It's time! Company Picnics are great for morale.

Close your eyes...smell the BBQ, let your mouth water thinking of biting into that juicy watermelon! Can you feel the warmth of the sun on your skin and hear the laughter of your employees and their families bonding? Yup, that's the sweet sound of your employee's morale getting stronger! Company picnics are so fun and are a great way to build a strong company while rewarding your team for their hard work! After all, you couldn't do it without them.   Happy employees = your business growth so we wanted to give you 10 steps that we suggest when you're planning your Company's picnic. Don't try to be Superman or Wonder Woman and do it all yourself. Have a committee that shares the responsibilities.

1. Choose a date and time.2. Pick a location that your employees will be excited about.3. Give your summer party a theme!4. Plan the menu, agenda and order the signs you’ll need.5. Have a branded gift for everyone who attends. Something fun, useful and memorable is always a hit! Some ideas are below and there's lots more where those came from. Just ask me.6. Hire entertainment (music, balloon artists, face painters, etc) to get the fun started.7. Have a raffle that includes great prizes. Having an adult raffle and a kid’s raffle adds to the excitement!8. Plan fun activities and competitions that suit your employees (and their families) and get everyone to mingle. Laughter is the best icebreaker! One of our favorites is below.9. Make it personal and special. This builds morale and shows that you really do care about your team.10. Capture the fun by taking pictures then showcasing them afterward at the office or on your company's Facebook page.

Fun branded gift ideas: From the much-needed sunscreen to a blanket to sit on while enjoying the sun with your shades on. Our dancing flowers are always a hit and bring smiles to everyone's face! If you'd like other gift ideas just let us know! We have lots up our sleeve. :)[gallery ids="522,523,347,277" type="rectangular"]One of our favorite games that is so easy and fun:Watch Your Step! This is a great game to get people moving and laughing. It’s easy to understand and can be utilized as a team or individual game and great for all ages.PREP TIME– 5-10 MinutesITEMS NEEDED– 2 Balloons for Every Participant (have 2 different colors if you’re playing as teams). 2- 18 inches strings (or ribbon) per personGAME TIME– 5-10 MinutesINSTRUCTIONS- Start out by having everyone blow up their balloons and attaching the pre-cut string to the balloon on one side and their ankle on the other. They can not shorten the string or tie it higher than their ankle as to give them an unfair advantage. They will tie one balloon to each ankle.In the team version, make sure that teams are split evenly in number and color of balloons. If you are playing an “all-out war” style, then it really doesn’t matter (you can have more than two teams if you want as well!). Finally, you will need to designate a large enough space for everyone to play. As the game goes on, shrink the space smaller and smaller.Make sure to explain to everyone that if their balloon becomes disengaged from their ankle, then the balloon is fair game. Anyone can pop it and they can not reattach it. However, they are not out until someone actually pops the loose balloon.Individuals will then try to pop balloons using only their feet to do so when you start the game. Now all you have to do is watch the madness!BONUS TIPS

1. To expedite the game, have all the balloons blown up and tied to a string/ribbon. That way, participants only have to tie them to their ankles.
2. Make sure everyone is wearing shoes, otherwise it can get pretty painful!
3. Have plenty of extra balloons and ribbon on hand in case they pop or are broken before you start playing.
4. Add “stompers” that are not a part of either team and have them go out certain times to wreak havoc on everyone.

I've given you everything you need to create an awesome company picnic that will make amazing memories, bond your team and increase morale so your happy employees know they are appreciated and grow your business.If you have any questions or need anything else. I'm always here to help you! If you found this valuable please share it. High Fives & Hugs. :)________________________________________________________________ Shana Anderson-Nute is the President of Spitfire Advertising, Inc., Co-Host of the weekly show “Fly On The Wall” every Monday at 9am PST on Blab and creator of the 7 Step Blueprint to Skyrocket Your Success. She also loves spending time with her 4 kids, husband, 2 dogs, hiking and giving back to various charities including The Avon Walk For Breast Cancer, Teen Success, I Love a Clean San Diego and many more. If you need help with creative marketing ideas please email her at service@SpitfireAdvertising.com she’d love to help you.Follow us on your favorite social media. We are on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube, and Twitter.