If a business begins to show signs of wear and tear, it's good to not procrastinate which not only creates a backlog of deferred maintenance, it reflects upon the quality of your operations as a whole. However, when you have purposely changed the appearance, you want to show it off and get people through the door as soon as possible. You have the perfect opportunity to appeal to the senses which is so important for any event. You'll have just taken care of the sense of sight and probably the sense of touch or even smell just from remodeling. The more senses you can involve, the more your event and your business will be remembered. You can plan on hearing people take a deep breath and saying, "Everything smells so new!"
There are a number of ways you could really get people to remember your "new" business. Why not have your customers list all of the changes they notice and turn it into a contest? While you're at it, ask which new features are their favorites. Before you begin a remodel, you could even have customers guess how many days it will take for the remodeling to be done. Of course, the winner will get a prize! Remodeling is known as a great strength-tester in a marriage, and it will also test your patience going through a business remodel. Remember that it really is an exciting time and thank your employees for hanging in there with you. If you have had a great experience with everyone who worked to make your space look great, (contractors, etc.) let them know you are going to have a party to celebrate and show off their work. On the other hand....well, if they've been bears to deal with, guess who's not going to be at that party! You know, the ones that are about as pleasant as the department giving out permits or doing the inspections. It's your party and you can invite who you want to.
If you do remodel your space, hopefully it will incorporate being able to provide better service or new services so that you can help pay for the space/facelift. It's about more than a pretty face. Speaking of remodeling, please consult with a good designer who knows how to create a good combination for the work environment as well as the optimal experience for your customers.
One thing I love about event planning is that I get to do a little bit of many things I love as hobbies or for some reason they just come naturally for me. It has come in handy as a gardener knowing a thing or two about flowers, the psychology of color, interior design, creativity, coming up with backup plans in a matter of seconds (Oh boy, have I?!), being interested in architecture, and so much more!
I will be the first to tell you that being an event planner is anything but glamorous, but it's a funny unglamorous! The first thing that people say when they hear what I do is, "I've always thought that would be fun to be an event planner!" I know that they aren't thinking about the times you are on your hands and knees with a lint roller collecting glitter in a space three times the size of your house where someone decided to use glitter (even when it was against the venue's policy) just so a client could get their deposit back. They also weren't thinking about the times you "discreetly" carry a plunger in a large black garbage bag, when a venue decides at the last minute to not bring in extra portable toilets, and you know what happened to the septic system or an electrical fire started in the kitchen. They also haven't heard about some venues charging $500+ for going over one minute on the rental time at just about the same time someone comes back into the venue and says they lost their purse. They also haven't prayed to God that they don't get pulled over by a cop from being exhausted after 16 hours on your feet running everywhere and as luck would have it, your car is filled with wine-soaked linens all while not having a drop of alcohol to drink. They also weren't thinking about the times you played the role of custodian, family counselor, real estate agent, taster, dryer of tearful eyes, hugger, bouncer, teacher, dog sitter, babysitter, accountant...you get the point. I have many more stories that I could tell you. Oh, yes! One of the first things you will get as advice on as an event planner, is that you might as well plan on getting used to being an author because you will be writing all the time. Any questions on how it is every year that event planners are #3, 4 or 5 on the list of most stressful jobs? We're always flanked by police officers, firefighters, airline pilots, on the list, that is. Well, sometimes we actually do work with the former two and it has nothing to do with the saying about guys and uniforms! Security guards, however make up for the other's "uniformly" good looks by having beer bellies...usually. I digress.
What has been my all-time favorite part of being an event planner? It was being a dog sitter while a bride and groom were having their pictures taken. I was able to actually sit down AND hold an adorable dog. That was a piece of heaven!
As always...wishing you the greatest of days!
