5 Event Experiences to Help You Stand Apart in 2022
With many companies taking a cautious approach to corporate travel in 2022, we’ve brainstormed new virtual opportunities that will draw you even closer to your customers and coworkers. Check out these 5 event experiences that will help you stand apart in the new year. Let the planning begin!
Everyone Loves a Theme Party
Theme parties are a great way to drive excitement around events. Here are our customer favorites for the first half of the year. Beyond these ideas, use the calendar as a starting point and let your creativity run wild!
January - Kick off the new year with champagne and caviar while we talk about resolutions.
February - Enjoy sips and football talk with an ex-NFL star.
March - Taste wines by Aperture Cellars’ celebrity winemaker and discuss your Academy Awards picks.
April - Drink craft cocktails paired with pimento cheese and share thoughts on the Golf Masters.
May - This one’s easy: Cinco de Mayo tequila tasting!
June - Summer picnic with Sonoma farmstead cheeses and Red Car Wine’s famous rosé.
Eliminate Borders
You have customers and teams all over the world. In the old days, it was hard to send wine and get gifts across borders. For us, those days are now over. purple cork can connect your teams and get wine/beer/cocktails to all regions and most countries! We can also recommend the best time for everyone to meet and the best icebreakers to get your customers chatting and engaged.
Bring the Winery Home For Those That Can’t Travel
Hybrid wine tastings allow your customers and prospects to experience the beauty of top Sonoma and Napa vineyards from the comfort of their own homes and/or offices. Our special hybrid set-up allows you to invite people to attend in real life or Zoom in from home or the office, allowing everyone to see the beautiful vineyards and enjoy the winemaker’s expertise. It’s the perfect solution for today’s mix-matched travel policies and varying comfort levels with in-person gatherings.
Focus. Focus. Focus.
Networking events were a huge hit in 2021. Now we’re seeing more events that focus on just one customer or prospect. This allows the conversation to be more targeted and confidential, without limits on what can be shared. Bring together your account managers with a single customer team, or a prospect team with a cross-functional group from your company and watch magic happen as connections are made and enriched.
Return of the Round Table
During the pandemic, many companies put a hold on customer round table or advisory events since they were typically in-person affairs. Bring these back in 2022 and make them virtual to ensure everyone will be able to attend. We have seen these work well with two hosts from the sponsoring company and up to ten customers from different companies. Discussion topic ideas from our clients include:
What are you most proud of from 2021? (Personal or professional)
What are you looking forward to in 2022?
Any big priorities or milestones?
Where can you use help from your peers?
What’s your go-to bottle of wine?!
These events typically lead to new business and provide great networking opportunities for your customers, so share the attendee list, with permission, of course.
“...make them virtual to ensure everyone will be able to attend. We have seen these work well with two hosts from the sponsoring company and up to ten customers...”
Looking for more ideas or want to talk about your priorities around engaging your prospects or customers? Reach out. We’re ready to help!
