Whether you work in the cannabis industry, a related field, or an entirely different sector, including cannabis at your next professional function can be a fun and surprising way to make your event memorable. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans now believe that cannabis should be legal, reflecting record-high support for and acceptance of the plant. After all, many corporate events feature open bars; why not cater to the growing number of adults who don’t drink alcohol and include a bud bar, too?
As professional event vendors, we have seven tips to help make your next work-related event, celebration or retreat a massive success.
1. Define the Goals of Your Corporate Function
The first step in planning any event is deciding what you want the event to be about. Are you gathering employees together for an annual holiday party? Do you want to help people connect and get to know their coworkers? Are you building team spirit? Is your business celebrating a significant milestone or achievement? Ironing out the specific goals of your event will help you figure out all the other details.
2. Choose the Perfect Cannabis-Friendly Venue for Your Corporate Event
Once you know the overall goal of your event and have begun to figure out the details, like the rough guest count, you will need to choose a venue. Planning to include cannabis at your event can narrow your choices a bit, but there are still plenty of cannabis-friendly venues that allow for cannabis bars and cannabis consumption on-site.
Ensure your venue is suited to all of your event’s other details, too. If you’re hosting a retreat, you’ll need to choose a hotel or rental property that can comfortably accommodate all of your employees. If you’re hosting a celebration, mixer, or other function, you’ll want to choose a venue that is accessible and appropriately sized, as you want the space to feel full but not crowded.
3. Hire Vendors to Handle the Details of Your Professional Gathering
Whether you’re hosting a small professional mixer or a corporate gala for your entire company, you’ll likely need to hire at least a few vendors. Caterers, decorators, entertainers, budtenders, photographers and videographers, and even dedicated event planners will all help your corporate function run more smoothly so that you can focus on the big picture instead of the tiny details.
If you are including cannabis at your event, you will need to ensure that any vendors who will be on-site during the function are comfortable with cannabis. Ideally, they will also have some experience with cannabis-friendly events. We can’t speak for your caterers or decorators, but we can ensure you that we have you covered when it comes to the best budtenders!
4. Plan Interactive Experiences to Entertain Your Guests
People are more interested than ever in interactive, immersive experiences — plain old conference halls and hours of mingling might not cut it anymore. Ensure you have some entertainment available for your guests to ensure they have a great time. Entertainers are a good bet for events with a larger budget, but you can also opt for classic team-building games or simple event games, like cornhole and oversized checkers or Jenga sets.
If you plan to offer cannabis at your event, the budtender can also provide interactive experiences to keep guests engaged. Cannabis Bar Sevices’ experienced budtenders will guide each guest through choosing the best product for their needs, and we can even offer fun interactive consumption experiences, like curated cannabis and charcuterie board pairings or aromatherapy experiences.
5. Keep Attendees Happy with Delicious Food and Drinks
Keeping guests comfortable is one of the most important aspects of any event, and providing amenities like food and drinks is a significant part of that. Tailor the menu to match the type of event — will you offer a full meal? A buffet? Or are appetizers and light snacks more appropriate? The drink menu should match the event, too. Offer nonalcoholic options to suit every taste, and if you are having a bar at your event, decide whether you want to offer liquor-based drinks or just beer and wine. A caffeinated option or two never hurts, either!
One thing to note: even if your event features cannabis, we typically don’t recommend adding cannabis edibles to the menu. Edibles take much longer to kick in than other types of cannabis products. It can be difficult for people to gauge the dose they need, especially if they are casual consumers. However, cannabis-infused beverages are a growing trend and a perfect fit for your next event. You can offer prepackaged cannabis drinks, or our professional budtenders can mix up CBD- or THC-infused cocktails for your guests.
6. Present Favors or Mementos During the Event
Keep your guests talking about your event long after they leave by handing out party favors or small commemorative gifts. Again, match the gift to the event; ensure that it represents your event’s goals and won’t break the bank, either.
Favors are a great way to incorporate cannabis into your professional event, too. Artisanal edibles, pre-rolled joints, or cannabis accessories like customized lighters and rolling trays can be a fun way to cap off a successful professional event.
7. Gather Feedback From Guests About the Corporate Function
If you want to make your next corporate event even better, ask your guests what they thought. This can be as easy as asking coworkers at the office their opinion the next time everyone is together, popping a question in whatever messaging platform you use, or sending out a simple email survey to ask for feedback.
Asking for feedback has the added bonus of making your employees and guests feel heard and involved in the company culture, which is always a good thing.
Your Premier Choice for Cannabis Bars for Corporate Retreats
A mobile cannabis bar is the logical choice for any corporate event that incorporates cannabis. When you book with Cannabis Bar Services, you will gain access to a beautiful mobile cannabis bar that looks at home in any venue and a professional budtender to guide guests through their consumption journeys and facilitate the entire experience. We can even help you plan out the perfect cannabis menu, from low-dose infused drinks to high-end concentrates and vaporizers.
Contact Cannabis Bar Services when you’re ready to start planning your next corporate event. Book early — our calendar fills up fast. We can’t wait to help you elevate your next professional function!
