What happens when Kramer Events, one of the top Central Coast DJ and Entertainment companies teams up with SLO Brew Rock, one of the hottest new venues on the scene? A totally rad and innovative event, that’s what!
You will not want to miss this game-changing collaboration! It is going to take the concept of a corporate party to the next level.
Come join us and kick off the new year in style with delicious food and craft beer provided by SLO Brew as well as entertainment by Kramer Events.
Many of the most impactful moments are celebrated through an event where people gather around those they want to be surrounded by to help them celebrate life. Then it clicked with our team as we realized why we are here.
Sippin’ wine, fine dining, cruising around on a party bus, and great company? ALL ON A WEEKDAY! Learn why the Kramer Events Wine & Dine Tour is a networking event you won’t want to miss!
As many of you already know, networking with fellow industry professionals is incredibly important for the overall success of your business, but sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the noise of large networking parties and events. That is why the Kramer Team decided to create the Wine & Dine tour, a small scale networking event designed to bring together active members of the Central Coast Wedding and Events Industry in a casual and fun way.
Since the last few tours were a huge success, we have decided this is something worth repeating. The next Kramer Events Wine & Dine tour will be held on February 4th and the team has big plans as to how we will provide even more value to our guests this time around.
What to Expect on the Kramer Events Wine & Dine Tour
So, you may be wondering what this event will look like, so I will give you a brief rundown of what to expect.
Morning meetup at the Kramer Events office for coffee and breakfast goodies before heading out on our tour (North County pickup is also available as needed)
Fun transportation aka party bus provided by Slo Safe Ride
An informative tour of up to three Central Coast Wineries
Small bites and a full lunch, catered by a fabolous caterer.
The opportunity to network with a handful of key players in our local industry
This is a great opportunity to not only network with other industry professionals but the intimate nature of the event allows you to really get to know one another and forge authentic relationships which are such a vital part of doing business. We really want to see how this event can benefit you and your Central Coast Business and most importantly we want you to have FUN while you “work”!
Here are some photos from our previous Wine & Dine Tours.
At Kramer Events, we are always striving for improvement and innovation in our industry, and our BRAND NEW photo booth takes this concept to a whole new level!
Designed and crafted from scratch by our former lead technician Kris Teunissen, the new Kramer Events photo booth is a perfect combination of the classic photo booth experience with a modern flair that makes it a unique addition to any wedding or special event.
The New Classic was created with the intention of taking the Photo Booth experience to a new level, and it has certainly achieved this in more ways than one. Some of its innovative features include:
A lightweight design that is easy to transport and assemble in a fraction of the time.
A one of a kind, handcrafted wooden exterior that provides a sleek yet classic appearance.
A built-in compartment for power cords to maintain a neat and visually appealing setup.
A tilt feature, making the booth more accommodating to children and taller individuals alike.
A compact design which greatly minimizes the amount of space needed for setup.
The Kramer Team is stoked on this new addition to our lineup and even more excited to say fair well to the dinosaur that is our old Classic Booth.
Let’s chat about marketing. What is it, what is it not? It can all be quite overwhelming – SEO, social media strategy, UX, direct email, newsletters, print & digital advertising, pay per click… The truth is that these things are NOT marketing, they are tools of promotion. Promotion is ONE of several aspects of marketing – in fact, the LAST component of marketing. Why do you hear so much about them? Simple, it is where marketing companies are able to build in a revenue stream component. And when I say revenue – I mean, charge YOU money.
If you start with promotion but don’t understand the preceding components of marketing – you’re not only wasting money and effort, you will not be completely successful. So, let’s get acquainted with the basic 4 P’s of marketing – or marketing 101. Over the coming months, we’ll chat about them all right here, and why it’s critical that as a business owner, you know them.
PRODUCT – What are you offering or selling? Not just what you’re selling, but what about it makes your product different from the vendor down the street selling the same thing? How can you tweak it to make it even more appealing to your customer?
PRICE – What is the value of what you are offering? This actually goes beyond price, it considers the VALUE of what you are offering. How desirable is it? Price is simply a numerical quality of something – but how do we determine that number?
PLACEMENT – Who are you selling it to? Who is your target market, their attributes, otherwise known as demographics, where do you find them, how do they find you? What is your PLACE in your market?
PROMOTION – How will you get your message about your product out to the market that is looking for it? This is where the plethora of tools come in. Most often this segment of marketing is referred to as advertising – but advertising is again only one tool of promotion. Which tools are going to be most effective at reaching your peeps?
So, you’ve come to the conclusion that throwing a company party is one of the secrets to a successful business year, and certainly worth the invested time and capital. Now, you find yourself in the planning stages and you’re wondering if there is a secret formula to ensure that your party is a success and achieves the desired results for your business and team environment. We are here to tell you that there is!
Here are the top 5 must-have components of a successful corporate party:
Venue – When you begin planning your party, the first order of business is finding a Central Coast Venue that suits your company’s needs. There are some important factors to consider when selecting your venue, and the budget is only one of them. First, you must ensure that the venue you select is appropriately sized for the number of guests you anticipate. Too large of a space and your guests may not interact as much as you would like, and if the space is too small people may feel cramped and uncomfortable. It’s important to tour the venue ahead of time and ensure it fits your needs. The next thing to consider is whether or not the venue is all inclusive or not. Some venues come with table and chair rentals, food & bar, bathrooms, heaters, etc. Do you want to use some or all of these included services, which can save cost, or do you prefer to outsource to other vendors for things such as food and drink or specialty rentals? Find out what the venue allows for so your not disappointed later on if you want to change something. Finally, you must consider whether or not the venue has any restrictions on what you can and can’t do there. Most venues in our county have a sound ordinance that states any loud music must be turned off by 10 p.m. This and other restrictions are important to note to prevent improper planning for the event. Keep a list of questions handy when touring your venues and make sure to ask them all before booking. Once you narrow down your preferences, our free resource Central Coast Venues is the perfect place to begin your hunt for the perfect venue for your year-end party.
Coordination – The second most vital component of throwing a corporate party is having a competent person to plan the event. Planning a celebration is a job in itself and although it is possible for a company employee to plan the event, it may require that they work extra hours to do so without it taking away from their ability to do their job. We recommend you leave this one to the professionals and allow one of the many competent Central Coast Event Coordinators to take the hard work off your team’s shoulders so everyone can just show up and enjoy! Kramer Events Coordinator, Renee Weber has extensive knowledge planning corporate parties in San Luis Obispo County. She knows the best venues/vendors in the area and what their capabilities are and she can work with any kind of budget to create a celebration that meets your unique needs. If however, you decide to take on the task of planning the party in-house, Renee has laid out some really helpful tips:
Tip 1: Get an RSVP!! Send out an email, invitation or Evite with a clear date that employees are expected to rsvp by. You want to know how many guests to plan for.
Tip 2: Provide some sort of entertainment – raffle, photo booth, slideshow, music, etc.
Tip 3: Make sure your employees get home safe! If possible, provide transportation, encourage carpooling, etc.
Entertainment – Expanding upon tip number two, providing entertainment for your guests is a huge factor in ensuring that they enjoy the party and that it achieves the results you’re after. Kramer Events has many options when it comes to entertainment including Karaoke, Dance Party, Game Show, and photo booth options. Each of our entertainment packages includes a Kramer Events team that is knowledgeable in their craft and skilled at encouraging guests to interact and have fun with one another. It’s a great idea to get input from your team when deciding on the type of entertainment you will have. We love to utilize online polls within our team’s Facebook group whenever we have a big decision to make that will affect the team. This allows everyone to feel included and gets them excited for the party and entertainment that they helped select. To learn more about Kramer Events Entertainment packages, see Your Party Made Simple.
Food & Drink – Next to entertainment, your food and beverage selection will likely be one of the most talked about aspects of your company party. There are a few things to consider when selecting the right catering and bartending team to work your event. First, what is the theme of your party? If it is a formal affair, you may consider a seated dinner with servers as opposed to a more casual buffet-style setup. The second thing to consider is if there are any dietary restrictions that you will need to accommodate for. Check in with your team and make sure you know what those are. The last thing you want is to have one of your guests without a meal because the food options you’ve provided do not fit in with their diet. If you have dinner options, it’s a great idea to send those out with your RSVP request and allow people to choose what they would like to eat. This also has the added benefit of incentivizing that they submit their RSVP in a timely manner. Now, let’s talk food. Luckily you will have no shortage of options when it comes to selecting a catering company to help with your party as the Central Coast has many talented vendors available. Here are a few of our favorites:
Special Acknowledgments – Finally, we feel that its vital to the overall goal of your corporate celebration to include important company and team acknowledgments at some point throughout the evening. An annual company party gives you the perfect opportunity to celebrate the amazing team of people that are the backbone of the organization. The acknowledgment of individual employees or divisions as a whole for their hard work and perseverance can give your team a feeling of being recognized and appreciated for their hard work. This unique environment provides a space for praise to be given in a public setting. Being recognized for your hard work and attributes amongst your peers provides more accountability and serves as a huge motivator for everyone to maintain and excel beyond their current achievements. Presenting awards to those who have earned them is a great idea and will give your guests something to take home and remember the event for many years to come. As the CEO/Team Leader of a company, it is vital to give back to your employees and acknowledge all their strengths and achievements so they feel proud to be a part of the vision you’re all working towards. It also gets everyone pumped up for the next year to come and motivates everyone to raise the bar even higher. This is the component that will really bring your team together and ultimately, that is the goal of throwing an annual company party; to create a space of authentic connection.
When touring a venue space on the Central Coast, there are many things that must be taken into consideration, and lighting is definitely one of them. Venue walkthroughs often take place during the day, and although it looks marvelous when the sun is shining through the windows, that same space is going to look completely different when it’s dark outside. Which is why we want to discuss an aspect of decor you may not have considered: Lighting Design.
Kramer Events offers several different styles of lighting design, perfect for weddings, corporate events, and other types of celebrations alike. Each style has a unique purpose and the potential to completely alter a venue space to match the style and theme of your event.
The Different Lighting Types
Bistro – String lighting can add the perfect touch of overhead lighting to an outdoor venue, creating a soft and elegant lighting design which looks beautiful in photos, especially as the sun sets in the background. It also provides functionality allowing your guests to see as the sun goes down.
Pro-Tip: Consider dimming down your bistro lighting after dinner to create a better dancing environment.
Uplighting – Kramer Events offers uplights in a variety of primary colors, pastel colors, as well as color blending — our lighting technicians are skilled in mixing hues to create custom colors that will perfectly accentuate your venue space and event decor.
Pinspots & Washes – These lights offer just enough extra luminance for those important details of your celebration such as carefully crafted dessert settings, table designs, floral centerpieces and more!
Custom Projections – This is a cool option for those who want a truly unique touch added to their celebration. The Kramer Events Lighting Team can project names & dates, images, logos, and more.
Lighting involves more than the brightening of a room; it is about accentuating every aspect of an event in a way that best shows off all the unique touches that the client has envisioned and the venue/vendor team has worked so hard to create. Our Kramer team takes the job very seriously, we want to put forth nothing but the best results for our clients as well as the talented venues and vendors we work alongside to make an event successful.
Kramer Events is bringing back a little bit of old school swag with the newest innovation in our DJ department and we couldn’t be more excited to present our new DJ system to the Central Coast Wedding and Events industry!
Our new system functions similar to an old-school turntable, combining the convenience and versatility of modern DJing with the ability to bring back the art of scratching records and beat juggling. This is going to open up the door to infinite possibilities when it comes to creativity, giving each of our clients a customized musical experience during their celebration.
You may have seen it debuted at one of the several amazing events the Kramer Team has been a part of over the past few months including the Slo Brew Rock opening party, The All About Events 90s wind down event, and Daou Vineyards & Winery’s 70s themed bash. DJ Conor has been tearing it up on our new system and reminding everyone what it means to be a genuine Mixologist on the boards.
If you’re looking for something unique to take your party to the next level, and enjoy the concept of having your DJ at the epicenter of the excitement, reading and interacting with the crowd through their musical composition, you may want to consider Kramer Events new DJ System.
Is your morning commute to work reminiscent of an episode of America’s Got Talent? Are you dying to debut your unbelievable singing skills to the world, or maybe just some of your closest friends, family, or coworkers? Well, not to worry because Kramer Events Karaoke is here to stay and its the perfect addition to any party, wedding, or corporate event!
Utilizing the popular Karaoke App, Karafun, its never been easier to get all of the guests at your event interacting and having fun! Simply download the app, create a username and begin adding all your favorite songs to the list. When it’s your turn, your username and song will appear on the screen, letting you know it’s your time to shine. With over 30,000 songs to choose from, there is sure to be something for everyone’s music taste.
Karaoke is a great way to get people laughing and having fun, because who doesn’t enjoy belting out the lyrics to their all-time favorite songs?!
This month’s team member spotlight is our first group spotlight. I’d like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our photography and videography team. As you likely know from reading What’s New With Kramer, from this point on, instead of booking these talented artists through Kramer Events, their services will now only be available directly through their own businesses. They will be finishing all their booked events with us through next year and then the sky is the limit!
Justin Jacobs is a seasoned professional photographer, but more importantly an awesome person and a dear friend. Event world aside, he’s inspired me to be the best person and best leader for my team that I can be. He’s an inspiration to everyone he touches and will be opening a Church in Nipomo. He’ll be finishing out events with us through next year while also be taking new bookings through his long standing business Open Door Wedding Photography.
Nawal is a talented photographer with her own style. Melissa and I have known her for years on a personal level, but only recently got a chance to see her on a business level. She blew me away and is very sharp. We are excited to see her hit her stride in the wedding and event world. I think she could grow to be a top photographer in our area. Keep your eye on her. She will accomplish great things. She’ll be reachable for new bookings under her business Nawal Kassir Photography and will be finishing all her events with us through next season.
Jack Hutchinson has been in the events industry since I started and has been a huge part of this local community. I’m very proud of his work career and his ability to adapt and recreate his brand and his style over the years. I love that someone with so much experience is still able to grow and push themselves in their own craft. It inspires me to push myself. It’s been great having him on our team. He will be taking bookings through his company Jack Hutchinson Videography for both events and corporate media.
Jeremy has been a great videographer and second shooter for us over the last year. He’s got a very creative style and can go far in the video world if he decides to keep pursuing it. I’m stoked he came on board the team.
I’d like to thank all of these artists for their time in partnering with us to give our clients an incredible wedding team. If you couldn’t tell, I’m a huge fan and am excited to see them all pursue and achieve their goals. You would be lucky to have these talented professionals on your wedding team.
