I’m not a party guy. Actually, I like a party fine if I already know everyone. That’s comfortable for me.

But if I have to go to a party where I don’t know most of the people, then I get that whole social phobia thing going in my head.

I’ve read that beta-blockers help with that. I take one for my blood pressure. I can testify to the fact that, if it helps at all, it doesn’t help sufficiently.

But enough about me. What about you? Do you like parties?

If so, here’s a thought (and I mention it only because we’ve tried it and tested it, and it’s working).

Why not have a party? Why not have more than one?

Pick a date, hire a caterer (or do it yourself if that’s something you enjoy), and have an event. Invite your referral sources and prospective referral sources. Mix it up among professions and types of folks. Let the mix get interesting.

You can do it any time of day, but we’re finding that 5:30 to 7:30 on a weeknight works well. We’re doing it in our homes and in our offices. We’re having better luck with turnout at the home with people we already know. New people tend to show up more readily at the office events.

7 Tips for Taking the Stress Out of Your Party

Here are a few tips for making your party a success:

1. Hire a caterer.

A caterer makes it dramatically easier. Let the caterer provide EVERYTHING. Caterers can bring tables and glassware. They can handle all the food and drinks. They can do the serving of the food, the cleanup afterward, and everything in between. Catering is cheap compared to Google AdWords.

2. Get your invite list in order.

Invite in waves as you learn your RSVP statistics. Invite 50 people and see how many responses you get within a few days. Then invite a few more and a few more until you’ve got sufficient commitments. Remember, some people will fail to RSVP and attend anyway. Some will indicate that they’re coming and fail to show up.

3. Hand out nametags.

Nametags are your friend. People appreciate them. Use an office staff member to facilitate greeting and tagging.

4. Shoot for at least 30 people.

Thirty is a comfortable number to keep things lively. Sometimes you’ll end up with more people, and sometimes you’ll have fewer. Don’t worry. Having a bigger party is fun, while hosting fewer people gives you an opportunity for deep conversations. We had one event with just a handful of people, and it proved to be one of our favorite nights.

5. Do your invites online.

Paper is for dinosaurs. Use a service that you can tightly control, or simply use e-mail.

6. Do it again.

Lots of people you invite can’t come on that particular night. Invite them to the next one. Invite the people who attended to a party down the road. Keep it rolling and repeat the cycle. If people decline the home invitation, then shift them over to the office invite list. You can do an event every month or two and have a big impact.

7. Don’t overthink it.

Just let it happen. People like being invited to parties. Some people like to attend. You win with every element of being the party host. It’s hard for this approach not to work out well for you. You provide the space, wine, cheese, and crackers, and the guests make it fun and interesting. There’s not that much for you to do except enjoy the people. Don’t let negative self-talk make this harder than it is.

Why Parties Are a Clear Winner

Parties are a winner from a marketing standpoint. It’s tough to screw this up. You can hold them over and over all year long, invite lots of new people, get to know many folks, and build connections for yourself and for your larger group of friends and referral sources.

Of course, this marketing tactic works best for those who enjoy parties. Don’t do it if this isn’t going to be fun for you. There are plenty of other marketing approaches to employ, so you should stick to those you enjoy.

If you’re a party animal, then it’s time to get this party started.