Recipe for Success: Copy-Cat Cookies – Phone a Friend
My younger son, Alex, has become quite the baker, and he is obsessed with a certain cookie chain. We can’t afford to go to this cookie shop each week to try out their new cookie flavors, but we have tried this copycat recipe at home, and it is delicious!
That got me thinking about events. So often as a team we might feel like we are in a rut, unable to think of new ideas for events to hold. The same lunch and learning just isn’t drawing the numbers that it used to, but we’re at a loss for what we should host instead. When you can’t bring yourself to think of one more new event, call on a friend. Find out what’s worked in their market and consider trying it out in yours.
Events are a great way to re-engage with your audience and find a way to show them that your community is a place for growth, learning, and fun. This doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of time thinking of a new event each quarter. Try connecting with some of your colleagues across the country to see what is working in their neck of the woods.
Here’s a head start on some event ideas you can start working on now to drive engagement in the first quarter of next year…
Charcuterie Board – Make & Take Event
Call up your local charcuterie-making expert and put together a make-and-take event where your professional partners can come to learn how to make an attractive charcuterie board, learn all the tips and tricks, and bring one home.
Pocket-Book Bingo
This is another sure-fire winner to re-engage with your professional partners. Work with a few partners to “co-sponsor” the event and purchase 4-5 designer pocketbooks at TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Offer a grand prize bag that will be sure to fill the seats. Serve simple appetizers and drinks and play some bingo! Bonus if you can get some of your residents to call the game!
Brain Health Series
Lean on your professional partners to produce a brain-health series aimed to engage with your lead base and learn more about how to take care of your brain. This year, LRSA produced a 3-part series based on research from the Alzheimer’s Association and Johns Hopkins Medical Center to focus on Music for the Brain, Food for the Brain, and Movement for the Brain.
Cookie + Wine Pairing Event
Who doesn’t love cookies and wine? This is a great event to serve up around Valentine’s Day. Your team probably knows a few different chocolate chip cookie recipes – why not try some out and find out which one is a winner? Guests can try 3-4 different types of chocolate chip cookies and rate their favorite. Pair those cookies with a few different types of red wine, and you have an evening of fun. Guests can even make a small box of cookies to take to-go.
These are some simple and fun events that your team can pull together to engage with both professionals and leads. And you don’t have to admit to being a “copycat!” Some of the best things come when you can put your own spin on a tried-and-true effort.
