your establishment into a can’t-miss romantic destination:

The Sign of Love
In dating, first impressions are supremely important. The same goes for throwing a Valentine’s Day event. You want your establishment to feel like something special, not business as usual. First, consider signage or banners that call attention to the events you have going on. If your guests don’t realize you’re doing anything special for the holiday, why would they bother to attend? A vinyl banner hung outside of your establishment can be a quick and easy way to signal that your business is getting into the spirit.

“Make sure that your Valentine’s Day event hits its target like cupid’s arrow.”

Set the Mood
Dimmed lighting, candles, rose petals and other aesthetic choices evoking the feeling of an intimate, romantic evening are all essential to transform your restaurant or bar into the perfect Valentine’s Day nightspot. A soundtrack of sultry R&B songs and romantic ballads can help complete the mood.

Celebrity Couples (for a Night)
One fun and flirty idea is to host a red carpet inspired soiree, complete with custom step and repeat for photos. Make couples feel like movie stars and celebrities by encouraging formal attire, providing a complimentary glass of wine or champagne and gift bags at the end of the evening.

A Kissing Booth
Alternatively, you can employ a branded backdrop to be the setting of a “kissing booth.” Encourage your guests to stage romantic pictures, exchanging smooches in front of your backdrop. Develop your own hashtag that includes the name of your establishment so that when couples tag their Valentine’s Day photos, you’ll be able to easily locate them and re-post.

Offer a Package
A restaurant that offers a full evening’s menu can attract more guests and streamline operations. Consider scaling back your usual a la carte menu offerings in favor of a package deal that includes an appetizer, dinner, wine and dessert for a single price.

Don’t Forget the Swinging Singles
If you’re looking for an idea that is a bit more offbeat and eccentric, why not host an event geared toward singles? Whether you decide on a purposely “unromantic” anti-Valentine’s Day event or a speed dating mixer, catering to a more niche audience may in the end help your establishment stand out from the crowd.

Just like you wouldn’t want to wait until the last minute to get your sweetheart flowers, don’t let Valentine’s Day event planning sneak up on you. For all your sign, backdrop and step and repeat needs, Sign Art has you covered. Contact us today to learn more.