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Planning Guide to

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Table of Contents

Choose a Date for Your Event 3

Choose the Best Time of Day for Your Event 3

Develop an Invitation List 4

Serving Food and Beverages 4

Planning Your Program 5

Media Coverage 6

Choose a Date for Your Event

Selecting a date is one of the most important decisions you will make as you begin the process of planning and staging a successful event. Before you make a decision, the following are some important things to consider:

1. Allow plenty time for preparation. If possible, give yourself at least a month or two to make all your arrangements. Larger events will longer lead times in planning.

2. Beware of major holidays and avoid planning your event on those days

3. The best days of the week for strong attendance are Tuesdays and Thursdays.

4. If planning an outdoor event, choose an alternative date and location in case of weather

Develop an Invitation List

The invitation list should include people who are important to you and also to the success of your business. Inviting the right people will make your event fun and effective. The “right” people will vary depending on the event, but a guest list might include the following:

1. Potential and current customers

2. Suppliers and vendors

3. Friends and Family

4. Your employees and spouses

5. Your Banker, Accountant or attorney

6. Public officials

The Chamber will also invite people as well!

Serving Food and Beverages

BAH Hosts are responsible for all refreshments. Here are some helpful hints:

1. Light hors d’oeuvres or finger foods are suggested.

2. Alcoholic beverages are allowed. Also provide non-alcoholic beverages as well. Check with your insurance agent for liability

Planning Your Program

You may decide to hold a traditional networking event, with one or a few brief speeches. You may wish to include other activities, such as tours of your facility, exhibits, and recognition of dignitaries, music or other entertainment, a raffle or refreshments. You may also want to have brochures available or a handout of frequently asked questions and answers about your business.

It adds a nice touch to an event to have a brief program of some kind. It provides not only valuable recognition for you and your key people, but it makes the event more purposeful, and allows you to explain more about your business.

The shorter the program, the better. People have very brief attention spans at these events, and you might lose an embarrassingly large part of your crowd if the program drags on too long. As a rule of thumb, no program or official ceremony should last longer than 20 to 30 minutes, with 10 to 15 minutes being ideal.

Your program should be led by a good, effective master of ceremonies. He or she can keep your program moving smoothly, and inject some humor when needed. It matters not who you choose, only that they are the best person for the job. It can be very valuable to utilize someone who knows your business and is comfortable with the business community.

Choose an emcee to welcome your guests and introduce any other speakers. If you plan to include guest speakers, contact them early so they have enough time to prepare remarks and tell them how long they will have to speak. This is typically very brief (two to three minutes). Call to confirm their attendance approximately one week prior to the event.

Consider these additional suggestions when planning your program or formal ceremony:

1. Prepare an agenda, even if it’s simple. Things will run much smoother. Your agenda could be something like:

a. Welcoming of guests – done by owner, manager, president, etc.

b. Introduction of the company – explain what you do if a new business, about your new location – if a second location or a move, your hours; introduce your staff.

c. Introduction of board members, elected officials, other dignitaries. Introduce only those who need to be introduced even though the temptation will be to acknowledge nearly everyone in attendance that you know.

d. Calling up those who are speaking (if this is part of your program). Limit the number of speakers and the length of their speeches. People get bored easily when speakers ramble on for too long or are repetitive. Set a time limit for all those you ask to take part in the program. Be sure to give each of your speakers a call the day before the event as a reminder.

e. Thanking everyone for attending – by a company rep.

f. Touring your facility - Offer everyone an opportunity to take a look at your facility, and if large enough, you might want to offer tours. If your event includes an open house or tour of your facilities, be sure friendly and knowledgeable employees conduct group tours. Unguided self-tours are not nearly as valuable.

g. Consider having some kind of door prize or drawing. Winning a sample of your product, dinner for two, etc. can add to your guest’s enjoyment and build attendance. While not necessary, if you do plan to give a favor to your guests, designate someone to be responsible for giving them to your guests. You as the owner, host/hostess has other responsibilities. Favors might be a specialty item, flower, brochure about your business, sticker, menu, business card, etc.

h. Send thank-you letters the day after your event to anyone who played a key role in staging it, particularly those who took part in the official program.

Media Coverage

The following are needed right away for media coverage of your event:

1. Send a brief letter or news release about your event that contains the journalistic basics of who, what, when, where and why. Your letter need not be fancy, just factual.

2. Send to the Chamber to be included in there press release.

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