“Every election is determined by the people who show up.”
― Larry J. Sabato, Pendulum Swing
Posts Tagged: advice
When was the last time you gave yourself time to plan?
If you answered this morning, while you were getting into your vehicle or stepping onto the train on your way to work you would be like most people reading this blog. At
the risk of offending some, that’s a bit backwards. Think about it – do you put your tie-on before you pick out your shirt or even pull out a pair of shoes before deciding upon what garments to wear?
Recently, I came across the Money Watch blog that talked about preparing for your day the way a teacher prepares for their day. Regular visitors to EventIQ’s blog know we deal with a lot of schools so this instantly caught my attention.
As Laura Vanderkam points out, there’s about six periods a day and teachers are responsible for being in their classroom for about five of them. So what do they do with their “spare” period?
They are not kickin’ back in the teacher’s lounge — they are figuring out their lesson plan so when they go back in front of students they are prepared.
So next time you feel like you’re being buried under paperwork or that you’re being held hostage by your to-do list, think like a teacher and put aside 60 minutes just to prepare.
“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
Simple is a good thing, right? We here at eventIQ like to think so and in our experience we’ve found that most people who organize events agree that a simple approach to things is best.
With InviteRight you can create your own invitation and forward it to your guests from your own email program. You may send as many invitations as you wish, however, there’s a limit on how many RSVPs you can receive based on the package you buy.
With InviteRight you can also:
- Set up your events so guests can also forward the invitation
- Print the invitation and send it to guests
- Edit the invitation before sending to guests
- Add an attachment – keep in mind this sometimes prevents emails from being opened due to spam filters
To read more about invitations and InviteRight, read our FAQ page. When you’re there check out the page about sending reminders — a really useful feature!
“Hug and kiss whoever helped get you — financially, mentally, morally, emotionally — to this day. Parents, mentors, friends, teachers. If you’re too uptight to do that, at least do the old handshake thing, but I recommend a hug and a kiss. Don’t let the sun go down without saying thank you to someone, and without admitting to yourself that absolutely no one gets this far alone.”
~ Stephen King – commencement address, University of Maine (7 May 2005)
“The best of all things is to learn.
Money can be lost or stolen, health and strength may fail, but what you have committed to your mind is yours forever.”
- Louis L’Amour
When was the last time you stood in line? How do you control yourself when waiting? If you’re like me, you’re very impatient when it comes to standing in line…particularly those lengthy moving ones. You squirm, perspire and even curse under your breath. It’s remarkable how 5 minutes in a line can go by instantly while other times seems like forever. Here are a few aspects that make the wait seem a lot longer than it is.
- If you have nothing to preoccupy yourself with, the wait is enormously longer. Hotels try to cut this impression down in elevators by positioning mirrors inside so guests are diverted by their appearance.
- Anxiety is a factor of time. If you believe you’re in a slow line or you’re nervous about getting a seat at a restaurant, bus, airplane, etc., the delay seems lengthier.
- Undefined waits are longer than scheduled waits. If you are informed that the line will take 20 minutes, this will seem a lot quicker than not being told how long the wait will be.
- The better the service or product, the longer the wait. In most cases, people will stand in line longer to talk to a doctor than a sales clerk or even purchasing a cellphone than chips.
We hate lines. We hate standing in them. We even loathe the fellow liners ahead of us, even though they are blameless. The easiest way to avoid line-ups is to not have any at all! If you’re setting up an event that will possibly have some sort of line, attempt to make the guest experience as painless as possible. Try InviteRight.com to set up your events online and avoid those horrendous lineups or SchoolToolsHQ.com for school related events.
Need any line-up tips? Read Ken’s blog about line-up tips he discovered from the Magic Kingdom.
“I hope your dreams take you… to the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known.”
~ Unknown
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own.
And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
~ Dr. Seuss
A charity gala is a popular way to raise funds for a good cause. And after months of preparation, you’ll finally be able to relax and enjoy your glamorous and glittering night of music, beautiful gowns and, with luck, a balance sheet in the black.
So start spreading the news about your great charity ball, but heed the advice from the professionals listed below.
The Vancouver Aquarium, for instance, found its annual Night At The Aquarium fundraiser threatened not by inclement weather or economic constraints. The culprit was the unexpected fifth game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs featuring the local Canucks. With BC Place’s almost 60,000 seats filled by roaring fans, and thousands more crowding the city streets to watch the action on giant outdoor screens, who would be left to eat, dance, or bid on silent auction items?
The solution was simple. Gala guests were invited to arrive two hours early to watch the game on the Aquarium’s 25-foot 4D theatre screen, making it easy for them to experience the game and stay for the gala event which followed.
“Plan as much as you can,” says Gillian Wallis, internal event planner at the Vancouver Aquarium. “But expect that something that is not planned is going to happen anyway.”
Reach out to your target market
The overall planning template for any gala hasn’t changed. You need volunteers with expertise, energy and connections; sponsors willing to jump on board and donate; a venue that can accommodate your specific needs; and a date that works.
Take the plunge
Make sure you have a “catch,” says Brittney Kuczynski, who began the Oceana Ball in support of the Herbie Fund when she was just 19. For Kuczynski, that “catch” was her cousin, Ottawa Senator hockey player Jason Spezza, whose appearance drew immediate buy-in from event patrons.
“The biggest challenge in my first year was finding that catch” she explains. “As long as you are able to show and articulate your passion,” she maintains,”your event is an easy sell.”
Attract and manage sponsors
Everyone feels good about supporting a worthy cause, of course. But participants and sponsors want something in return for their support, whether it comes in the form of company logos on all marketing material or just a free drink.
“People will always be looking for a deal,” says Night At The Aquarium’s Wallis. “If you are charging $200-plus for a ticket, ensure that there is at least a complimentary welcome cocktail and ample amounts of food.”
Get the word out
Inviting media to your event and treating them well is how those crucial relationships are forged and future benefits earned.
This article, by Jean Mills, was originally published on September 26, 2011. To read the entire article, follow this link: https://charityvillage.com/Content.aspx?topic=getting_ready_for_gala_season&last=141
