Entertaining Clients in Omaha, Nebraska

Entertaining clients is a very important part of the business world and if it’s not something that you’re planning for in the near future, you certainly should be. There are many wide-ranging benefits, from getting to know those that you do business with in the community to client retention, growing your network, and beyond.

Getting out of the office environment is a great way to get to know your clients and to let them know that while you are serious about their business, you are also interested in getting to know them and showing them that they are an important part of your business. While there are plenty of great local venues where you can bring your clients year-round, there are also some wonderful seasonal venues that you can still take advantage of before winter weather heads our way!

For a fantastic time that’s a perfect fit for the fall season that’s upon us, Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranch has a few upcoming festivals which you could organize an event around that’s fun for all ages, especially if your goal is to not only include your clients but their families as well. The Wild Wild West Fest and the Midwest Pirate Fest, held the last two weekends in September, offer a wide variety of events and activities to get involved in, followed by over a month of autumn fun, including Halloween activities for all ages. “We have a lot of corporate clients that book our barns and bring everyone out for a meal or meeting, and as an added perk they can enjoy everything else that’s going on at our venue during that time,” explains Tyson Schaefer of Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranch. “At Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranch we always have plenty of seasonal activities going on, whether it’s getting in on the harvest, enjoying live music or a deejay, partaking in any number of special activities scheduled for that day such as our festivals, hayrack rides, or haunted house. Depending upon what your clients enjoy doing in their spare time, we find that a lot of people enjoy that our barns also offer the opportunity to set up a campfire. This way you can prepare a meal together or simply enjoy the outdoors and each other’s company. Daytime or evening requests are welcome, and our team can even plan an itinerary for a client entertaining event to accommodate your unique group. This might include an obstacle course, zip line, karaoke or dance party – there are a lot of unique options that we can set up. Our venue is particularly nice for relaxing, with beautiful scenery and a comfortable environment that’s conducive for bonding and a fun experience that isn’t your average ‘dinner & drinks’ engagement.”

For another unique adventure that can be enjoyed by all, nothing beats getting out of the workplace (and in some cases, out of the city!) and into the beauty of nature alongside the scenic Platte River. Whether you are bringing out a small group for an airboat ride or entertaining a large group of clients and their family members for an afternoon or evening gathering, or even first thing in the morning or over lunch, Bryson Airboat Tours offers a variety of options for anyone who wants to treat their clients to a unique experience. In addition to the actual airboat tours, Bryson Airboat Tours offers a riverside entertaining area with plenty of seating, along with games such as horseshoes, bag toss and sand volleyball. There are even accommodations on-site for a barbecue or you could choose to serve a meal or snack potluck style.

“We added a new tour airboat this year, which not only pushes nearly 700 horsepower for an exciting ride, but also has the ability to drive up on dry land,” explains Bryson, owner of Bryson Airboat Tours. “This allows for the safe transfer of individuals who are using wheelchairs or who have limited mobility so that even more guests can enjoy an airboat ride. If adventure is wanted, adventure will be delivered; however, if riders are more interested in seeing the scenery at a slower pace, a peaceful and relaxing ride will take place.

Our riverfront property has been the setting for many corporate events; our unique business location on the Platte River offers a low cost and very relaxing atmosphere for entertaining clients. And for those lucky riders who are at the right place at the right time, wildlife such as bald eagles, deer, river otters, turkeys and beavers may be seen, sometimes just a few feet from the airboat. It is truly a one-of-a-kind experience that you can offer your clients.”

Golfing is a popular way to spend time with your clients, especially if you all share a mutual love of the sport, and enjoying a few hours of relaxation in a gorgeous setting is definitely an additional perk. Golf courses have largely earned their notoriety as a classic place for entertaining clients as they not only present the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely (or competitive, depending on the group) few hours of golf, but they offer other amenities for special corporate events as well if you have that in mind. Depending on the skill level of the clients you are inviting, you can play through the course, hit some balls on the driving range and practice green, or arrange for lessons. This is a great way to enjoy some relaxing private time out of the office and a bit of healthy competition.

A great local course to enjoy, Platteview Golf Club is conveniently located in Bellevue, NE and offers guest exceptional service and playing conditions at one of the area’s premier settings. With a fantastic layout that’s more on the traditional side, featuring mature oak and cottonwood trees, lakes, and elevation changes, it’s a gorgeous destination well into the fall months that offers a classic set-up not found in many facilities locally. Closely-spaced tees and greens make the course perfect for a pleasant walk with clients or you could also opt to ride around with your guests, utilizing the full fleet of golf carts available. The 18-hole championship golf course stretches just over 6,500 yards, and with four sets of teeing areas, it provides a challenge for all levels of play.

If playing the entire course isn’t what you prefer for the time you’ll be spending together, you could opt for the driving range or new this year, Platteview’s Short-Game facility as part of an agreement with Bellevue University. The facility includes approximately 2,600 square feet of putting green, a large chipping green with bunker, and approximately 9,300 square feet of fairway to practice shots from 5-60 yards out. So you could even take an afternoon off just to improve your game and shoot around without any pressure of competition.

Shoreline Golf Course is another local gem that your clients will enjoy, and it’s also at a great location to incorporate into a series of events for the day. The 18-hole, par 72 championship golf course is positioned on the shores of Carter Lake and is conveniently located just minutes from downtown Omaha, Century Link Center, TD Ameritrade Park, Eppley Airfield and the Council Bluffs’ casinos. This scenic course features mature cottonwood trees as well, lining the bluegrass fairways which lead to large bent grass greens that all provide for a traditional and serene experience. Also with four sets of tees on each hole, the course suits all levels of players and Shoreline’s signature hole, the 13th, is widely considered to be one of the most scenic holes in the metro area. With its proximity to Carter Lake, golfers are treated to the natural beauty of the area and a panoramic lakeside view. Shoreline also features a practice facility with both hitting area and target greens that are recently renovated as well as a large practice green for those looking to hone their short game skills. You could also choose to improve your skill set and treat your clients to a great learning experience with professional instruction!

Lied Lodge and Conference Center at Arbor Day Farm is yet another example of a popular destination that offers the beauty of nature along with plenty of impressive amenities that are perfect for entertaining your clients, all within a convenient distance from the Omaha Metro area. “Entertaining clients is an important part of an ever-evolving relationship,” explains Rachel Schizas, Sales Manager at Lied Lodge & Conference Center. “Whether they’ve been a customer for years or are still giving you a ‘test drive’ to see if there’s a fit, clients deserve to know that you value their goals and you aim to serve their needs. Taking time to build or reinforce the relationship is time well spent. Lied Lodge is truly a unique place for entertaining clients. We consistently hear from our customer base that they appreciate the ambiance and atmosphere of our lodge and conference center, and that we match the aesthetics with superior customer service. There’s also plenty of opportunity for ‘extra-curricular’ activities around our 260-acre campus – from golf, to hayrack rides, to mansion tours, to bonfires & s’mores, to mixology classes – the possibilities are endless, and they’re all right here on our property.”

So you’ve picked your venue and now you are working out all of the rest of the details on the planning side. Depending upon the offerings of the venue you’ve chosen and what your vision is for the scale of the soiree, event, or outing you have in mind, you may need to arrange for food, décor, table settings, necessary equipment, bar services, entertainment, and so on.

If you are setting up a special event where you’ll be entertaining your clients, no matter if it is just treating several individuals to a nice meal or a larger gathering of several hundred people such as a client appreciation event, you’ll want to line up the location and then work out the details for the fare. If you’re not entertaining at an actual restaurant, there are still excellent options available in Omaha, such as Just Good Meat, which offers a wealth of combinations for that perfect meal.

“Especially when entertaining clients, it’s important to try and stay within everyone’s comfort zones when it comes to the food,” advises Sean Fuller, owner of Just Good Meat. “Offering an arrangement of several different items will help you to cover the bases so that there’s at least one thing that will appeal to each person in the group. When it comes to meat, we have so many different items to choose from such as smoked chicken, brisket, specialty recipes such as Carolina-style barbecue with coleslaw mixed in, items that are easy to eat such as sliders, plenty of different sides, and for events over 100 people we can even come out and do a full-scale hog roast for your event. For those who need to stay on a set budget, we have the ability to mix and match just about any of our items so that you can put together a quality meal that still has variety without overspending. You could choose to stay with the same protein or mix a few different meats into your spread, and as for sides, if you’re looking for something unique our Pea and Cheese pasta salad, Robust pasta salad, and German potato salad that’s actually served as a hot dish are all client favorites.

I always advise that if you’re trying to kick it up a notch and impress your guests for a corporate event, show off a variety of items! However, make sure they are easy to eat and pack a lot of flavor without going too far, such as incredibly spicy food or delicacies like frog legs that aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. At Just Good Meat we really enjoy working with our clients on custom orders, as we feel that consultations are the perfect way for us to get an idea of what you’re envisioning, how many people you’re entertaining, what your goals are for the event, and what your budget is. Likewise it allows the customer to get a good idea of what we have to offer so that they can ask questions and feel comfortable that they’ve made the best decision from our wealth of options. Since we’ve introduced our food truck and catering services we have been working with more large parties, as it’s an effortless and fun way to serve a lot of people a quality meal while everyone has a good time with one another. But we also still see a lot of clients stop in and grab what they need for their event because we have it all ready to go and set-up is a breeze. Either way, you’ll be all set with a good meal that your clients will enjoy!”

As you can see there are plenty of great ways to entertain your clients, depending on a number of factors. Here are a few things to consider when setting up the event or itinerary for the time you’ll be spending together:

• Choose an environment where you will be able to develop a deeper relationship, as the purpose of entertaining your clients is to not only show them your appreciation and thank you for choosing to conduct their business with you, but also to get to know them better and further your connection. Even with tighter budgets, relationships can still be built, honored, and respected—a minimal investment in some personal time with your client can definitely provide a profitable return for your business as well as a meaningful relationship with the person that you are doing business with.

• Location, location, location! If you take your client into another environment – generally any venue where there is an unconscious association of pleasure to the place – any business tension often subsides in favor of building a friendship.

• Make sure to be clear if significant others are welcome, and extend an invitation to their significant other only if you plan on bringing your own. A good rule of thumb is to not make entertaining your clients more difficult than it needs to be. If you know they would feel more comfortable or enjoy their time more if they brought their spouse or family, then it is a good idea to plan an event that welcomes more than just the two of you.

• Always pay for the full cost of the entertainment and anything other fees associated during the time you spend together. If your client insists on paying, drink and eat as light as possible but always try to gently persuade them that you would like to pay as you were the one that invited them out in the first place. Never split the bill if you extended the invitation! Also, if your entertainment involves dining in a restaurant it is a good idea to take care of the bill with the waiter in advance, or away from the table. This eliminates distractions and reserves you some privacy with respect to the cost of the entertainment.

• Enjoy your time together. While you may be related only by your businesses, avoid doing business during this time. You can talk shop to an extent, but entertaining your clients should predominantly consist of just that—entertainment. While your business is a huge part of your life, it is not the only thing that others are interested in knowing about you and it certainly shouldn’t be the only thing that defines you as a person. Entertaining your clients is meant to get you out of your normal business environment, not simply change the venue. A person that doesn’t have anything else to talk about can seem really boring or monotonous as well (even though your business or profession likely consumes a huge chunk of your life, and it is expected that you are passionate about what you do for a living).

• Even though we just emphasized not talking about business too much, there is a catch. To seal the progress you have made in building a more meaningful relationship, especially after a fun or memorable time, in moving forward it is important that you end the time you have spent with an action-oriented statement. A few simple, good examples are: “I’m excited to work with you in the future” or “I can’t wait to see what this relationship will bring, I hope you had as good of a time as I did!” It’s sort of like writing an essay, you have an introduction, the body, and you MUST have a great conclusion to tie everything together. Frame how good of a time you had, where you’re heading into the future, and set up the next steps right then and there.

• Don’t plan anything too lavish, like expensive trips or outrageous meals. While your client will find it appealing to be treated to something nice, everyone spends their money differently and it is important not to assume that spending a great deal of money will translate into a favorable impression of you as a person. This could be seen as a turn-off in two ways: you are trying too hard to impress them or you don’t know how to manage your money effectively. Either way, it is safer not to give your client the opportunity to make either assumption. Everything in moderation!

• Follow proper business etiquette at all times. While you may feel more comfortable with your clients, they should still be treated in a respectful and considerate way without going over the top and acting like their personal servant or concierge.

Entertaining your clients will no doubt be one of the best things you’ve spent your time doing all year, from the benefit of getting to know who you are working with to showing those individuals that you value the professional relationship and are interested in cultivating it in the future. Whether your goal is to make a fantastic first impression, to show hospitality to clients who are travelling to you from out of the market, to extend your appreciation for a client’s continued business, or to set the tone for an upcoming business deal, there are many different ways that you could choose to approach each of these. While you may be inclined to consider it an expense, instead consider it as an investment in the heart of any business – its clientele.