4 Places You Can Advertise Your Events

Promoting events can be intimidating for some event planners. So, here are eight ways to get the word out:

1. Use an online registration site. Choose one that's easy to use and that can capture all the info you want to share about the event. One great thing about these sites is that they can show all the event information and also take registration and payment info from participants. This can make your life a lot easier.

2. LinkedIn. Here, you can send invitations to your contacts. Since many of these individuals are in a similar industry, it increases the number of attendees you'll have at your event. Additionally, you can promote the event to particular groups that have been created on LinkedIn.

3. Twitter. You can advertise here in several ways: Create a specific hashtag or send a direct message to your followers to reach several people who can help you promote your event.

4. Send email newsletters. Sending an email to your contacts can be another way to get the word out about your event. While social media is picking up steam when it comes to getting info out to people, email marketing is still a great way to promote your event.

For four more tips, check out 8 Places to Advertise Your Events. 


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How to Plan Your Product Launch Event

While creating a new product can be intimidating, actually launching said product is another stress altogether. Although your product may not be as big as the latest iPad, you can still put together an event that will garner attention for it. Here are a few tips:

Timing. The timing of your launch can be the difference between success and failure; this is particularly true if your product has an international audience. Be sure you know what the good and bad times are for your launch. A couple of other things to keep in mind: 1) The kind of product you're launching will influence when you release it; 2) You must be willing to postpone the event if you're product is not ready. It's better to reschedule than debut a product that's not ready for public consumption.

Purpose. The purpose of your launch isn't just to get exposure and spread the word, you also want to reach a particular audience that will turn into someone who'll pay for your product. With that said, choose a specific gaol for your event. For example, do you want sales, media coverage, consumer awareness, etc.? By knowing your direction, you'll be able to focus on the kind of event you'll have. There are three main types:
    - Trade events where you may invite important industry influencers like editors of trade publications. Also, this can be a series of events in several locations or over a period of time
    - Media events where you educate important media members who've been invited to review your product. This may be in press conference format.
    - Consumer events that let you introduce your product to both old and new customers.
Whatever you do, don't try to host one event that caters to many audiences. Keep your target audience narrow.

Venue. You want your target audience to be able to get to your venue as easily as possible. Additionally, you may want a location that will reflect your product in some way. Consider carefully where you'll launch it since the location will say a lot about your business.

Experience. The most difficult part about planning your event will be how to create something that your audience will remember and something they'll feel was worth attending. So, if the media is your target, be sure that you give them enough information to do their job effectively by giving them access to your product. If you're targeting consumers, think about giving a discount on the item in addition to having them experience it.

Following up. In the days after your event, it's very important that you keep the momentum going for your product. So, follow up with the target audience, and contact the people who showed interest. Your launch event should be the beginning of your launch process. Tie it in with your continuing marketing efforts.

With proper planning and implementation, you can be sure your product launch will start off on the right track.

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Tips for Planning Your Interfaith Wedding

It can be complicated to plan an interfaith ceremony. Most likely, you'll face three huge challenges: finding an officiant, bringing together two sets of traditions without offending your families too much and creating a ceremony that reflects both your commitment and common values. And with two different religions, these issues can be way more complex than usual. Here are some tips to help you "prevent a religious roadblock":

1. Have a long engagement. Take a year or longer to find and work on the issues that are likely to come up during your marriage. You should examine the issue of religion very closely -- its role in your wedding, marriage and future family. And you need to discuss the religious practices you want to continue observing, particularly when you have children. You don't have to set anything in stone, but it's important to be open about what you expect for the future.
2. Collect information. Take classes/courses in each other's religions. Although you may not plan to practice either religion at home, studying will give you a better understanding of each other's beliefs and assumptions.
3. Get counseling. Speak with a clergy from each of your religions, and if possible, someone with training in family counseling, to assist you in discussing the issues you face. Or, you could contact a family planning organization or therapist for objective pre-marital counseling.
4. Be patient with your parents. If people are having a difficult time dealing with the religious differences, try to understand that they are "mourning for their own unfulfilled expectations." Just give them some time to get used to the idea, and try not to get defensive.

For four more tips, check out Interfaith Weddings: 8 Planning Tips. 

How to Get Event Sponsors

If you're an event planner, you probably know that planning often includes tight budgets, so being able to make the most of your financial resources is key. Event planners often seek out sponsors to ease some of the burden and give more support. Here are some tips on how to find and secure sponsors for you next event:

Begin slowly. Don't ask "for the moon" immediately. Since you're developing a long-term relationship, you must prove yourself first. Securing a sponsor is the first leap of faith for them. Once you have proven yourself and shown that you're a good fit, you'll have more power to bargain, and you can ask for more.

Remember, money isn't everything. If a sponsor isn't willing to supply funds immediately (or ever), don't be surprised. Money is not the only valuable thing a sponsor can provide; look deeper and find other ways you can work together. Ultimately, there are two ways to increase profit: increase revenues or decrease expenses. So, if a sponsor won't give financial support (increase revenues), they might be able to supply products, supplies or materials, which will eventually lower your expenses and/or improve your guests' experiences. With that said, be open to different possibilities.

Read the rest of the tips here...

Best of luck in your sponsor search! 

Wedding Seating Charts 101

Planning who will sit where at your wedding can be a huge headache. With that said, here are some tips to help make creating your seating chart a little easier to deal with:

• Take your time. Don't think you'll be able to complete this task the night before your wedding; it could take a while. Taking your time to make sure all guests are in the right spot will create a more pleasant reception for all.
• Categorize. Are you keeping a master guest list? If so, group each guest in of the following categories: wedding party, groom's family, bride's family, coupled/married friends, single friends, guests with kids and people with known, lasting conflicts.
• Create a plan. Take out a sheet of paper, and plan how the tables will be arranged, and include the bride or head table (or you can find a template online). If you'll be determining where each table will be placed, put yourself in a position where all guests can see you, leave enough space for dancing, and consider foot traffic.
• Begin with you. The first thing you need to do is decide who will be joining you and your new spouse at the head table. Some couples include the entire bridal party, some sit with their parents and others sit by themselves. It's completely up to you and depends on your venue as well. If you choose to have the wedding party sit separately, consider putting them all at one or two tables with their significant others.

For more tips on creating your seating chart, check out Seating Charts 101 - Putting Everyone in Their Place.

3 Ways To Promote Your Event On Twitter

By Daphne Bousquet

If you want to market your seminar with social media, Twitter is a valuable resource for creating buzz, raising your event's profile and yes, even getting some butts in the seats. Here are 3 tips for marketing your workshop or seminar on Twitter:

1. Tweet Your Way To More Attendees
Create at least 10 different tweets with a link to your event registration page. Schedule your tweets so you have about 5 throughout the day. Twitter moves fast, and when people follow hundreds of thousands of people, they will not see every tweet.

But be careful, you don't want your entire tweet stream to be about your event. You still need to give out tips, retweet other people and interact with people. 


Share some other resources in between, like articles and blog posts. If it is all about you and your event, you will turn people off because it becomes spammy. And that is a no no. Nobody likes spam.

Enlist some of your friends to help you promote your Tweets to their followers or retweet your tweets. You reach even more people, and since it doesn't come from you, it's not spam. Your event becomes a valuable resource that someone else wants to share with his followers.

2. Use A Hashtag
Create a hashtag for your event. If you are not familiar with what a hashtag is, it is the pound or number sign (#). You follow that with an abbreviation of the name of your workshop. Hashtags can't be too long because on Twitter, you only have 120 characters. Space is of the essence, so keep it short.

You add the tag to all the tweets about your event so that you can search for them easily and they can stand out among your followers. Then when other people start using it and the hashtag shows up everywhere, it becomes like a party, and people do not want to be left out.

3. Create Community With A Twitter List
Create a Twitter list of everyone who signs up for your event. That is a great way of getting people to interact with each other before they even get to your seminar. Your potential attendees see who else is registered, and that becomes a selling tool in itself.

What you do is create the list in Twitter or in Hootsuite because you can use that to create Twitter lists as well. Every time you have a new registration, you add them to your Twitter list. Then you make sure you publicize your list.

You can send emails to the people who have registered, encouraging them to follow everyone on your Twitter list so they can start networking before the event. You can even tweet about your list and encourage your followers to see who is coming to the workshop. Tell them to be there, too; you'll be able to network with all these great people.

In addition, you are fostering a community around your workshop. And people always want to belong to a community.

If you want more strategies on how to market your seminar on Twitter, Linked In, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube, check out "How to Market a Seminar on Social Media," a step-by-step program designed to get the most out of your social media time.

Daphne Bousquet, CMP uses her 20+ years of event planning experience to create profitable event strategies and implementation for coaches, entrepreneurs, speakers and self-employed professionals that want to grow their businesses with workshops and seminars. She is the creator of the How to Get the Butts In The Seats Of Your Next Workshop Or Seminar System, a unique digital course that teaches you how to fill your events with your ideal audience. Visit her online at EventStrategySolutions.com. 




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5 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Decorate Your Wedding Reception

Photo Credit: superweddings.com

Beautiful reception decor doesn't have to be complicated. Here are a few simple ideas that will bring an instant 'Wow' factor to your wedding:

1. Begin with a beautiful location. Yes, it might sound like a no-brainer, but don't choose a big empty lot space if you're trying to decorate easily. Gardens that have floral decor included or ballrooms with chandeliers and arched ceilings will give you something to start with.
2. Drape fabric. If you want to fill a large space and want low centerpieces on your table, drape fabric for a really dramatic effect. (Additionally, this is a great way to reduce the sound if you in a big, echoey venue).
3. Choose non-floral centerpieces. Use a combination of floral and non-floral centerpieces that match your color scheme for a look that's easy to put together and unique.
4. Make the dessert part of the decor. Not only is setting up a candy buffet a great way to provide lots of sweets, it can also brighten up a corner of your venue. And if you hang a bright banner and match the sweets to your color scheme, you'll have a dessert table "that does more than just satisfy your sweet tooth."
5. Throw in fruits and seasonal vegetables. Get even more creative with centerpieces by bringing in colorful fruits and vegetables to go with your flowers.

For 25 more ideas, visit our source, 30 Surprisingly Easy Ways to Decorate.

Tips on getting media attention for your next nonprofit event

Getting media coverage for your event is definitely something you want. But, how do you get it? Here are some tips to help:

Photo Credit: mylot.com 

1. Determine what media outlets are in your area: newspapers, radio and television stations, blogs and/or websites. Also, note two things: 1) Who has covered your issue and how and how related community events have been covered; 2) How most of the people in your community get their information.

2. Start a press list. Obtain phone numbers and email addresses (if possible) for relevant reporters, and place them in a well-organized spreadsheet. Do you have organizations sponsoring the event? If so, they may have press lists you can build on. Additionally, don't be scared to call the news desk and find out who covers events in your city; make sure to include the calendar editors as well. Finally, revise your list often.

3. Know what messages you're trying to spread. In other words, why should a reporter write about your event? Learn important lines for sound bites, and develop a case (in your mind) for your event's newsworthiness. Picture yourself trying to persuade a reporter to cover your event.

Get the rest of the tips at (our source) How to Get Media Attention for Your Event.