A guide to hosting a successful celebration

Transcription

1 A guide to hosting a successful celebration P a g e 0

2 There are so many different ways that groups can get involved in Community and Philanthropy Partnerships Week (CPPW) in fact, the possibilities are endless! For inspiration on how to celebrate your unique partnerships and all that you have achieved, be sure to visit the Ideas section of our website. For those who decide to host an event to celebrate your partnership, we ve collated a few tips and things for you to think about, all designed to help you ensure it s successful. In essence, it all comes down to planning. While not all of the suggestions or tips in here will be relevant to everyone, we do encourage you to read through the whole document otherwise, there might just be something you don t remember to do! The guide consists of the following sections: Writing a mission statement... 2 Planning the event... 2 Booking a venue... 3 What goes where? The floor / event plan... 4 Food and beverages... 4 Securing and managing sponsorships... 5 Promoting your event or activity... 5 Keeping track of who is coming... 6 Onsite signage and staff... 6 Making it memorable and think laterally... 6 Demonstrating achieving more together... 7 On the big day... 7 Finally, and most importantly... 8 It s not quite over yet!... 8 If there are things we have not covered, or you have other tips for things to think about, let us know via our Facebook page or us - info@communitypartnerships.com.au. Page 1

3 Writing a mission statement You may wonder why you would write a mission statement for an event. But it can help you and everyone else involved in the project to stay on track. Write down what you aim to achieve by running your event you can refer back to it during the planning stages to help keep your ideas on track. It s also helpful to share with others that you involve at different stages of the process, so everyone is on the same page. Planning the event So, what kind of event are you going to host? Is it formal, informal? Indoor, outdoor? How long will it go for? Are you having drinks and something to eat? Are there speeches? Will anyone be using a projection screen? Once you have a broad plan, step through how the event will run, right from the minute guests arrive. Do you need space to wait? Will there be pre-event drinks or snacks? If they will be asked to wait before going into the main room, how long will it take for people to move? What music should be playing? What lighting do you need? What audio-visuals do you need projector? Microphone? Speakers? Are you going to film the event if so, where will the cameraman be? And do you need photos during the event? Candid shots, or more formal, staged shots? If so, make sure that you allow time for those things. Who will speak and in what order? Is there a welcome to country required? Who will introduce the main speakers, if you have them? And thank them? And do you need gifts for the speakers? If you write down all of these little things, and record the decisions you make as you go, you ll eventually have what the experts call a Run Sheet. That is a document that you can give to all your volunteers, to the venue staff and to other providers, like musicians or photographers, so everyone knows exactly what will happen on the day. This document will evolve as you plan your event, but completing an initial run sheet will help you answer questions that you will need to know before you book a venue, catering and so many other critical things. A few other things to consider: Consider establishing a committee and assign project tasks to different people a variety of skill sets is extremely useful when planning, and running, an event. At the very start of your planning, record names and mailing addresses of all the people who assist you. Doing it as you go makes sending out thank you letters after your event much easier and ensures you don t forget the people who help you, particularly in the early stages of planning. Printing a photograph of their contribution at the event (the prize they donated, the volunteer crew they got together, the stage they helped build, etc.) and including it with your thank you letter is a thoughtful touch. Page 2

4 Identify your key stakeholders early (potential sponsors, speakers, local Members of Federal and State Parliament, local council and key supporters) and consider inviting them to participate in your early planning meetings. Think about the weather - do you have a wet weather back up plan? Can you supply ample water stations or bottled water, umbrellas or shaded relief for guests if it s going to be hot? If you have people speaking, be sure to have a quiet room available for them. Many will say they do not need it but on the day it will be a welcome relief to prepare, read through notes, escape the crowds and gather their thoughts before they go on stage. Ensure you have water available in this quiet room and at the microphone. Keep children happy. If you expect children will be attending your event a few thoughtful ideas to help entertain them will ensure they re happy, which in turn will enable their parents and the other guests to enjoy your event. A small table with some black and white printout colouring pages and a few packets of crayons can be all you need. If your budget allows, consider hiring a face painter or balloon artist. Think about playing ambient back ground music - it sets the tone of the event and covers any awkward silence, particularly for guest arrival. Booking a venue Where you hold an event can make or break it so here are some things to consider when choosing your venue: How many guests can it accommodate? Make sure you check that there is enough space for the style of event you want theatre style; sit down; standing / cocktail function etc. What seating is available and is it enough? As a general guide, provide seating for 1/3 of the number of guests you re expecting (even if it s a stand up event such as a cocktail party / family day). Be really clear about what is included in the venue hire fee do they provide chairs, tables, linen, catering facilities, staging, staff, security, AV (sound and lighting) or will you need to pay for these separately? Is the style of the venue aligned to your event and will it be an attractive destination for your guests? What parking options are there? Will guests have to pay for parking, or could the venue waive the costs of parking as part of your booking? When can you get access to the venue? Make sure you take into account the time that you will need to setup the venue before guests arrive and allow for time to pack and clean up after the event. Are there sufficient toilet facilities onsite, or will you need to hire them in? Do you require permits or permission to host an event at this venue? Note that many public spaces require local council permission. Think about the people who will attend your event and consider approaching venues that attract this audience for example, if you re hosting a family day, approach a local play centre as they may see the value in offering you the venue at a discounted rate to promote their space to your guests for potential future business. Talk to the venue about their staffing can they assist you with organising staff / volunteers to help with your event? Local sport centres often have volunteer committees, would they be willing to assist? Page 3

5 What goes where? The floor / event plan No matter whether your event is in a local hall, at a restaurant, or in the park, you need to plan what goes where. In planning the layout, it is helpful to walk through the event and the different things that you have happening. For example, when people arrive do they need to collect name tags or register? Where would be the best location for the desk, so people can have space to mingle and wait? Where will they first stand once they have registered, if they need to? Is there a waiting area in the foyer for early arrivals? If the event is outdoors, visit the space at the same time of day your event is scheduled to see where the sun is you don t want to set up your stage/ presentations in a spot which means your guests have to stare directly into the sunlight to watch. If it s forecast to be hot, look at where the shaded areas are at the time of day your event is on and plan your layout accordingly there s no point putting the storage area in the only shaded spot at the venue for example. Food and beverages This is often one of the hardest tasks for any event, especially with so many dietary requirements. But these days, most caterers are adept at creating menus that meet these various needs. However, you should still consider your audience when selecting your catering. Start with the ratio of men to women - as a general rule, men are driven by taste and quantity, women by nutrition. What options will you have for children, vegetarians or others with special dietary requirements? If your venue can provide catering (such as a hotel or restaurant), rather than selecting items from the standard menu, tell them your budget and ask them to tailor catering to suit. This will often give you a better overall result. If you re hosting an outdoor event, sausage sizzles, hamburger stands and pie stations work well to keep costs low as they can be manned by volunteers and are relatively cheap to setup. And if you have them in your area, you could consider contacting one of the many food van services that are popular at the moment and see if they can assist. These work well for outdoor events as they are fully self-contained, have all the required permits and supply the staff and materials required. They are a huge hit with guests too! Whole fruit in baskets are a great way to add volume to your catering with a relatively low cost speak to your local fruit supplier about buying quantities of fruit in season. Be sure to provide an easy way to dispose of the skins and make sure you check with the venue that this food option is allowed. However you choose to cater your event, make sure that you comply with all the local and state laws in regard to food safety and hygiene. Different LGAs and states have different laws, so make sure you know if you can even do your own catering, and what training and permits you may need. Finally, remember to arrange food for your staff and volunteers! Page 4

6 Securing and managing sponsorships Most events can benefit from having sponsors or partners who provide in-kind donations or financial support. But before you approach a potential sponsor, ask yourself what you can offer them that would be of value to them, and structure your request for support around that. For example, can you let them put a flyer in a goodie bag to go to participants on the day? Or a few free tickets to attend? Reserved seating for their VIPs? A chance to talk to the audience to promote their business? Think broadly too about the support they could offer. In addition to donating prizes (for example) would they be willing to put a flyer in their office / shop? Would they be able to promote the event via their database / in their newsletters/on their Facebook pages? Encourage them to promote the event by allowing them to be publically recognised as sponsors, such as ABC Company proudly supporting XYZ event. Remember that in a small community, businesses get asked for support often. So consider having different levels of involvement, so they can still feel like they are getting involved, even if they can t afford a large dollar amount. For example, by asking for a small donation of products and package them together into a hamper to be given away on the day. It s a nice surprise for your guests too. If you do get supporters / sponsors coming on board, make sure that you keep your side of the bargain and thank them / acknowledge them as you ve promised to. But remember not everyone wants to be publically profiled or thanked for their contribution be sure to check first before calling people up on stage or naming them personally in thank you speeches. Promoting your event or activity If your event is open to the public, consider promoting your event as widely as possible using as many different avenues as possible to reach a wide and varied audience. Use social media (Facebook, Twitter), distribute flyers, list your event on a variety of websites particularly those that have what s on pages for your area, put up posters in shop fronts, offices and community spaces such local libraries. And don t forget to talk to your local media, including community radio and community newsletters, and offer stories and ideas for them to use to generate publicity for your event. A few other things to think about: Advertise the date of your event as early as you can even if the exact plans are still a work in progress, send a Save The Date . Be sure to add your event to CPPW online Events Register (coming soon). In the spirit of partnership, could your event help to promote other community activities / events / organisations? Consider inviting other groups to display a poster or share their brochures. It not only brightens up your event space but may also encourage them to promote your event more widely through their own networks. Page 5

7 Keeping track of who is coming For some events, it doesn t matter how many people come. But for most, you need to know how many are coming to ensure you have enough seating and catering. To save time, try creating an Event Page within Facebook and asking people to respond that way, or use one of the many online event websites (often free of charge) such as or Or you can set up a dedicated address and ask people to RSVP. This is a good way to track any dietary or other requirements, such as hearing or mobility impediments that need to be taken into account. Onsite signage and staff Make it as easy as possible for people to find your event. Include a map on your invitation or flyer. Spend time putting up direction signs at the entrance points or car parks. Balloons are a cheap and effective way to identify entrances for events. When onsite, identify the event organisers in some way it could be matching hats, t-shirts, lapel pins, colour-coordinated scarves etc. Make sure too that you have name badges for the organising committee. It makes it easier for people to ask questions on the day. A couple of other things to think about: Who will host your event? The Event MC is a key figure they are the voice of your event and set the tone and mood for your audience. So choose wisely this role should be a dedicated role on the day. Once you ve chosen the right person, make sure they are briefed well! If you need volunteers, instead of trying to find individuals, ask organisations to help you local groups can often get together a group of people relatively easily. Approach your local football clubs, bridge or bowls groups, local business networking groups, or youth groups. If you re using volunteers to assist on the day, be sure to schedule breaks and catering for them. You want your volunteers to be as fresh and welcoming at the end of the event as they were at the start a short break and a light snack can do wonders for energy levels. Local bakeries are a great source of food for volunteers a few baskets of pastries are easy to organise and will be a welcome sight particularly for those that have started early in the day. Making it memorable - think laterally You want this event to be memorable and to be a real celebration of partnerships, so think about who else you could get involved, and what else you could do for your guests. For example: If your event is held at a local winery, could you offer a wine tasting for your guests? If you use a historic house could you offer a tour before or after your event? If you re using the local community centre for a family day, do they have a pool that they could open afterwards for private access for your guests? If you use the local library could you access their archives and have a display of rarely seen memorabilia relevant to your local community or event? Could you hold your event in conjunction with other activities already planned onsite at the local football match? During your local Show? Could you hold an event at a venue not usually open to the public a flower market garden? A wild life rehabilitation centre? The grounds of a private estate? Page 6

8 Demonstrating achieving more together This year s theme is Achieving More Together think laterally about how you can incorporate this theme into your event. For example: Create a poster or slide show about the projects you ve produced together. Consider taking a giant group photo of everyone involved in the project to show how many people played a part in the success of the activity. You could symbolise the success of the project by planting a tree, etc. You could provide cut out coloured cardboard and textas at the entrances of your event and encourage people to write what THEY VE felt the partnership has delivered, and hang them with wooden pegs on string around the venue for an evolving art installation. Consider providing a giant sized paper wall and encourage people to write their own messages about the project for an interesting display. Ask everyone to trace and cut out their hand print onto coloured card and join them together for a symbolic display on partnerships. You could ask everyone attending the event to bring something (a photo, etc.) symbolising your project and add them all together in a mass exhibition / display. Ask everyone who attends the event to make a thumb print on a large canvas that you have supplied to show many hands make light work when it comes to working together with community and partnership. Whatever, you do, make it fun maybe you could end your event with a large conga line down the main street of town, stopping at all the shops / offices that contributed to the success of the project! On the big day So, you ve done all the planning, got heaps of people coming and it s all set to be successful. There are just a few things you should make sure you do on the day: Make sure that someone (or a few people) are taking photographs and / or video of your event which you can use for promotion after your event. We would love to see what it looks like. If your event is outdoors, consider purchasing $5 bins from local discount retailers to encourage people to dispose of their rubbish easily. It s easier to empty bins at the end of the day than to walk around picking up strewn rubbish. Think about the end of your event and plan early. Will you have a lot of things to pack up and take from the venue? Who will be able to assist you to do that? Are you responsible for removing the rubbish, how will you manage that? Have some spies! Ask one or two people who are attending the event as a guest but who you know well to keep an eye on things for you ask them to tell you while the event is happening if there s anything they think you could improve. If they re sitting at the back of the room, is the audio too loud / soft? Are the bathrooms a mess and need attention? Have you run out of tea bags at the coffee station? It helps to keep track of the little things that organisers may miss on the day. Page 7

9 Finally, and most importantly Be sure to stop at least once during your event and look around at the smiling faces and guests enjoying the activities that you ve worked hard to put on. The day goes by so quickly, particularly for organisers, but it s important to take a moment to enjoy the event while it s happening and to acknowledge all your hard work! It s not quite over yet! It s always tempting once the actual event is over to think it s done. But there are a few final things you should make sure you do: Send thank you notes to all those who helped make it a success. Pay your final invoices and balance the budget. Write up a report / summary of the event this will help capture what worked and what didn t, plus anything you learnt for next time, while it s all still fresh in your mind. Share photos and the outcomes of the day via local media and on social media. It helps to reinforce the messages you were sharing on the day, plus it is a way to engage those who just couldn t make it. Page 8