April is here and you know what that means – time to start planning those annual spring flings! But don’t let the fear of planning an event get in your way. With just a few simple steps, you can easily engage your membership and reach overall success.
Here’s how:
Step 1: Assemble a team
You know what they say, teamwork makes the dream work, and that’s particularly true of small-staff event planning. In order to make your spring fling a success, try assembling a committee and/or several volunteers. If you need extra hands, try engaging your membership or reaching out to other organizations for assistance.
Step 2: Determine a budget
Ok, now let’s talk money. When you’re putting together a budget, there are several factors to consider, such as food, a location, entertainment and publicity. Remember, the trick here is to add up all your costs and use that figure to determine whether or not you need to charge guests a registration fee.
Step 3: Select a venue and date
When it comes to selecting a venue, you’ll want to pick a location that’s local, convenient, and within your budget. Consider locations you’ve used before as well as locations used by others.
As for dates, there are really only two rules: 1) Give yourself enough time to plan, and 2) Avoid statutory and religious holidays. Other than that, you’re pretty much free to choose!
Step 4: Promote, promote, promote
Even with the best speaker or entertainment line-up, you still need publicity to get people in the door. Consider promoting your event by:
- Featuring it in your organization’s newsletter
- Sending out email blasts to your membership database
- Posting it on your website’s event calendar
- Promoting it on social media
For more tips on event planning, download our free guide below!
