You're invited! How to host a company-wide summer bash worthy of #FOMO

Summer is a great time to invite your employees and their friends and families to experience your organization. But, these days it’s important the company cookout offers more than a couple of hot dogs and a bag of popcorn to create any sense of #FOMO.

Your summer event must deliver an experience your guests won’t soon forget, leaving them with a great impression that reminds them just why they “love working here.”

As a corporate brand photographer, I’ve photographed my share of corporate events. Every time, a few key elements make for standout events that not only make for great images but will have your employees hitting “Yes” on that invitation before it even hits their inboxes.

1. Serve cool treats.

Summer and ice cream go together like Cincinnati and cheese coneys. Whether it’s gourmet ice pops, hometown ice cream, or iced lattes served by a local roastery, there’s nothing that makes for a happy crowd like refreshing snacks.

Local to Cincinnati, Ohio: Graeter’s Ice Cream; Street Pops; Urbana Cafe

2. Make it kid-friendly.

The summer social is a great time to invite the families of your employees to experience your company culture. Consider including special activities geared specifically for kids that a.) allow your employees (and their partners) to actually enjoy themselves because the kids are happily occupied and b.) will guarantee the kids think their mom works at the coolest place ever. Some ideas: face painting; inflatables; balloon animals; an arts and craft table.

3. Make it adult-friendly.

Beer fest vibes at the company social? Yes, please!! Consider drink tickets to make sure employees enjoy themselves – professionally.

Local to Cincinnati, Ohio: Karrikan Spirits; Buzzed Bull Creamery

4. Offer an office tour.

Summer parties can bring a lot of new folks to your office. Make sure you capitalize on that audience by offering tours of your space. Effective tours are led by long-standing employees who can share the history of the company while also offering engaging insights into the exciting work you are now accomplishing.

5. Hire Parisi Images to capture the festivities.

Let your marketing intern enjoy the party and hire a professional event photographer to capture all the moments. The images are a great way to show the diversity of your workforce, its family-friendly nature, and its personal approach to “work hard, play hard.” Plus, the images can contribute to that growing library of images you need to build your brand and shape your culture.

Email sarah@parisi-images.com to book your summer event photo coverage now.

5. End on a festive note.

Finish the night with a “grand finale” to give your guests a lasting impression – and to make sure they want to return to next year’s event! A personal favorite: sparkler send-offs that (safely) celebrate the warm days of summer and make for amazing images.

I’m a corporate brand photographer who saw marketing managers at small-to-midsize professional service firms rely all-too-much on generic, seen-it-before, hit-the-snooze-button stock photography on everything from the company’s website to core print materials.

So, I created Parisi Images to serve business leaders with a custom library of natural, professional, and “gee, these people look like someone I want to work with” images that help you not only build your brand but shape your company’s culture, too.

Ready to work together? Schedule a Discovery Call here!