Creating an event with you in mind; the PSP Awards Gala

In the Prudential Select Properties marketing department there are five seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Awards season. Every year about mid-January we begin thinking about our annual awards banquet.  As we approach mid-April I sometimes wish we could shut down the department for a week. I actually tried that a few years back by sending a “The Marketing Department is Closed. We’ll return after the Awards” message out to the admin and mangers. . . .  no one found it quite as funny as we did. 🙂

I took a stroll down memory lane this morning and got out all the Awards Programs from years past.  The work that goes into these little books is surprising.  Over the years we’ve picked out special papers, troubleshot printing issues, collated, folded, stapled, hole punched, bradded, gold leafed, and more.  

In 2006 the booklet was designed to look like a picture frame and after ironing gold metallic on vellum and x-acto kniving each cover individually, Kinko’s botched the job and ruined all the meticulous work.  Kinko’s and PSP Marketing have had a few issues over the years. . . another year they cut they books in half instead of folding them.  Nowadays we don’t leave the store before threatening the manager. . . I’m sure we’re intimidating. 

In 2007 we were printing the books in the evening so we wouldn’t interrupt the agent’s printer usage during the day.  Some faulty designer (cough, Joe Cordeal) decided to create a black background for every page. . . . which caused the printers to overheat and the pages to melt together.   I think we were there half the night printing a few pages at a time then waiting for the printer to cool. Thank goodness for Matt Muren, one of our sales associates, who jumped in to help Sara Fedele and I with refreshments of pizza and bud select. 

See the full gallery on Posterous

And here’s 2008, one of my favorites.  We had the event at Mad Art Gallery, once a jail, which corresponded perfectly to our Monopoly theme. Alex Cota, our designer at the time, carried the theme meticulously through the event.    From customized PSP Monopoly board table covers to burlap money sacks filled with gold coins –  it really was outstanding.  Sara Fedele spent serious time hunting eBay for spare Monopoly houses while Jana Rice remembers cutting burlap circles for the favor bags until her hands were raw. 

The picture above is from earlier this month.  I had just finished cutting out the playing cards which were personalized with award winner names.  The cards were spread out on the floor of my office in an attempt to organize them by award winner order.  I’m sure I got strange looks from visitors passing by who probably thought I was playing a rather overzealous game of solitaire. 

Despite the work and occasional mishaps, each awards event is well worth the effort because we get a chance to celebrate YOU at one of my favorite parties of the year. This year’s Gala took place at the Nightclub of Ameristar Casino in St. Charles.  George Bruns and Maryann Vitale acted as MCs for the night and started the event off by giving away cash if you could answer their trivia questions. 

Our winners at a glance:

• Top Team in GCI: Diane Denny Team, Des Peres 
• Top Team in Units: Leslie Cheek Team, Jefferson County
• Top Individual in GCI: Cindy Baker, Town & Country
• Top Individual in Units: Theresa Curtis, Troy
• Rookie of the Year: Mark Warren, St. Charles
• Administrator of the Year: Julie Morrow, St. Charles
• Top Sunshine Kids Listing Agents: Linda & Kelly Boehmer Team, St. Charles
• Top Sunshine Kids Pledge Agent: Cindy Baker, Town & Country

After the awards presentation we mixed and mingled in the ‘Lounge’ with hors d’oeurves and cocktails aptly named the ‘Citrix Meltdown’ and ‘Tuesday Morning Meeting.’   This year’s addition of a photo booth provided a lot of entertainment and some great shots.  Take a look at a few select moments here:

See the full gallery on Posterous

For more pictures from the Awards Gala visit our Facebook page here.

To view and download your shots from the Photobooth, visit www.ciphotobooth.com. Click ‘View Your Event” and select ‘Prudential Select Properties.’  Enter passcode 040711 to enter the gallery. 

A big thanks to Jana Rice, Nancy Logan, Susan Cardwell, Susan Dempsey, Stacey Folk and Maureen Adler for helping to make the event a success.  George and Maryann, wonderful job, as always. 

 

 

 

 

What makes a ‘not to be missed’ experience?

We returned from the Prudential Convention 2011 in San Diego the week before last.  God, never take a 6:35 a.m.. flight back from a trip. Especially if it’s the morning after Fat Tuesday.  After three days of non-stop classes, presentations, sight-seeing and team-building activities (read that as bar hopping ) I was ready to collapse. George, of course, managed to spend the afternoon in the office.

Have you been to a Prudential Convention?  This was my second.  Last year, my first, was in Austin.  (Music, Mexican food, craft beer, and hole-in-the-wall bars; I was in heaven). But if you haven’t been, the Convention is simply something you need to experience.

As you would expect it offers you classes, introduces you to new tools, updates you on trends and presents networking opportunities.  The presentations are usually over the top.  Fireworks, smoke machines, light shows and big name speakers.  This year found us partying at PetCo Park one evening (by the way stilettos and in-fields do not work) and entertained by Jay Leno another.  Although my favorite presentation had to be Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, subjects of the motion picture The Blind Side.  They combined the perfect mix of comedy and purpose. 

However, it’s the intangibles that really make the experience.

For example, I think the convention is one of the best ways to renew your energy for the business. You get to look at what you are doing (and what you are not) with fresh eyes; it’s motivating.   I don’t think you can walk away without at least one new idea. Here’s a handful: 

·   Use your email signature to connect, especially in regards to social media. Seek out companies like WiseStamp, or connect to online profiles such as About.me, Dooid, Google Profiles or Follr. 

·   Dive into social networking.  Prudential is even on board with a new online social networking site (https://www.nextwork.prudential.com). It rolled out on the 18th of March.  I’ll let you know more as I experiment with it. 
 

·   The person you just walked past is the one who can change your life.  So every once in a while stop and turn around.  

·   Ever just wished you could avoid talking to someone by leaving a message?  Try Slydial, a free online service  for going straight to voicemail.  Or if you’re like me and hate listening to voice mails, use a free voicemail to email converter from Google Voice, Phone Tag, YouMail or Jott.

·   Review your website and make a game plan.  Try Amy Chorow’s “5 Critical Elements of Your Website” for the best practices for 2011 below.

 

5_Critical_Elements_of_your_Website(2).pdf
Download this file

 

 

I have to admit though, my favorite part of the convention is the opportunity to connect with your collegues. Oh the stories I could tell!  But don’t worry my convention buddies, my lips are sealed on most accounts and I’m only sharing these few pictures.  And Seeger, I’ve even resisted the urge to include the one of you on stage at the dueling piano bar. 

  

See the full gallery on Posterous

I want to thank George Bruns, Maryann Vitale, Deb Colburn, Angie Ignatowski, Jana Rice, Jim Von der Haar, Sarah Seeger, Ann Cordeal, Jim Dillas, Betty Urban, Pat Sobelman, and Laura Wilburn for such a wonderful time.  Hope to see you next year in Orlando. 

 

Sarah Grobe, Director of Marketing
Prudential Select Properties, Your local choice for real estate

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