Alice Coxeter’s Post

Last week, we celebrated Anything is Possible’s sixth summer party in high style with UK Garage heroes - Romeo, Lisa Maffia, and Timeless from the legendary So Solid Crew. It was a great night. The Anything is Possible house band was amazing, and the agency’s host of accomplished DJs (Silja Riquelme, Chloe Hague, and Mark Raymond) meant we danced late into the night at the beautiful One Garden Brighton. The Agency is proud of our internal events. Summer, Halloween, Christmas—or whenever we can think of an appropriate excuse - they are always brilliantly organised by Ndeshi Shipanga. But there’s more to a great work party than mere hedonism. They help define us as a team, working towards a common goal. By letting go for a few hours, we renew our trust and focus on the great work that defines us as a group of professionals. Celebrating achievements big and small also plays a crucial role. Recognising and celebrating milestones, wins, and individual accomplishments reinforces a culture of appreciation, making everyone feel valued and motivated. Shared rituals build a sense of belonging and continuity. They give us a concrete example of who we are and why we do what we do -something we can share and point at and say ‘this is us’. They make us want to work better and smarter, to benefit ourselves and each other (and, of course, our clients!) Six years in, these traditions are part of the agency’s identity, fostering deeper connections among team members and setting unspoken expectations around behavioural norms. The parties strengthen friendships, encouraging a supportive atmosphere that extends into the workplace. The only downside is having to constantly outdo ourselves with better and better parties each year as we strive to create the greatest (workplace) show on earth. The Euros and Olympics give us plenty of excuses to get together in the coming months. And looking ahead to next summer, who can we get who’s bigger than So Solid? Does anyone have Taylor Swift’s number? #agencylife #marketingagencies #summerparties #ukgarage #peopleandculture #culture

Come enjoy some Moroccan vibes at our Springtime Speak Easy! If it's your first time and you want to buddy up just drop me a little message after ordering your free ticket 🤝  #SiliconSouthUK #Bournemouthnetworking #Dorsetnetworking #Dorsetbusinesses #Dorsetbusinesshub #Dorsetbusinesswomen #Dorsetbusinessowner #Dorsetbusinessnetwork #Dorsetfreelance #Dorsetbusiness

Our second helping of Christmas tips to ensure that your pop-up, event and/or Christmas Fair goes well! 👉Create a festive and inviting display: Your display is the first thing potential customers will see, so make sure it's festive and inviting. Use bright colours, festive decorations, and eye-catching displays to attract attention. 👉Offer a unique, high-quality product or service: What makes your business unique? What can you offer that other businesses can't? Make sure your product or service is high-quality and something that customers will want to buy. 👉Be friendly and engaging: Make sure to greet customers with a smile and be friendly and engaging. Offer to help them find what they're looking for and answer any questions; a little personal touch goes a long way. Even starting with a simple "Hello" help to get the ball rolling! 👉Accept credit and debit cards: Make it easy for customers to pay by accepting credit and debit cards. This will make it more likely that they will make a purchase, and we have offers on card machines from @thepaymentpeople on the VBUK website. 👉Follow up with customers after the event: Thank customers for their business and send them a follow-up email with a special offer or discount. This will help you to build customer relationships and encourage repeat business through the VBUK Marketplace. With some planning and preparation, you can have a successful Christmas pop-up or event that will boost your sales, promote your brand, and reach new customers! https://lnkd.in/evpTXiGb Live Chat on the website Email: [email protected] #businessstartup #sellingmadesimple #smallbusiness #shopsmallbusiness #entrepreneurship #etsy #etsysellers #smallbusinesslove #womeninbusiness #vbukers #supportsmallbusiness #handmade #blackownedbusiness #businessowner #receptionist #frontdesk #admin #concierge #conciergeservices #facilities #propertymanagement #facilitymanagement #marketplace #VBUKmarketplace #FOH #frontofhouse #clientservices #receptionmanager #buildingmanagement

With Christmas just round the corner, I think back about how we managed to pack in 6000 paying party guests into the hotel for the month of December many years ago. I remember sitting round the table in the sales office saying to my team, what can we do differently this year? We collectively came up with an innovative concept for Christmas parties. Yes, we had the space to cater to many, but offering the traditional Christmas party nights alone was not going to get volumes of people in. So we took a risk, and started to advertise our 'James Bond Themed Christmas Party Nights' We needed to find out if there was a market out there for these parties, and there was. At that point we had no idea of how we were going to create the actual party. We hadn’t bought any James Bond props. We didn’t even know if it was going to work. But, we knew we had interest as we had sold a number of places. 💎 I believe that the market testing process is vital for any new idea in your business. Get the sales first, then work out how you are going to deliver once you know for a fact that its going to work. Yes you need a plan, and you need to let your clients know what they are going to get, but don’t over complicate it at the beginning - or at least until you know you have some sales already confirmed. I apply this process to all of my businesses, and it always allows me to create an in-depth, valuable experience for all of my clients that gets them talking, sharing, and referring me to their colleagues, family, and friends. #manchester #bournemouth #JamesGordon #christmasparty #smallbusinessbigdreams #supportlocalbusinesses #hospitality #MOTforbusiness #BusinessHealthCheck Institute of Directors (IoD)

Summer is quickly approaching, which means it's almost time for company parties! Here are 5 tips to make your party stand out: 1. Pick a date early to ensure maximum attendance 2. Keep it short and sweet so everyone can enjoy the festivities without sacrificing their weekend 3. Provide delicious food - keep everyone fueled and happy 4. Get away from the office and have the party at a fun and unique location 5. Don't forget the EPIC SWAG! Give your employees a reason to remember the event and show off their company pride Follow these tips to make your summer company party the talk of the office for weeks to come!

*Location Providers*- let's boost your Q4 activation bookings 💥🎃🎄 Are you hosting events for Students, Halloween, Black Friday or Christmas?   With Q4 just around the corner, many hirers have started planning campaigns for the months ahead and are looking for locations drawing in the crowds across key dates and celebrations. We will be collating a variety of seasonal collections to shortlist the locations hosting events for hirers to browse. If you are included, this will significantly increase visitors to your location listing and the likelihood of your spaces being booked. We want you to maximise the return on your listing. So if this is you, let us know! 📈 #brandopportunities #brandactivation #brandexperience #locationexperts #experientialmarketing #brandmarketing #brandevents #locationhire #spacehire #events #eventsspace #digitalmarketplace #locationproviders #landlords #eventvenues

Shop 'til you drop? I spent much of yesterday doing what many Buyers enjoy most, visiting a Trade show, in this case Autumn Fair. How terrific it was seeing many suppliers with family owned businesses, (a number at a trade show for the first time) with some truly outstanding products. I commend them for taking the leap as exhibiting is a costly affair and hope they all had a successful show. I found myriad exciting ranges which will become part of the Gifts with Presence shopping events I have been planning with the inaugural event next week. Some I spoke to had been at previous shows, but I just hadn't noticed them before. Could this be due to lack of observance on my part or in some way because there were fewer suppliers than in previous shows and certainly less big stands commanding key positions? The show was small, it felt the smallest I have seen at the NEC for multiple sectors. I felt the large area devoted to the Connect concept was disproportionate to the available footage; I hope the concept was useful for suppliers and visitors but frankly I would have preferred a decent seating area and water coolers! So back at my desk, one of the most enjoyable results of visiting a Trade show, reviewing all the products seen and putting the plans in place to introduce them to our customers. The Gift industry is resilient and never fails to deliver what we need; if you have read any of my previous post you’ve guessed it… More products to fill the shelves with what the people want to buy. Roll on Spring Fair! #giftswithpresence #giftstoday #giftfocus #stevepowell #thegiftwareassociation

☀ In just the last two weeks, Togather has experienced a sharp increase in summer party bookings ☀ ⏰ It's evident, as with previous years, that the coming month will be peak season for companies getting their venues booked. A reminder to all CEOs, Office Managers, and Executive Assistants: If you're sitting on an event brief, now is a good time to kick-off conversations. With the most popular venues booking up quickly, I'd advise getting some dates on hold this week. This isn't just about booking a space; it's about ensuring you don't have to settle for your second or third choice. Make sure your summer event is not just planned, but planned perfectly, so it's as memorable as it deserves to be 🎉 🍻 😎

Today was our final day with the short-term contractor we hired to put on Changemakers Supper Club last week. She was hired to handle spreadsheets for registration and the auction and to help us put together the kind of minutae that goes into an event. She was with us for only five weeks but in that time, she was a member of my team and was treated as such. I didn't just hand her work to do - I explained why we were doing it that way. I taught her, I mentored her. Why did I put that much effort into what was essentially a temp? Because as a manager, that is my job - to raise up the people that work for me. To train and mentor, to teach, to encourage. We've all had those managers who didn't care about your growth as an employee, or threw "personal growth" into your KPIs and did nothing to actually encourage it. Those jobs are essentially treading water. A number of people said they were amazed Changemakers was only in its second year. I asked what makes an event look "new" versus "seasoned" and the general answer I got was that a seasoned event runs smoothly. For that, I credit one of MY managers early in my career. Jill Davey didn't just tell me what to do - she taught me why, and mentored me. She shaped who I am as an event manager. Before I went to work for JPD, I had hundreds of concerts under my belt - and no clue how to do a floor plan, a seating plan, how to set up registration, how to do an auction... Jill ensured even new events looked seasoned. All of which I taught our contractor this last month. We both looked at her stint with us as an opportunity for her skills to grow, and honestly, I am probably more proud of her growth and the invaluable skills she came out of the contract with than I am of the success of Changemakers. Be a good manager and mentor. At the end of the day, those are the ones who will be remembered happily 20 years later, as I do mine. PS: If you're in the GTA and looking to hire an insightful, intelligent, talented, creative, hard-working person who studied international business and has more than a bit of a head for events, drop me a note and I'll connect you. You will NOT be disappointed.