Community Engagement
Building and Maintaining Client Relationships – The Circle of “Event” Life
At ENGAGE, every event that comes our way, no matter how big or small is welcomed with the same level of enthusiasm and professionalism. Just as you would if someone offered you a free family block of chocolate, as opposed to a fun-size block! (Yes, I did do a Forrest Gump and compare events to a box of chocolates.)
This enthusiasm and professionalism however, is key to building and maintaining long lasting relationships with clients (which sometimes presents challenges when you get given a two-week turnaround!) but none the less, this is the thrill of being a diverse event agency as “You never know what you’re gonna get!”
With Grocon also on board, this was a community engagement event that ENGAGE needed to get behind, and help in the way we do best… create and organise events!
Our beloved long-term client Grocon referred our expertise in community engagement and property development events to The Big Issue to organise a media launch for the recent funding for the Homes for Homes project. Homes for Homes is a non-for-profit organisation established by The Big Issue, Australia’s most successful social enterprise and iconic magazine. This Homes for Homes initiative in en route to creating the solution for a shortage in social and affordable housing in Australia. With Grocon also on board, this was a community engagement event that ENGAGE needed to get behind, and help in the way we do best… create and organise events!
Despite this property development event being one on the fun-size chocolate block scale, when referred by a loyal client, these are the events that are important to take on board to nurture our client relationships. So, with two weeks’ notice, ENGAGE set to work on this event that was to be held at ‘Greenwich Fairfield’, Grocon’s newest residential development. Did we mention the venue is still a construction site? (Try organising an event when the venue is changing every day!)
With hard hats and safety vests on, we began working through the varying challenges. These constraints won’t stop the ENGAGE team! This is where we thrive, we see opportunities to be creative in more ways than just event design. This is where we get our ‘event geek’ on and flourish whilst finding creative solutions in budgets and time-management. It’s the little things that get us through the day… I didn’t say ‘fun-size’ for no reason.
Our beloved long-term client Grocon referred our expertise in community engagement and property development events to The Big Issue to organise a media launch for the recent funding for the Homes for Homes project.
To make these community engagement events a success, we look to our solid relationships with our suppliers. Having hosted a previous event at Greenwich Fairfield, we went straight back to our trusted marquee supplier and local catering company to achieve a sustainable, seamless event and most importantly happy tummy’s!
Throughout the media launch, the friendly and hospitable ENGAGE staff roamed the site with a devilishly delicious morning tea and freshly brewed Lattes to keep the attendees toasty warm, with a tickle and a kick of caffeine (brownies for breakfast, yes please!)
To dress up the construction site, the team at ENGAGE set up this property development event with lush green artificial grass to bring colour to the backdrop of hardworking construction workers in bulldozers. Large marquees enclosed the site with easels hoisting beautiful oversized renders of the development, almost turning the construction site, into an art gallery.
With all attendees protected from Melbourne’s notoriously dicey weather, the construction site turn art gallery, ensured the media launch was a huge success.
The set-up created a welcoming environment to the previously, purely functional construction site. The transformed site was ready to welcome the media and special guests such as Federal Minister for Social Services Christian Porter, Jeanette Large from Women’s Property Initiative, David Waldren from Grocon, and Sonya Clancy from The Big Issue, who all spoke about the approved funding and new Homes for Homes Initiative. With all attendees protected from Melbourne’s notoriously dicey weather, the construction site turn art gallery, ensured the media launch was a huge success.
ENGAGE consistently focuses on nurturing our supplier relationships, which enable us to build stronger relationships and have the success we do and had for The Big Issue media launch. A perfect example of this, was when our beloved client, had last minute changes, we could confidently reply with “Of course, leave it with us!” This is the beauty of nurturing relationships. It allows us to have the flexibility to then call on our trusted suppliers to make changes the day before or even the day of the event! This results in a happy and harmonious flow from client to supplier where everybody wins… it’s the circle of “event” life!
With the help of ENGAGE’s reliable suppliers, we delivered yet another successful event, and what a great community engagement event to be involved in! Overall, due to our respect, appreciation and passion to look after our clients and suppliers we maintained a positive relationship with our client!