Establishing and maintaining a solid relationship with each of your clients is one of the ways you can ensure their continued business. After all, we all tend to do business with people we like. The more time you spend with someone outside of the confines of business deals, negotiations and contracts, the more they will relate to you in more ways than your mutual concern for the bottom line. The ability to entertain clients successfully is definitely a strength that will set you apart from the rest.
Likewise as a college town and home of the best fans in the nation, tailgating in Lincoln, NE is a major event that is shared by hundreds of thousands of people each year. It is a one-of-a-kind experience for clients that aren’t familiar with the downtown Lincoln game day scene that is normal to us Nebraskans, and for those who live here it is a great chance to see an abundance of familiar faces and to gather for a fun day of Husker festivities. This positions tailgating as a down to earth way to entertain your clients in a casual, yet upbeat environment. In honor of the upcoming Nebraska football season and all of the ensuing opportunities to entertain clients, make sure to check out the special “Tailgating Spotlights” for ideas and tips. Go Big Red!
Memorial Stadium is Calling Your Name!
If you are headed to Lincoln, whether to accommodate your clients or to enjoy the game day festivities while entertaining your clients, make sure to utilize the wonderful venues in close proximity to the stadium for the full Husker experience!
Rodizio Grill, a Brazillian Steakhouse concept, takes a unique approach to providing their guests with an unforgettable experience. The atmosphere is a warm and inviting extension of the Historic Haymarket district in Lincoln, incorporating the natural wood and brick restored from the original building which is enhanced by the lighting and traditional colorful and abstract artwork. Their buffet-style salad bar and tableside service with appetizers and variety of different rotisserie grilled meats, which are both all-you-can-eat, are perfect for entertaining clients and hosting events because there is something for everyone.
“If someone is entertaining guests that are picky or if they don’t know what they are in the mood for, Rodizio Grill is the perfect place to go,” says Bethany Scheele, General Manager of Rodizio Grill. “Since you don’t have to pick just one protein or just one side, your guests can decide what they want to start with rather than narrowing it down to what they must choose. Our restaurant works for vegetarians all the way up to rambunctious meat-eaters and everyone in between. With the many choices and options, vegetarians can find just as much to eat as those wanting the meats from the grill. Those entertaining also have the option to either ‘get in and get out’ or they can leisurely enjoy their time here at Rodizio Grill.
Furthermore, since we have a phenomenal menu we also have the flexibility to work with the tightest budget. With our pricing options, it is much easier for customers to stay within their budget while even stretching it in many instances to spend a little extra on other areas they might not have thought possible. We are also able to close for larger parties or events that require a lot of space, or if someone is looking to entertain in a smaller area of 2 to 150 people, we offer private dining options. Our servers are very professional in respecting the privacy some groups require, but they are also ready to help create a great time for the groups coming to celebrate.”
Tailgating Spotlight: “We’re expanding our offerings with two additional options for football season this year. Space in our restaurant is available for reservation for those who want to host a tailgate party but don’t want to have to do the cooking or clean-up themselves. If you are looking to entertain a smaller or a larger group, we can accommodate either. If you are interested in having your own salad bar and choose a few grilled items to match your guests’ preferences, we have the flexibility of creating that for you. We are also offering catering options. If you are craving our amazing Frango Agri Doce (Sweet and Spicy Chicken) or our Picanha (Top Sirloin) at one of your tailgating parties, we can have it ready for you whenever you specify that you need it. Another catering option that would be perfect for tailgate parties is our wonderful salads such as the Salada Rodizio (Rodizio BLT Salad), Salada de Morango (Strawberry Salad), or our Salada de Frango (Chicken Salad). You can choose from any of our salad options and come pick it up—it’s that easy!”
Rule G, a unique, contemporary venue in Lincoln’s newer Railyard District, offers flexible space and event options for your next one-of-a-kind entertaining opportunity. “One of the main benefits of entertaining potential and existing clients is relationship building. It conveys to clients that you not only care about their business, but you care about getting to know them better so you can better serve them. It also tells clients that they are appreciated. We provide complete event planning and coordination as well as customized menu planning with full service catering for all events held at Rule G,” says Jaime Johnson, Director of Events and Marketing at Rule G Night Club. “A great event is about creating a memorable experience for your guests that engages people to interact with each other. The direction that most of our corporate clients are going with their events is with food stations rather than a traditional banquet setting where guests are seated at a banquet table for an event, interacting primarily with the small group of people at their assigned table. Rule G is a great venue for an interactive event, with each area of the club with its own unique feel with the Rooftop Patio, the Ultra Lounge and the Spin Room. This arrangement is especially ideal for corporate tailgate parties, which are the perfect way to entertain your clients during football season.”
Tailgating Spotlight: “In Nebraska, Husker Football game days are a tradition and bring many people together. Tailgates are a great way to bring together potential and existing clients in a relaxed fun atmosphere that is outside of the traditional business setting. Husker football is a common bond that many people share. It is also a great way to reach out to clients outside of Lincoln, with so many people traveling from all over Nebraska to go to the game.
Rule G offers a very unique tailgate space, just blocks away from Memorial Stadium in the newly developed West Haymarket. We are booking corporate tailgate parties on both our Rooftop Patio as well as in the Spin Room. Each area provides the ultimate setting for a corporate tailgate party. The Rooftop Patio has an incredible view of the Railyard, the Cube as well as Memorial Stadium while guests overlook streets lined in a ‘sea of red’.
The Rooftop Patio offers an incredible view of the Haymarket Area, second to none. With both outdoor heating and air conditioning, our facility is designed to accommodate events throughout the seasons. Our event staff takes care of all the set-up, service and clean-up for events. The Rooftop Patio has a large granite topped stone bar in the center of the Patio, which ensures guests receive prompt service. Guests can overlook the Railyard and view the game on the Cube or watch it on one of our many outdoor televisions.
The Spin Room is like no other place, with color changing bubble lights throughout the room. The room features a 15 ft. television for game viewing in addition to several smaller televisions. This area is perfect for smaller tailgate parties with 50 to 75 guests, reception style.
In addition to our corporate tailgate parties, Rule G is offering table reservations for smaller groups to enhance the game day experience of our guests. They may reserve seats and/or tables at $25.00 per person to ensure that they have reserved space to tailgate and/or watch the game. These reservations will be taken two weeks prior to each game day with seating options on the Rooftop Patio, Ultra Lounge and Spin Room depending on what is already scheduled at Rule G for the day.”
Putting Your Plan Together
When planning an event to entertain your clients–this may sound obvious–you want to make sure that they are, in fact, entertained. Aside from being a good host and finding the perfect venue and making sure your guests enjoy a meal and refreshments, the actual entertainment is a decision that should be made with care. No matter the event, the entertainment should present a “wow” factor without pushing the client out of their comfort zone too much, if at all. It should also be fun, after all, the point is to forget about business for a little while and just have a good, relaxing time with one another.
There are many reasons for entertaining your current clients including thanking them for their loyalty. Entertaining potential clients is a great way for them to meet you and learn about your company. As with all face-to-face events, it is a perfect opportunity for building relationships and trust with clients. It can also be a way for your clients to meet each other. As you consider entertaining current clients or potential new ones think about who they are, why you want to entertain them, what you want them to experience, and how best to achieve your goal. There is no single best way of entertaining clients. Would it be taking one or two clients to lunch at an elegant restaurant or would a more casual, lively restaurant better fit the bill? An event with a few hundred people such as an open house to roll out a new product could accomplish your goal. If you have moved to a new facility or completed a major renovation, a tour of the facility could be in order.
Would the clients you will be entertaining enjoy tickets to a sporting event or perhaps tickets to a theater production? If you are inviting several guests to either of these types of events, consider a tailgating party for a ballgame or a reception prior to a theater production so you will have the opportunity to welcome your guests and visit with one another. Whatever form of entertaining you choose, it is not the time for a hard sell. Entertaining should be just that. Sales calls can follow.
Entertaining clients takes careful thought and planning to be successful. When you want to entertain more than just a handful of clients, using the services of a professional event planner can be advantageous in many ways. First, event planners know the questions to ask you, so that the event will match your stated goals and your vision. The answers will determine every aspect of entertaining your clients from just the right venue to designing the program, while working within your budget. Hiring an outside planner means that staff can be freed to visit with the clients rather than managing the on-site logistics.
Kimmylea Konsel, owner of LimeLight Expressions, further explains, “Business, like friendship, is built on relationships. You need to build, honor and cherish it like a friendship. Trust needs to be built in the relationship so that a client is motivated and inspired by your product or service.
Entertaining your clients helps to keep you first in mind when they need a particular product or service. It is important to have that face-to-face contact in this never-ending world of technology.
When entertaining potential clients, it’s important to show them who you are as a company. Once you have a good established relationship with clients they are more likely to pick you over your competitors. As a bonus, when having an established relationship with a client they are more likely to speak highly of you to other business colleagues or in their personal relationships.
LimeLight Expressions plans corporate events targeted to suit your clients, reflect the values of your business, demonstrate your commitment to detail and provide the foundation for delivering the all-important return. LimeLight Expressions takes care of every detail, your executives are free to forge deeper relationships and better business prospects. They can develop events that incorporate additional activities for all levels of your party that will leave them refreshed for the next item in the agenda and their return to the office.”
Tailgating Spotlight: “Fall season is around the corner and this means football and the place to be is the parking lot! If you’re planning a corporate event this fall, consider hosting a tailgate. A lively pre-game party is a wonderful way to entertain clients in a fun and unique environment. LimeLight Expressions can take any ordinary parking lot tailgate and transform it into the ultimate tailgate experience!”
Special Treats to Show Your Gratitude
While you may have the fare covered for your event, don’t forget the beverages! The Margarita Man is a frozen beverage machine rental company which offers high capacity, commercial grade margarita machines for all sizes and types of special events, including weddings. There are 22 gourmet flavors to choose from; all of which can be made virgin so that kids can also enjoy a tasty treat during the reception. The popular Fiesta Package includes local delivery, setup and mixing of your first batches, drink cups and straws, pick up and cleaning of the machine. The Margarita Man also offers a Grande Fiesta Package which includes rental of two machines. This package is perfect for larger events or for those who want to provide both regular and non-alcoholic options.
Matt Cover, co-owner of The Margarita Man – Nebraska, says, “Our goal for any event, including events where our clients will be entertaining their current and potential clients, is to take all the hassle away from the customer. We deliver, set up, pick up and clean the machines leaving our guest to simply enjoy whatever flavors they decided on. We also accommodate our guest with cups and straws as well as different styles of skirts to dress the carts with a particular theme or color they are looking to do for their event. We even provide extension cord(s) as well as making the first batch for our customers and leaving them with easy to follow instructions.”
Tailgating Spotlight: “What better way to tailgate but with a Margarita Machine with endless flavors. The best part of our machine(s) is that it’s self-serving and as easy as pulling the handle down to refill any drink, which is important for all football fans who would like to watch the game instead of playing host! As I stated before we have multiple flavors; three or four of which are red that would make a great GBR drink, but also with a little food coloring you can turn any drink/flavor into a Husker drink!”
Need a few more ideas? Here are a couple unique ways to entertain your clients before the weather gets cold:
• Shoreline Golf Course – Golf courses are a popular, 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 events as well. 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. Shoreline’s 18-hole, par 72 Championship Golf Course is a scenic lakeside golf course bordering 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.
• Bryson Airboat Tours – Getting outside of the office, and even out of town, is a very refreshing change of pace. Bryson, the owner of Bryson Airboat Tours, explains, “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.” Bryson’s Airboat Tours not only takes people on adventurous rides up and down the Platte River but also caters to individual and group needs. 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. Bryson’s Airboat Tours even has lunch and dinner tours, as well as a beachfront entertaining area complete with a grill, plenty of seating, and fun games to play. 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.
Tailgating Spotlight: “Groups can also host a tailgate party at the property’s landing area with or without the airboat rides. We charge $25 per hour for use of the land without the rides, which doesn’t have power but includes seating and table space for up to 40 people. There are areas established with the necessary equipment for games, including bean bag toss, horseshoes, and sand volleyball (you bring the ball). Feel free to bring your tailgate gear and campers out to the property to have a fun, unique tailgate party while enjoying the scenic outdoors on riverfront property!”
Really getting to know your clients, and putting business aside for a few hours to spend time on a personal level, is as rewarding as it is essential. However for some, the idea of entertaining clients sounds about as much fun as hanging out with their in-laws and vice versa. Don’t let the pressure to impress deter you—they likely aren’t that scary, and if they are, at least you put forth the effort. Who knows, you might have more in common than you ever imagined! The trick to entertaining your clients with class is to find a unique experience that is enjoyable but not overwhelming. Depending on the client, there are a number of possibilities and choosing wisely is the name of the game. Showing your clients a good time not only shows them that you know how to let loose (in moderation, of course!), but above all, it lets you know that you value their business as well as creating a relationship with them personally.