Allison Walter, Guest Columnist

Entertaining is an integral part of business. In a world where the dining room sees as many deals as the board room, putting your best foot forward when entertaining is no longer a matter of good measure – it's good business. In order to achieve success, one must only remember a few simple principles of entertaining.

Whether you are hosting a reception, banquet or dinner party, it is essential to determine a clear purpose and goal for your event. This will help define other arrangements such as the guest list, seating arrangements and itinerary. Keep the purpose and goal of your event simple and clear so that everyone involved will understand what you are trying to accomplish.

Once you've established a date, time and location for your event, it's time to begin the daunting task of creating a guest list. Obviously, if there is a guest of honor for your event, he or she should be among the first to be included on the list. If appropriate, you may wish to ask the guest of honor if any additional guests should be added to the list, such as a spouse, children, or close personal friends. Also consider the personality and interests of the guest of honor – dinner conversation is more spirited when people have common interests to discuss.

In addition to those invited on behalf of the guest of honor, invite people who will help achieve the goal of your event. For example, if your goal is to introduce a new colleague to her coworkers, you would invite people from your office. If the goal of your event is to raise money for a cause, you would invite people who are interested in the cause and have a history of giving to charity. You should, however, avoid inviting superfluous people, such as a close friend who has no connection the purpose and goal of your event. While you may enjoy your friend’s company, you can do so at another time, when you aren't responsible for entertaining people with whom he or she has no connection at all.

When you're done compiling your first draft of the list, take a moment to determine how many guests you can accommodate. If those invited are allowed to bring a guest to the event, this note should be included in your final head count. Also, don't forget to include yourself on the list. If you find that your list is too large, you may wish to create an “A” list and a “B” list. Initially, everyone from the “A” list will receive an invitation; if someone from the “A” list declines, then you can send an invitation to someone on your “B” list. However, be careful to allow ample time for those who receive “B” list invitations to respond. It would be bad form to send someone an invitation and only allow one or two days for a response.

Once you've finalized your guest list, it's time to send out the invitations. The formality of the invitation is determined by formality of the event. If you are hosting a few close friends for a dinner at home, phone calls or emails will suffice; however, if you are hosting a formal banquet or reception, you will need to mail printed invitations. Printed invitations should use formal language to relay pertinent details of your event, including the name of the event, address, time, date, and any special instructions for dress. You may also wish to list RSVP information on the invitation, including a phone number or email address for responses. Alternatively, you may include a response card for guests to complete and return by mail. Response cards may ask for additional information, such as meal choice and name of the guest's escort. It is customary to include a self-addressed envelope if you choose to use a response card.

In a perfect world, all of your guests would reply by the deadline indicated on your invitation. Realistically, people are busy and sometimes forget to reply. In such a case, it is perfectly acceptable to call someone and gently remind them that you are awaiting their reply. This will ensure that you will have an accurate list of all attending, crucial information that will help you determine seating arrangements and how much food to prepare.

Seating arrangements are used at both casual and formal events to facilitate conversation among guests. Place cards are often used to help a guest find his or her seat and should include the guest's first name and last name. As the host or hostess, you can choose to sit at the head of the table or in the middle of the table depending on what would be most appropriate for the room arrangement. The guest of honor generally sits to the right of the host. All other guests are placed around the table in order of their precedence, or priority of importance. When possible, you may wish to alternate gender around the table so that you don't have an abundance of men or women in one spot. However, if this is simply not possible due to an uneven number of men and women, do your best to make sure that everyone is seated according to their precedence.

Formal seating rules state that engaged couples should always be seated together while spouses should never be seated together. Do not be afraid to seat spouses separately at a business function, especially if you suspect that they may spend the entire evening chatting with each other instead of the other guests.

If you have multiple tables at an event, you may wish to seat your guests by table rather than by seat. This means that each guest is assigned a table, but the guest selects where he or she would like to sit at the table. This method of seating often diminishes the number of guests who choose to move their place card and sit elsewhere at the table. The use of a seating diagram, prominently displayed in the room, can assist your guests when they are ready to find their seats.

After all of your guests are seated, it is your job as a host or hostess to make sure the event runs smoothly. You may wish to say a few words to everyone, welcoming them to your event and thanking them for attending - this will signify the official beginning of the event. It is your responsibility to pay careful attention to your guests to ensure that everyone is comfortable and has a chance to participate in the conversation. If a meal is part of your event, everyone at the table should be served before you begin eating. Your guests will most likely wait for you, as the host, to begin eating before they will eat, so it is important to begin your meal as soon as you can after everyone is served.

When the evening is drawing to a close, it is customary to once again thank your guests for attending. If possible, try to speak with your guests individually as they leave. After the last guest has departed, you can sit back and enjoy a job well done.

While we have explored basic concepts of entertaining, you should remember that every event is different and thus can include different elements. Below is a checklist of additional questions that a good host could consider when planning an event:

Entertaining Checklist

Do you need to provide decorations or centerpieces?
Would you like to print a program for your guests?
Have you planned a menu that will accommodate various dietary restraints?
Do you have sufficient staff to assist with your event?
Have you secured the necessary china and linens for your event?
Have you located the closest restrooms?
Do you have a small first aid kit available in case of emergency?
Does your venue have adequate parking for your guests?
Is there special access for disabled guests?
Do you have a place to keep guests' coats, bags and umbrellas?
Do you have a speaking program that will require audio-visual equipment?
Would you like to hire a professional photographer to commemorate the event?
Do you have any national/international dignitaries that should be recognized with a flag display?
If your event is to be held outside, do you have an inclement weather plan?

Do you have a protocol question? Email us at int-eng-prot@uiuc.edu and we'll find an answer for you!