Crazy People Work From Home…

There are tricks you can use to make a good gathering into a great party. Aside from taking care of the basics (don’t forget music, food, and drinks), take the time to consider the following questions. Proper planning will make all the difference.

Question #1: Why are you having the party?

Is it a birthday or holiday? Perhaps your good friend is moving to L.A. and you are throwing him a going away celebration. The more personal and important the reason, the better the party will be. When in doubt use Google Earth Calendar it’s a cool website that will give you a reason to celebrate every day.

As a last resort, simply make something fun and quirky up! Recall Cialdini’s lesson on the word “because,” and how it facilitates acceptance. If you have a reason to root your party such as, “I am throwing a party because my friend is going away to the West Coast” or “I am throwing a party because it’s Manic Monday” people are more likely to accept the invitation.

Question #2: What is the theme of this party?

One of Stylelife’s top students and one of my finest wings, Trouble, added some very wise advice. “Every party must have a theme. I used to throw parties for a living in London, and people got about 100 times wilder at a Playboy Mansion party than they did at a party without a theme - even though the only real difference was that I blew up a bunch of black and white balloons and handed out bunny ears.”

Question #3: What is your big surprise?

This is the sneaky trick that leaves your party guests blown away. Have one surprise you never mention to anyone. For example at my last BBQ party, I hired a woman to come by with her piragua cart. Piragua is a Puerto Rican food that’s like a snow cone, but way better. We started adding a splash of rum to the piragua and creating the ultimate summer party treat. The surprise wasn’t very expensive, but the value it added to my party guest experience was immeasurable.

Party on! A good party has different elements to it. If you successfully combine a party with value, a theme, and a surprise, you will have a party experience that other people will be talking about for months to come.