In the last two issues of VenangoWorks!, we’ve shared why mixers remain a valuable opportunity to bring members of the business community together and then how to go about planning to host an event at your business.

Now, we’d like to encourage you to consider how you can make your mixer as unique as your business. At one time, mixers were considered to be the like of a clique, getting together just to “hob nob” and share drinks after work. In the last decade, we have seen these events take on a very different flavor, each uniquely planned by the business or organization hosting. 

While some things just seem to work well, like inviting people to stop by from 5 to 7 p.m., before retiring to home for the evening; everything else is open to your designs.  They can be held inside or out and include elaborate feasting, light appetizers, or desserts.  While many hosts opt to serve beer and wine, it is not necessary to serve alcohol to have a successful event.

So, why not plan for how you can make a memory around your business and plan a business after hours that will keep your business top of mind for months or even years to come?

The real key is to get excited about your business and help us tell people why now is the time to visit you.  Are you celebrating an accomplishment? Are you a new business or simply have something new to share, like a remodel or new products? Some of the most memorable mixers have included a theme.  Who could forget the Hawaiian shirts and limbo contest more than a decade ago?  And the annual joint Christmas mixer at Cross creek each December makes it on our calendar months in advance, a sure sign of the upcoming holiday.

This article was published in the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce’s April 2019 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.