by Derek Sage, President, SOS Entertainment

As a full service event production company, SOS Entertainment is responsible for close to 1,000 events every year. Naturally, the staff at SOS is well aware of the importance of a successful event and the tools you need to make it happen.  It has been said that “life is just a series of events that take place.”  We all attend events and we all, at some point, will be involved in the planning or production of some sort of event.   Producing a successful event can be stressful without the correct tools and vision. Here are 6 universal tips to remember when planning an event for friends, family or coworkers.

1. 1. Objective  

A great event starts with a great objective or goal.  Keep your aim simple when producing an event.  Base your invitees, budget, theme and timeline around your main goals.  Keep your objectives clear from start to finish.  Clear goals help you communicate efficiently and will help avoid unnecessary confusion and stress!

2. 2. Create a Plan

The saying goes, “if you fail to plan, you’ll plan to fail!”  All events are created twice – once during the planning stage and once in “real time.”  The better you produce your event PRIOR to the day of, the smoother things will run on the big day.  Stay organized and list out your event timeline,  details, load in times, vendor’s contact info, etc.  

3. 3. Create a Team

More hands make for lighter loads!  If necessary, create a group or committee for your event.  Delegate certain elements to various team members and try using tools such as Google documents to keep everyone updated.   We may be a little biased, but hiring one company to take care of all the technical elements can also be a huge time-saver!

4. 4. Sound

It is vital that you have efficent sound coverage at your event.  If your guests cannot hear the program or music they will disengage.  Your sound system should match your attendee total or venue size.  Hire an interactive MC, band and/or DJ for entertainment and create a timeline that will maintain your guests’ interest.

5. 5. Lighting

Lighting is a terrific way to set the mood and create the atmosphere you want for an event.  From uplighting to spot lights, specialty event lighting is imperative and in many cases can completely transform a venue.  If you have a stage, it should be completely lit properly.  Also, consider hiring a lighting company for any advanced lighting needs.

6. 6. Follow Up  

Successful events have a great start, middle, and close to the production.  Don’t forget to follow up with your guests.  A great way to wrap up and follow up is to post content from the event to share with your guests. There are a myriad of online photo and video sites to host private or password protected content.  Also, be sure to thank your guests for attending.  We send old fashioned hand written thank you notes after each event. Follow up content is a great way to brand your event and create excitement for future events.

Events are meaningful elements in everyone’s lives.  We celebrate the most important times with our friends, family and colleagues at these special occasions.  Whether you are planning a birthday party or a corporate function, taking the time to plan out the elements of your event will help create a memorable time for you and your guests.  And here at SOS, we believe every moment should be memorable.

So it turns out TVHS knows how to PARTY!! Here at SOS we’re all about celebrating the moment and making life spectacular, and we found a terrific crowd at Temecula Valley’s Morp this year.

Our DJ, Julian, captured this sweet footage using a GoPro throughout the night.

This setup included a full sound system – professional PA speakers, subwoofers, our professional DJ – custom trussing setup, high powered wash lights, a haze machine, mini lasers, a confetti blaster….

Not to mention an amazing student body and lots and lots of glo-sticks!

Can’t wait to see you next year!! Stay in school, people.

At SOS Entertainment, we always look for these 12 Core Values in every employee: Enthusiasm, Efficiency, Communication, Attention to Detail, Humility, Integrity, Leadership, Family, Community, Innovation, Teamwork and Progression. These values allow us to be able to look out for a person who is a hard worker and will connect well with the SOS Entertainment family. A strong work ethic lets a person contribute as much as possible and maintain steady habits in their work life. Their ability to connect with others will help not only in the office, but also at events. That person needs to be able to communicate and be friendly with everyone they work with, we feel every event and person we interact with is important!

At the San Diego office, everyone has a strong work ethic and is precise in what they do. There is not much room for a mistake, and everybody tries their absolute best to work toward what they need to do without fail. All of our employees who work at SOS SD are progressive, but have a good balance, and make time to sit down and chat with each other, sharing jokes and eating lunch together. They keep a strong bond of friendship within the office which is something special about this company. Not every single business has a workforce as tight-knit and productive as SOS Entertainment.

This week we want you to meet our SD Staff — check back daily for a highlight of each employee!

Every graduation is a special occasion. It is a time when young adults graduate and move on from the school they have called home for a very long time. They begin the process of transitioning from a teenager just barely understanding the real world, to becoming adults working jobs and going to college, starting the journey for the rest of their life. At SOS Entertainment, we want to make that a very precious moment because we always want everyone to have a fun time with whatever special event it may be. Here’s an example of the setup we use to create such a wonderful graduation ceremony: