We had a great time! The most effective way to show gratitude to customers through a social function to organize one that both reinforces the bank's brand and remains highly memorable to participants.

• Author: Marlin, Brenda
• Position: Customer Appreciation Events

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If your bank is grateful to its customers--and I'm sure it is--it should periodically remind them of that fact. How do you express appreciation? One common approach is to sponsor an event: Preferably something that is memorable, echoes the bank's brand, and has customers walking away feeling satisfied and affirmed.

There are many types of functions that will fulfill these requirements. Some are elegant and cost a lot of money; others are simple and inexpensive. Each alternative has its place. What matters most is not the event's cost, but whether or not it leaves a lasting emotional impression on participants.

One of the questions you have to ask when faced with organizing an appreciation event is whether you want to plan it yourself or pay an outside planner. Planners can be expensive, but depending on the outcome you are trying to achieve, they might be worth it. Event planners have experience making customers feel special--and the event memorable. Another benefit is that you don't have to tire yourself out organizing all the details.

One example: A bank used a caterer for a grand opening of the institution's new location. The creative caterer saw the potential in the unfinished top floor of the building to put on an extravaganza that included carved beef tenderloin, ice sculptures and a string quartet. The unconstructed space was transformed overnight into an elegant dining area.

When planning an event, you should aim for an experience "designed to engage all five of the senses," according to Tony Conway, president and founder of A Legendary Event, a multimillion dollar full-service catering, event decor and floral enterprise located in Atlanta.

Conway likes to employ a variety of tools to set the mood at events: ambient lights, scent machines, music, comfortable seating and themed decorations to create an experiential setting. His firm caters more than 1,200 events a year.

Scent machines have only recently become popular as a way to enhance the experience. The machines can produce everything from the scent of salt water and seaweed (for a "beach"-themed event) to buttered popcorn (for a "cinema"-themed event).

"The experience is the essential ingredient in making guests feel like they are an integral part of what's going on. Meetings come and go, but hands-on, experiential events remain forged in our memories forever," says Conway. Recently, he created a "Dinner in the Sky" event where he elevated a platform into the air to enable a group of people to enjoy a meal. "Hoisted by crane 60 stories above ground, up to 22 guests can enjoy a magical evening of mid-air dining. The experience is unsurpassed...