Murder Mystery Days: CSI Team Building in London

Last week, The Murder Mystery Company put our clients' investigative skills to the test with a brilliant CSI:City event. Teams were tasked with training as CSI agents and solving a baffling murder case - a quest which found them meeting up with mysterious contacts all over London, analysing clues and exploring evidence.

Armed with their team iPads, radios and suspect case files, teams examined fingerprints, studied forensic clues and dissected witness statements in order to catch the killer. After plenty of teamwork and deliberation, the killer (and winning team) was announced, to the excitement of all!

Event Manager Katrina commented;

"CSI:City is a fabulous daytime Murder Mystery event because it gets the teams out and about, working together and having fun. Plus, who hasn't wanted to be an awesome crime-fighting detective, if only for one day?!"

Are you interested in making a Murder Mystery Day your team building event of the year? Visit our website or call 0845 006 06 06 to speak to a member of our lovely team.

A Guide To Booking A Successful Murder Mystery - Step Five

So you've looked through the proposal and found the murder mystery you want. Hopefully you'll be feeling excited by now as you should have an idea of the theme surrounding the murder mystery and what it entails! As the organiser it's important for you to know the timings and logistics of the event. This means you can relax on the night, have fun, and let the event company take over. Make sure you ask your event coordinator any questions you have so you understand exactly how the events going to run.

Booking the event:

• Call or e-mail the company to book your murder mystery.
• Confirm your chosen event, date and venue with your dedicated event coordinator.
• They will finalise the arrangements, answer any questions and liaise with the venue you've chosen.
• Closer to the date, you will be introduced to your event manager for the day (or evening).

Final Planning:

Once you have confirmed the event and venue, you can begin to let the team know the plan (unless you’re planning on surprising them) and tick off your final check list.

• Catering - does anyone attending have dietary requirements? Vegetarian, vegan, halal, lactose intolerant, nut allergies
• Prizes - usually the company will supply a prize for the winning team. Think about whether you would like any additional for individuals.
• Teams - split the confirmed guests into teams/tables. Mix up the departments, seniority and put people together that maybe don’t know each other. Think about your key aims for the murder mystery, this should help.
• Invitations - make sure they include all (or as much of) the information you want the guests to know:
  • Date and Time (pretty important, I would recommend including this one!)
  • Location and Directions (as above)
  • Programme (if tied in with a meeting or conference etc..)
  • Transport information (if applicable)
  • What teams people are in/table plan (this is up to you if you want to let people know prior to the event)
  • Dress Code (this is particularly important if the murder mystery is a surprise)

  

  Remember that your event coordinator will help with the final planning. They will advise if any particular footwear is required, check whether you need additional prizes and even put guests into teams if you'd prefer it was completely random. However it's always good to have a think about the above beforehand; preparation is the key to success after all!

  Well, we're almost done. The guide is nearly complete. Next time we'll be discussing 'on the day and post event'. In the meantime, take a look at our website or give us a call on 0845 006 06 06.

A Guide To Booking A Successful Murder Mystery - Step Four

Step Four – Contacting Companies Next step you need to talk to a murder mystery company. You may want to talk to several to compare - hopefully if you talk to us you may not need to spend more time looking!

Whether you’re inviting 15 or 150, you are likely to know many of the guests; meaning the events success will reflect on you - making the buying decision pretty important. However with hundreds of companies out there all promising to deliver the murder mystery you want, how do you decide who will work best for you?

You need to have confidence in the company you are buying from, feel like you are in capable hands and most importantly, that you are getting value for money. Here are our top tips to watch out for:

Website

• Are they a specialist murder mystery company?
• Is their focus corporate events, hen parties or private events and does this match your needs?
• Does it look professional?
• Is it up to date?

Ideas

• Do their event ideas make you want to participate or find out more?
• Do the events work for your group size?

Track record

• Do they have an extensive client list?
• Are there lots of testimonials to browse?
• How long have they been going?
• Any awards?

On the phone?

• Do they sound like they know what they’re talking about?
• Did they ask about your guests and specific requirements?
• Any tailoring offered?
• How was their venue knowledge? Will they help source one?
• You should expect nothing less than experienced professional and friendly event coordinators.

What if it all goes wrong?

• Murder mysteries should be risk assessed and method statements in place where required.
• The company should hold public and products liability insurance policy.
• If you don’t get the above by return it’s a big red flag!
• Event managers and/or staff should be First Aid Qualified. Amazingly not all event companies have a first aider on every event.

To talk to us about your next murder mystery party, give us a call on 0845 006 06 06 or if you'd rather, complete a quick enquiry form and we'll get back to you.

Next step - booking the event and final planning!

Murder at Bracket Hall - Sherlock Prepares

Our very own Terry Bird practices his 'Sherlock' face behind the scenes of Murder at Bracket Hall.

Event Manager Zoe says "Terry completely throws himself into the role of Sherlock. He is one of the best at audience participation - getting everyone up, out of their seats and giggling into their napkins from his very first entrance. He once did a spectacular forward roll entrance to add to the drama - let's just say it left an impression!"

Learn more about Murder at Bracket Hall and our other evening murder mysteries at our main website!

A Guide To Booking A Successful Murder Mystery - Step Three

We're onto the third step and making good progress! Step Three - Setting the Budget

We understand that often at the initial planning stages budgets have not been set, however it’s worth considering what you will need to budget for.

Event Costs

This is our part in the process. Event costs will include:

• Actors
• Live event writers
• Props
• Costumes
• Theming (if required)

Venue Costs

All murder mysteries will require a venue. Costs could include:

• Room hire
• Syndicate rooms or ground hire (some murder mysteries may require break out rooms or outdoor space)
• Overnight accommodation costs (if required for your guests)

Catering & Refreshments

Whatever the type and timings of the murder mystery, food is likely to be required at some point during the day and/or evening (typically a three course meal). Think about the amount you want to spend per head.

It's also worth considering if you will have an open bar or if guests will purchase their own drinks.

Transport

Will guests arrive individually or will you be organising transport?

Tips

• Consider combining with another department as the price/head goes down with more guests - you'll get more bang for your buck!
• Consider incorporating with an upcoming meeting or conference
• If you are contacting the venue directly, ask for free room hire!
• Be flexible on dates

Knowing what you need to pay for will hopefully help set a realistic budget for your murder mystery. It's important not just to spend, but to invest - in your staff and your clients. For example, if you're rewarding staff or entertaining clients you need to exceed their expectations to make the event memorable. Would it be beneficial to do less events, but make the ones you do have an impact?!

The Bottom Line

Be realistic about the budget and what you get for your money!

£20/head = Cinema, Pop corn and a Drink £30/head = Meal with half bottle of wine £50/head = Venue with private dining, meal and half bottle of wine/head £80-£150+/head = Popular murder, meal, drinks and more!

Once your budget is set, we'll work hard to fit within it. We'll provide you with the best event options for your group and requirements. We also have over 22 years experience as a recognised venue booking agent and offer a Free Venue Finding Service - take advantage of it!

Next we'll be looking at one of the most important steps - calling us!

Behind The Scenes Of A Murder Mystery - Who Killed His Lordship?

Event Manager Dave Hall gets ready for his 'big scene' as Lord John in Who Killed His Lordship?

"I prefer it when the event is a complete surprise to the guests", Dave said. "That way, we get the greatest shock value from the opening scene! Soon enough I'm lying dead in the middle of dinner, and Sherlock takes over for his big intro. The hardest part is staying 'dead' throughout that section, and I have taken to falling on my front so that guests can't see me laughing!"

Learn more about Who Killed His Lordship? and our other murder mystery events at our main website!