Choose a concept. Corporate event concept. How to choose the best idea and surprise guests. A set of necessary equipment

Many entrepreneurs after long search stop their choice in the niche of the restaurant business. At first glance, it may seem that owning a coffee shop is a simple and outstanding business that brings constant profit.

To reach a really high level of income, you need to invest your soul in your business. Start-up capital is good, but the financial component does not play a decisive role here. So, let's take a closer look at how to open a coffee shop.

Today, competition is extremely high, the lion's share of the market belongs to network establishments. For organization successful business it is necessary to fulfill a number of conditions, the main of which are: to create a unique interior, style, and choose a good location.

It should be understood that people come to coffee shops mostly for communication. It is necessary to create a cozy, relaxed atmosphere that in every possible way contributes to an inconspicuous pastime.

How exactly the interior of the institution will look like is up to you. Let's look at existing concepts:

• The style of the summer Provencal terrace . This type organizing a coffee shop today enjoys the greatest popularity. Here, customers can relax on comfortable sofas or wooden furniture, drink coffee, read a newspaper or magazine. In addition to classic coffees, tea, juice, water, desserts and pastries are offered. A prominent representative of coffee houses in this style is the popular Coffee House chain.

• American style coffee shop . In such establishments, the fastest service is organized. It offers ready-made pastries in the form of muffins, cakes and muffins. As a rule, coffee is sold in paper cups, which allows you to drink a drink both inside the establishment and on the street. People here rarely sit up, rather, on the contrary, they run in for coffee at lunchtime or on their way to a business meeting.

• amsterdam coffeeshop . If you are thinking about how to open a coffee shop, we advise you to consider the concept that came to us from the Netherlands. This is one of the most promising areas. In such establishments, they offer not only classic coffee drinks, but also monosorts. You can enjoy a drink in the cafe itself or buy grains to cook at home. The main thing for a coffeeshop is a wide range of goods.

Purchase of equipment

No wonder that coffee grinders and coffee makers are the main equipment for a coffee shop. In our case, it is necessary to buy only professional equipment, devices for making coffee at home will not work.

Do not miss:

In other cases, it makes sense to purchase a carob coffee machine, with which you can prepare more interesting drinks. Today, the “Latte art” direction is gaining popularity, when the drink turns into a work of art. The client will be able not only to appreciate the taste of coffee, he will also be pleased with a flower, a heart or any other pattern.

As for the legal part of the issue, opening a coffee shop is no different from other types of business. You need to register as a subject economic activity in the tax office, obtain permission to operate the premises in the regulatory authorities and draw up contracts with suppliers. The only thing left is to create a cozy atmosphere so that the name of your coffee shop always pops up in the mind of visitors when they want to take a break from the bustle of the city.

In the last article, we talked about how to select several event agencies and determine the winner of the tender. The final choice will largely be based on the concepts that the agencies will offer. Therefore, we decided to understand in detail what the concept is. corporate event how it looks, how to evaluate it and choose the best offer.

What is the concept of the event

The concept must meet corporate standards, the traditions of the company and the position of the brand in the market. And the idea - understandable to all guests of the event: employees, management, partners and customers.

How it works. The concept sets certain rules of the game and allows you to select better ways to achieve the goals of the event. The central idea creates a holiday atmosphere. On its basis, a visual design is selected, a show program and other elements are prepared.

There are events where the concept is not needed: for example, trainings. Here it is enough to write down the timing - what events are expected and at what time.

How concepts come up

Concepts are prepared based on the requirements of the brief. If you have wishes for the topics of the event, please indicate them in it, or ask the agency to come up with the topics yourself. If you do not propose your own topics, the agency will discuss them before participating in the tender in order to understand the direction of work.

What are the concepts related to?

• Reason for the event: the 100th anniversary of the company, its achievements, rewarding partners, for example, in the style of "Oscar";
• company traditions;
• Certain abstract themes, such as "Rock" or "Hipsters".

Thematic formats are good because they allow you to visualize the idea, create a vivid and memorable image. For example, New Year's celebration can be decorated in the traditions of any country: Scandinavian or Chinese New Year. The selected image is then used in all elements of the event from invitations to memorable souvenirs after the end of the holiday.

It is important that ideas are not repeated and the concept is new for employees

When coming up with ideas, be sure to take into account past events. It is important that ideas are not repeated and the concept is new for employees. That is why this information should be indicated in a separate paragraph of your brief.

How to fill out a brief and not die

It is necessary to strike a balance between the requirements of the brief and the scope for the agency's creativity. Do not come up with the details of the event yourself, indicate only important restrictions so that the agency has the opportunity to create a really fresh idea.

What does the concept look like?

The agency will develop a presentation for you in which it will offer one or more concepts for the event. Usually - 2 or 3 options. The concept contains all the important points regarding the future event.

1. Explanation of the general idea

Description of the essence of the concept on one or two pages, its connection with the theme of the event and the company. For example, employees can turn into special agents for one day, saving the company from universal evil, or get into a rock party. It is important that the idea is connected with the activities of the company, and the central elements emphasize this connection.

For BCS Global Market* for the New Year, we proposed ideas for boxing fights between Santa Clauses. As you know, almost every country has its own “Santa Claus”. Guests come to "underground fights", place bets on the winner and find out whose Grandfather is cooler

2. Necessary preparation

If preparation is required for the event, then this information is indicated in the presentation. Preparation can be a preliminary competition between employees with the awarding of the winner at the party, a casting to select those who will be the stars of the holiday, the presentation of invitations, and so on.

Each guest receives a secret invitation to Santa Claus fights. Real fights, not staging - this is not to be missed

3. Space decoration and welcome zone

A brief description of the scenery of the event and what awaits the guests who come to the party. The meeting area is the first contact with guests. It is important that they immediately understand the essence of the event and feel the atmosphere. For example, at a party in the Eurovision format, guests can get on the red carpet, like invited stars.

Each guest is greeted by beautiful hostesses. They offer to take a picture against the background of a branded banner with Santa Clauses, go to the bar and listen to New Year's songs, covered in the style of rock or rap. All this creates an atmosphere of approaching battles.

4. Activities

What entertainment awaits guests? For example, at a rock party, activities might include areas where participants are dressed up as rock stars and photographed with musical instruments, or competitions for the best rock performance.

We entertain guests at the entrance. Can be approached beautiful girl and bet on your beloved Grandfather. Or arrange a virtual boxing fight in the image of Grandfather Boxer on a prefix with an immersive effect

In the semi-finals, Finnish Joulupukki fights Santa Claus from the USA, and our Santa Claus goes up against Japanese Oji-san

5. Program of the evening

Description of the show program, what performances and numbers await the guests. There are also options for presenters, artists and groups performing in the show program and throughout the evening.

Between fights, ballet dancers will add variety and dance in burlesque and contemporary styles, and a stand-up artist will amuse the guests

6. Climax and finale of the evening

A memorable final moment that ends the holiday. It can be a disco, awarding the winners of competitions or the best employees, fireworks, a headliner performance - a famous artist.

The main event of the evening is the final fight of Ded Morozov in the ring. The host announces the winner of the fight as the "official" symbol of the New Year and awards prizes to lucky guests who made the right bet

The evening ends with New Year's fireworks and a performance by a famous singer. And for the most persistent guests, a fashionable DJ will play his set

7. Site options

A list of venues that match the idea of ​​the concept, the format of the event, the budget of the client and the number of invited employees. For example, bike bars or rock bars are suitable for a rock party.

We have listed the main structural elements of the concept. But the main thing is the idea itself. Depending on it, items are added or excluded in the presentation. For example, a description of gifts for participants, a list of hotels to stay at an outdoor event, additional activities at company points of sale or city parks can be added.

How to evaluate concepts

When choosing a concept, pay attention to the presentation, compliance with the theme stated in the brief, creativity, and the variety of activities offered. Rate the effort the agency put into developing the presentation.

Always keep in mind the purpose of the event and evaluate the proposed ideas against this purpose. First of all, pay attention to the reliability of execution, compliance with corporate values and freshness of ideas. Do not save the budget at important stages of the implementation of the holiday to the detriment of the overall idea.

How not to waste your event budget

Key features of a good concept:

1. Understandability - the concept will become the basis of a good party only if its elements are clear to all participants of the holiday. For example, you should not base a holiday for accountants pre-retirement age based on the newfangled computer game. They will not understand the analogies and metaphors, symbols, images and facts used in the program. As a result, the holiday will not be interesting for guests. A good concept is always focused on the participants of the event.
2. Bright central element - the concept should be bright key points to help guests get into the holiday spirit. And of course the central message around which the event is built.
3. Integrity - the design, venue, program, music and other elements must correspond to the invented concept and the chosen topic.
4. Unusual - the event should surprise and entertain employees, be different from the usual festive feast or ordinary party.
5. Uniqueness - it is desirable that a similar concept is not beaten on the market, at least among the company's direct competitors. You can find ready-made concepts on the Internet: if the option offered to you is easy to google, then the agency has cheated.

The concept should fit into the framework of reality:

• Be feasible - the proposed ideas can be implemented in practice, they are not fantastic.
• Meet the budget - venues, shows and other elements meet the specified financial limit. It will be strange if the agency offers a concert of world-class stars for a company with average financial capabilities.
• Involve employees - the event revolves around the company's employees, activities, competitions, and other options for employees to participate in the holiday should be provided. The more employees, the more engaging activities need to be included in the concept.

The professional agency does not use templates and prepares individual concepts for the tender. You can distinguish a template from an individual offer by the following features:

• quality and depth of idea development;
• the relevance and correctness of the selection of sites;
• references to your brand or company traditions;
• document design - branding, unique name, design in corporate style.

The idea may seem good at first glance, but it doesn't work for you.

Ask the representative of the agency clarifying questions about the implementation, specific sites and activities. The idea may seem good at first glance, but it doesn't fit in your case.

An agency needs a lot of information to develop a proposal, so be prepared for additional brief questions and answer them patiently. And best of all, take the initiative yourself and be creative with the agency. No matter how professional the agency is, you still know better the desires of your employees, the traditions of the company and the preferences of the management.

conclusions

To choose the best concept for a corporate event, you need to:

1. Propose in a brief or discuss with the agency 1-3 suitable ideas.
2. Make sure that the presentation reflects the key points of the future event - the idea, design, show program, venues, activities.
3. To check the compliance of the concept with the goals of the event, the brand and positioning of the company.
4. Assess the quality of the concept, analyze the feasibility of ideas and their budget.
5. Look at the event through the eyes of the guests - how it will be clear and interesting to them, whether they will be involved in the holiday.

When choosing a concept, consider not only entertainment, but also how the idea solves the tasks. Based on the accepted concept, the agency will develop a detailed script / timing of the event, which will also be sent to you for approval.

In the next article, we will make a small digression from the preparation for the event and tell about trends in the event industry . This article will help you choose modern concept, stay ahead of the trends and truly wow your guests.

The concept of the store is one of the main components of its future success, so its choice should be treated with special attention. Format, area, category, assortment, target audience - all these issues need to be resolved at the stage of concept formation. And Denis Petrochenkov, an expert in store building, will help in this.

In order to build the concept of your store, you need to understand the following questions:

Step #1. Decide on an assortment.
Need to determine what you plan to trade? What will be the range of products? What can you offer the buyer? Wide and/or deep assortment, exclusive products?

Step No. 2. Select a store format.
What will your store be like? In the format "At home" or a supermarket? Specialized or general purpose? Or maybe it's a boutique or stock store?

Step No. 3. Decide on the area.
Based on the format of the store, it is necessary to determine its area. To do this, you need to understand what assortment you want to present, as mentioned in paragraph number 1. When you define the assortment, concentrate on satisfying a large number of customers or a narrow circle of regular customers, the question of store space immediately arises. For example, for a kiosk selling science fiction, detective stories and romance novels near the subway, big square need not. People take books on the go, novelties and bestsellers sell out quickly. But if you plan to introduce textbooks and stationery, which are common for a regional bookstore, into the assortment, then it is better to select the appropriate area so that customers can easily choose products.

Step No. 4. Decide on the store category.

In terms of pricing - expensive / cheap. There are several options for competitive strategies that help determine pricing policy shop.

The lowest prices: everything is simple here. Buy as much as possible more product, reduce all costs as much as possible due to the scale of purchases, logistics, self-service, savings on commercial equipment and so on. Of course, this option assumes that all your efforts will be aimed at reducing costs, which creates a certain reputation for the store, however, attracts thrifty buyers.

Unique products and exclusive service: in this case, the emphasis is on the fact that no one else can satisfy the buyer like you do. In this case, you can set high prices, afford high costs.

Average prices with a higher quality level of goods: with this choice, you will need to optimize your costs, however, do not put them at the forefront. You can create additional value for your products with the customer by offering advice. For example, in one of the cosmetics stores, it was decided that professional makeup artists would work with the buyer. Special equipment was made - tables with mirrors and lighting, special chairs for applying makeup were purchased. Such additional services are not expensive, but they can significantly increase sales.

Step No. 5. Find your target audience.

The target audience is a group of buyers who need the products of your store. These are the people for whom you start a business and who will ensure its prosperity. For example, the target audience of a board game store:

• Young people under the age of 25: students, junior staff with higher education. They buy games for themselves, because it has become boring just to gather with friends and drink beer. They come on weekends, buy 1-2 games once a month.
• Enthusiasts-fans of board games are fans of this type of leisure. They come often, they buy little, they may come in the future during the daytime.
• Men and women aged 35-50: buy games for their children as a gift after learning about the newfangled hobby.

When determining target audience demographics should be taken into account. Demography is the collection of data describing and analyzing changes in the size, composition and reproduction of the population.
Key demographic characteristics:

• Age
• Income
• Employment/position
• A family
• Own

Step No. 6. Determine the coverage area.

Availability of convenient parking, entrances, as well as the coverage area of ​​the store. Under the coverage area we mean the following: whether the store is within walking distance or can only be reached by car.

The following coverage areas for pedestrians can be distinguished (the coverage areas for motorists are defined similarly):
1) 5-10 minutes on foot / by car - close
2) 10-15 minutes on foot / by car - average
3) 15-20 minutes on foot/by car - farthest
An example of zoning is shown in the figure below.

Depending on the specifics of your activity and the format of the store, more buyers from zones 1 and 2 (neighborhood store) may come to you, and in the case of a specialized store, customers will be ready to go for your goods for an hour and a half by car.

Many authors find a relationship between the time spent by the buyer in the store and the purchase. They believe that the longer a person is in a store, the more they will buy. However, research cited by Dr. Herb Sorensen, PhD, in What Is the Buyer Thinking About? (Inside the Mind of the Shopper) say that this dependence is incorrect. The number of purchases depends on the convenience of the store: the purchase conditions for the buyer. The faster he finds what he needs, the greater the likelihood of a purchase and the amount of the check.

Step No. 7. Choose a work schedule.

Determine the store's work schedule: days and hours, the presence or absence of a "lunch" are an important factor. The more convenient a store's opening hours are, the more likely it is to buy. Some shops selling mobile phones in Moscow, switched to round-the-clock operation, adjusting to their customers. For grocery supermarkets, 24/7 operation in Moscow has already become practically the norm.

Step No. 8. Offer additional services.

Sentence additional services gives the customer a feeling of comfort. Such services can be: delivery (both large and small goods), a bank branch with the possibility of obtaining a loan for a purchase, a children's room with an animator, hemming of trousers, etc.

In addition, it is very important to create the inner atmosphere of the store, its world. The buyer should psychologically feel cozy and comfortable. Responsible for these sensations: sound (music in the store), properly selected individual materials, shop equipment, lighting, display of goods. We will also consider all these aspects in more detail and in detail.

About what should be guided by when choosing a business niche and what nuances to take into account when developing the concept and strategy of your own business, the millionaire told on the pages How to Become an Entrepreneur book issued Publishing house "Eksmo".

– I think it’s better to choose a field in which you understand or work in this moment. On the other hand, I am already doing the fifth business - banking, which is in no way connected with the previous four. I just always found good niches, although I did not understand anything about them.

An important component of all five of my businesses is super profitability, they all brought in 200 to 400 percent profits or markups. ... If you see another category, even if it is unfamiliar to you, but you feel that you are an entrepreneur, a dreamer and a lucky person, just go there. I did exactly that. I didn’t understand anything about video trading, I didn’t understand a damn thing about dumplings, beer is a dark forest for me, I didn’t even know how it roams. I thought that beer is made like vodka: they take alcohol and mix it with something. Having invested the first money in a banking project, I did not really know a single term, did not understand the requirements of the Central Bank. It's OK. If you have the will, desire, imagination - go into a business that seems personally profitable and interesting to you. It is not necessary to know everything about him thoroughly.

Do I need to do market analysis? In my opinion, a real entrepreneur should do market analysis on a piece of paper. If your analysis does not fit on a restaurant napkin, there is no business there. Of course, it is desirable to attract large consulting and analytical companies. But it all depends on the starting capital. If you start with complete zero, the so-called pure startup, and you are a student - you do not have this opportunity. ...

What to analyze?

Highly important factor- market volume. Why did I leave dumplings? Having sold the business 10 years ago, I do not regret it at all and I think that I did the right thing. Unfortunately, the market is categorically small. At the time of the sale, it was valued at probably $300 million annually nationwide. Now, maybe 500 million - that is, it has grown weakly over 10 years. You need to look at the nominal size of the market, in general terms: what are the sales volumes of this particular product on the market. In rubles, dollars, euros or shekels - it doesn't matter.

On the other hand, in the case of a startup, when a unique, innovative product is created that has no analogues on the market, this criterion is certainly not important. Who cares about market share if there is essentially no market?

Where to get money?

You probably read and think: he tells everything well, but he does not say where to get the money. Money is never enough. It will seem strange to you, but right now, at the age of 43, having bought and sold several businesses for tens of millions of dollars, making my fifth business, I can responsibly say: today I do not have enough money, I am looking for them. In the fall of 2010, I spent 80 percent of the time looking for money. This has borne fruit.

Search, dodge. Do whatever you want, get them from anywhere - all methods are good. Except steal. It is not necessary to steal, and I would only welcome all other methods of attracting money.

What to sell?

Choose an innovative product or try to improve an existing one? If you are smart enough, if you have a good education and you really see a niche and believe in your product, you have calculated everything - of course, the new product is much better. You will earn a lot more money, you will get your million faster if you make a new product. But to create a new product is within the power of genius, talented people. And middle-level people like me can't. All my life I took existing products and improved them, modified them, if you want - copied them. Both models are good. There are brilliant, great people, like Sergey Brin, who came up with a new product - that's why they are all billionaires. It's enough for me to improve the product. Therefore, choose: if you want to earn billions, invent; if millions - improve.

Do I need to do a business project?

I don't think he ever gets in the way. The analysis of the idea should be done on a napkin in a restaurant - I already talked about this, but you need to write a business plan, it will help structure your thoughts. All of my five businesses had one: an A4 document with a volume of 8 to 15 pages. There are a lot of forms on the Internet, guides on how to write a business plan - you can take these developments, research them, they are quite solid.

You should also clearly understand the 4Ps of marketing: product, price, place, promotion. The authorship of this concept is attributed different people- Jerome McCarthy, Theodore Levitt, Philip Kotler - it's not so important who exactly came up with this formula, but in fact it is brilliant - simple and easy to remember.

Product (product). What do you sell? The product or service should be needed by people, not by everyone, of course, but by the target audience. The product must be better or at least not worse than the competition. Preferably, it’s still better - because you need to win over a consumer who uses familiar brands. The product must be correct and of high quality, because if there is no product, there is no business.

Price (price). What is the price? The price of a product or service must be adequate. If your product is better than the competition, then the price — and profitability — may be higher. If there is no advantage, then perhaps the right go-to-market strategy would be to low price. At the same time, you cannot overdo it. Firstly, a business must earn, and not just go to zero. Secondly, a product that has proven to be cheap, consumers may subsequently refuse to buy at a higher price.

The item "Price" also includes the company's policy in the field of discounts and markups. For example, discounts are often given to regular customers or sales are held from time to time. Do not dump - spoil the market for yourself and others.

Place (place). Where do you sell? More broadly, this point can be understood not as a place of sale, but as a distribution model. In the case of real estate or restaurants, the importance of location is clear. No wonder they talk about the three main factors in the price per square meter or the success of a restaurant: location, location and once again location. It sounds like a joke, but it's actually true: a walk-through place will be the key to success even for a restaurant where the food is not very tasty. But I draw your attention to the fact that “not very tasty” does not mean “not tasty”.

Immediately think about how to sell your product. Directly or through partners? Through online or offline? Through stationary points or through agents? What discount offer to partners? How to motivate them to increase sales? The distribution model should maximize business profits, not revenue.

Promotion (promotion). There is a product, there is a price for it, there is a scheme how to sell it. But this will not work until demand is created for the product. First you need to familiarize the consumer with the product, then convince him to buy and - the main objective- turn into regular customer. This requires advertising, PR. ... All this activity eventually forms a brand - what consumers think about your product. If the brand is strong, positive, then the product can be sold at a higher price than a product of similar quality, but with a weaker brand. Because, consuming the product, people want to receive certain emotions. If your product or service evokes emotions, you are on the right track.

Distribution depends on the price, brand characteristics. If your product is elite, it cannot be sold in mass places - this will be a blow to prices, and therefore to the brand. No wonder boutiques are located on the most prestigious streets, and fakes are sold in clothing markets. And expensive brands that try to work for everyone quickly lose the most demanding customers. Similarly, attempts to sell expensive mass cheap goods doomed to fail.

Are you reading this book to make a million? So here's my first piece of advice: don't be shy about markups, don't be shy about asking the price, it should be high. If your product is not bought at a high price, no one will buy it at a low price either. Contradictory, but there is logic in this.

Where can I get market information? Guys, you are happy, you live in an era digital technologies, today there is the Internet! We never dreamed of this when we started the business 20 years ago. Two clicks - and you already know more about the market than I could ever collect in two months in the library.