21 Tips for Hosting a Successful Event
1. If you are planning to host an event with more than 20 people, consider recruiting a co-chair to help with some of the details.
2 Use a personalized invitation to invite guests to your event. Follow up with the registrants and provide complete event details, such as location, time, directions and proper attire.
3. Encourage your guests to bring plenty of business cards to exchange with other guests
4. Consider inviting your customers, suppliers or prospects, when creating your invitation list.
5. Generate targeted emails to these groups to let them know what you are offering.
6. Design a postcard Invitation to send via email. Or use one of the free online invitations available such as Yahoo Invites, Evites, or Sendomatic.
7. Consider having a drawing to encourage attendance — such as a complementary service your company can provide or a coupon for s from a partner or supplier. If it is an Internet based business, all the better. We will be happy to provide some e-centives such as a free one-year charter membership in WECAI.org
8. Get a Sponsor for the event to help underwrite the costs. Make sure the sponsor’s name is included in the invitations as well as mentioned during the event. You may also wish to give your Sponsor 5 minutes to address your guests, a table at the event which they can use to place their marketing materials in addition to allowing them to distribute their information to guests. If the sponsor makes a significant contribution to your event, consider giving them a Free attendance. Let WECAI know about your sponsors so we can properly thank and recognize them on your behalf.
8. Post the invitation on your website with a link to WECAI. Create a unique registration page to gather information. Make sure it includes information to RSVP.
9. Make sure all invitations, notices and flyers include information to RSVP.
10. Choose a time that will work for the greatest number of attendees and you.
11. Consider hosting your event at a location other than a restaurant or country club. Some ideas include having your event in your home, at a vendor location (such as a technology company), at a City Hall, or Chamber of Commerce, University or College, Tech School, Newspaper.
12. If you are hosting an educational event consider topics that would relate to Women and ECommerce. (See suggested topics for WECAI meetings).
13. Keep a current list of registrants, updating it to reflect new guests.
14. Send out more than one invitation. Some people don’t read the first one sent, so it is always good to follow up with a second and even third notice.
15. 24 hours before the event, send a Reminder email notice to your guest list to ensure as many guests as possible will show up the day of the event.
16. If you are charging for the event – to cover costs of the meal, location, etc. have a deadline for sending in the money - RSVP (agreed upon with the venue/caterer/restaurant).
17. Consider giving a prize to all who make a purchase online on September 19, 2005 – International Women’s ECommerce Day.
18. Start and end your event on time.
19. If you have a speaker, give her/him adequate time to present (10-20 minutes) allowing time for guests to ask questions.
20. Send thank you’s after your event.
21. Collect business cards or have a registration card at the sign-in table. This way you can follow up with your guests and thank them for attending.
If you have any questions about the above suggestions or would like to offer your own to add to the list, send a message to Heidi@WECAI.org with Event Tips in the subject line.
©2005 – Heidi Richards, Founder & CEO, WECAI.org – “Helping Women Do Business on the WEB™” – Join Today! Basic membership is FREE.
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