5 Free Webinar Tips To Help Make Your Event Wildly Successful

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By B. Hopkins

Webinars are one of the most effective ways to market online. They have many advantages. Multiple forms of media can be used, presenters can interact with their audience and establish rapport through teaching and offering valuable information. They are a very effective way to sell products and also expand your influence in a niche. Here are five free webinar tips to help ensure your next event is wildly successful.

1. Plan your webinar ahead of time. You want your webinar to be entertaining, informative and concise. People are very busy these days and don't want to sit in front of the computer for hours, listening to someone ramble.

Keep you presentation interesting by using multiple forms of media such as slides, pictures and demonstrations using the Internet and other sources. Don't just use slides with lots of text.

A webinar is your opportunity to connect with your audience. Be sure to leave plenty of room for asking them questions and interacting with them throughout the presentation.

Once you have your presentation planned, practice, practice, practice. Make sure you are familiar with your webinar service technology as well.

2. Promote your webinar. Announce your webinar through your email list, write a post on your blog, post messages on your Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin accounts, and ask everyone you know to spread the word about your free event. Send out multiple messages so that people don't forget.

3. Enlist at least one co-presenter or helper. Webinars are often more interesting if there is more than one presenter. If it makes sense to have a co-presenter or guest speaker, it can definitely add a lot of value to your webinar. If you will be the only presenter, make sure you at least enlist someone to help you keep an eye on things. The chat window needs to be monitored, the audio needs to be tested, and you need to make sure the webinar is running smoothly without technical difficulties. Having an extra set of eyes, ears and hands can be a big help.

4. Be engaging and interact with your audience. Remember to interact with your audience. Ask them questions throughout the presentation and answer any questions they may have. You should always schedule time at the end for a Q&A session, but it's also a good idea to answer questions throughout the webinar.

Have fun, and remember to keep your audience interested and entertained. Don't worry so much about being serious and "professional." The key is to establish rapport so that people will begin to know, like and trust you.

5. Tape your webinar, and re-purpose it. Make sure that you tape your webinar so that you can use it later. Offer it as a replay to your email list and blog readers. Or you can also consider selling it as a product to those who did not attend.

You can also re-use webinar materials. You can post the slides on slide-sharing sites or offer them as a free bonus to your email list.

A free webinar is one of the most effective ways to market your business and establish yourself as an authority in your niche. With a little preparation and practice ahead of time, you should be well on your way to having a wildly successful event.

TeleseminarLive is a free service that sends you a list of upcaming paid and free webinars and teleseminars. Become a member of this site today, and reduce your risk of missing out on a free webinar opportunity. Also, find out more about how to find free webinars.

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Ways to Save Money While Planning A Corporate Event

With the economy still picking back up, you might find that you have a smaller budget than expected when planning your next event. But, instead of getting frustrated and trying to create a big budget event with limited resources, reverse your strategy and embrace the budget you have. You can have an effective and memorable event, even with limited funds. Here's how:

(1) Know Your Budget. You wouldn't start making a cake without a list of ingredients, right? So how can you prepare for a major event without understand what you have to work with? Talk to your co-workers and superiors to determine exactly what your budget is. Find out how much money you can spend on a venue, speakers, catering, awards, decorations, entertainment and incidentals. Creating baseline limits for each category will help you keep costs in line.

(2) Use Sponsors. Companies are eager to get their name out to the public without paying high advertising or PR fees, so take advantage of that. Find an up-and-coming company looking to make a name for itself and trade exposure for money.

You can use your industry connections to see who's out there, and to increase your odds of landing sponsorship, decide on a company or organization that's closely related to your business. Once you find them, present a road map for a reciprocal relationship in the future, and find the right person to present your offer to. You might be surprised by the outcome.

For three more tips, check out 5 Ways to Save Money While Planning Your Next Event.

Party Planning Potholes - 6 Event Planning Mistakes to Avoid

By Marley Majcher

Mistakes are a part of life. I hate making them; we all do, but they happen. With over 16 years in business, I have seen my share of mistakes, some that I have made, and some my party planning colleagues have. The best of us make them, but they should be infrequent. The key is to learn from them as you go. But those that can be avoided should be! The common event planning mistakes I bring up below will hopefully allow you to not step into these proverbial potholes.

The Tips!

1. Cursory site/venue check. I can't tell you how much time I spend checking a venue for a client. I don't care if it's for a birthday blowout or a small corporate meeting. Inspecting the main room where the function will be taking place is only one aspect of a venue check. I also make sure to note what outlets are available for audio/visual, the valet parking area, the kitchen and the restrooms (why not? If they are not taken care of, guests will notice, and it will cast a shadow over the event). It is also imperative to note if there is a place where smokers can congregate. Whether or not you smoke doesn't matter. What matters is the comfort of your clients and their guests. I have heard too many horror stories where the site selected looked great, but failure to check for necessities in addition to the "pretty things" added up to a nightmare for the planner involved.

2. Communication, communication, communication. Having all the event information in your head is fine if you are not working with anyone else, but seriously, how often do you put on an event by yourself? Even if you don't have employees, you will have vendors that you will be working with, and you must communicate with them frequently. In addition to vendors, you also have a client that needs to know all the pertinent details about how the event will proceed. I know that we all want to look like Super Woman and Super Man, but at some point, this will absolutely backfire. It is an absolute must to bring everyone that is part of the event up to speed on everything that they need to know in order to make their tasks seamless. Treat each person as a stock broker, each having their own portfolio that they are in charge of. If they are not given the appropriate financial information, your personal portfolio can lose all its value. Why take a chance?

3. Double checking, triple checking and then some. Don't leave anything to chance. Why drive yourself crazy? I have checklists for eight weeks out, four weeks out, two weeks out...you get the picture. The week of any party I produce, I check in with the venue and do another walk through. I call all my vendors and powwow with them. I go through the menus, and I talk to my client almost every day to make sure there aren't any last minute changes. And of course, changes occur, so why gamble on your reputation? Double check the details. We all know the odds in Vegas are not in our favor, so do as much as you can to limit any missteps.

4. It's all in the fine print. When looking over contracts, no matter whom they are from and no matter if I worked with them 20 times in the past, I ALWAYS go over the entire contract, line by line. Yes, it is time consuming, yes, most contracts are standard, BUT there could be a line or three that puts you at a significant disadvantage. I even break out my magnifying glass to read some of the fine print. If you don't understand something, ask questions. If you don't agree with something, try having it removed from the contract, or walk away. Don't put yourself in line for legal troubles that will cost you more than the one hour it takes to thoroughly review a contract. There have been many times where I have successfully lobbied to take out clauses that were just plain awful and could have potentially hurt me in the end.

5. Vetting the entertainment. When hiring speakers, clowns, singers and DJs, I don't care who it is, I always try to get a referral from a trusted source. But, I do not just stop there. I meet everyone (if feasible) before I put them in front of my client. I want to get an idea of who they are and what their true abilities are. If I can't grab a meeting with them because of logistical issues, I make sure to see them on video, whether it is on a YouTube video or their personal promotional video. As I wrote above, I don't want to leave anything to chance. Imagine the horror if "Rex the Tyrannosaurus Rex" showed up at your children's party when "Bozo the Happy Clown" was expected! Since the entertainment is so important as is a key note speaker, it is imperative that you have a high comfort level that promises made are promises kept.

6. Sticking to your event timeline. You are the producer of an event. You are the leader of troops. You keep morale up and things run smoothly. You are also the warden of the clock. You have, no doubt, set time marks that you want to hit to keep the party going. If you are producing a wedding, for example, you will have a timeline for wedding photos, first dance, band breaks, dessert, etc. A timeline is needed for every party/event you do. Just hoping that the party will start at 1pm and end at 5pm as the invites say is wishful thinking. This can be especially true when alcohol is involved. Imagine if your late afternoon engagement party, featuring cocktails and hors d'oeuvres dragged on and guests started getting hungry for dinner? You need to be there with one eye on the clock and the other on the client to make sure food is rolling, entertainment is happening, drinks are being poured, key note speeches are delivered when they're supposed to and wait staff are not taking their 15 minute breaks at the wrong time.

Marley Majcher is the CEO of The Party Goddess!, a nationally acclaimed full service event planning and catering company and is a regular on-air contributor to national TV shows, discussing all things lifestyle and entertaining. With her continuing desire to be on the leading edge of gastronomy and design for her company and clients, Majcher has blanched, flambeed and fricasseed her way through the Smithsonian Institution's culinary series and cooking schools in both Paris and Normandy. She is constantly seeking out cool and creative individuals with style and personality to work with and attends premier design exhibitions whenever she can. Majcher currently spends any free time she might have, usually between 10:45 pm and 11:15 pm on Tuesdays planning her own annual blowout party every November.

Take a look at the company's website at www.thepartygoddess.com to see what The Party Goddess! does for clients and get some great ideas for your next party or event. 

If you are thinking of becoming a party or event planner or just want to learn more about it, go to www.howtobeapartygoddess.com. Here you will learn what it takes to be a rockin' party planner and how to start a new and profitable business. 

Please contact Marley at info@thepartygoddess.com.

{Source; Photo Credit}

5 Ideas to Help Sell Out Your Events

By Jim Romanik

Unless attendance at an event is mandatory, getting people to register comes down to sales. You, as the event planner, need to convince the event participants that attending your event is the best use of their time and money. Even if your event is free and intended to be fun such as a Christmas party, you still need to show people that attending your event is better than anything else that they could be doing.

For some events, the promotional material (mailers, emails, etc.) will list the benefits and do a good job of communicating the value of an event to prospective attendees. This will help get people to the registration form, but the sale isn't closed until they click the submit button.

Here are five tips to keep in mind for your promotional material and your registration forms to help you get the sale.

1. Clearly state the benefits of attending. Clearly stating how people will benefit by attending your event is one of the best ways to encourage people to register. Make your benefit statements descriptive and put them in terms that prospective event participants can relate to. Here are two examples:

- "When you leave this event, you will have ten new strategies for motivating your staff that will result in less turnover."

- "In this workshop, you will learn the real difference between software A and B, so you can make the right decision for your business and avoid a buying mistake that will cost you time and money.

2. Use a good title. Most event titles are similar to "2006 Annual Convention." This tells you what it is but doesn't really catch your attention. Try adding a benefit or other interest-grabbing words to the title such as the one below:
2006 Annual Convention - See the new industry technology that will keep you competitive.

3. Clearly state what the price includes. Everyone perceives differently. Some may say it's too high, while other people will pay it and not complain. Itemizing what your event includes will help to show people who think it's too high the value of what they will receive. Outline items such as speaking events and the number of instructional hours, to meals and conference materials.

4. Talk about the food. Everyone likes a good dinner and most conventions have several meal functions and usually a final banquet.

Rather than listing the meals as "Monday Lunch" or "Dinner and Awards Banquet" create some anticipation around the event by giving more details such as the dinner options, what is for dessert, how fresh the ingredients will be, how many awards the chef has won, etc.

5. Use testimonials. Testimonials from previous events can be a powerful motivator. Make sure the testimonials you use are descriptive and demonstrate how the person benefited by attending the event.

Jim Romanik is the founder of ePly Online Event Registration Software. "We are online registration experts and treat your reputation as our own to build registration forms that help your events succeed and make people wonder how you did it. Download our free guide What Every Event Planner Should Know About Online Event Registration at www.eply.com/lp/articles.html."

How to Increase Attendance at Your Events

8 Tips to have a Sell-out Crowd Every Time!

By Heidi Richards Mooney

Have you noticed a decrease in event attendance over the years? If so, you are not alone. Every day, more and more groups and organizations are popping up, vying for the attention of specific targeted groups of people. Increasing event attendance is generally the biggest challenge facing meeting and event planners. Many people think that if they plan a fantastic event, people will just show up. Of course, today, with all the competition for people's time, this does not happen.

Event planners and hosts can sometimes find themselves in a quandary about just how to promote the event to get maximum exposure and participants. Some will hire a public relations firm to get them much needed publicity in the hopes that it leads to more attendees. Others buy "lists," which can be very costly and there are really no guarantees that the list will draw the type of attendees that will add to the overall success of the event. Keep in mind, a PR firm's responsibility is to garner publicity for the event, not necessarily bring attendees. It will, of course, raise awareness of what you are trying to accomplish, but may not result in adding to your bottom line or database. That is partly because in most cases, the media covers events "after the fact." There are exceptions, like a slow news day, a celebrity involvement or a totally unique concept that has never been done before; these would greatly raise the chances of the event being covered on the spot.

Advertising, on the other hand, is totally different. It can cost money that results in zero return on investment because it too may not be seen by your target audience.

So then you may be asking yourself, what can I do to create a successful well-attended event? One thing you can do is what some groups I have volunteered for is to cross promote. By that I mean either share your mailing lists with them and vice versa or promote one another's events to your stakeholders.

If you do this, make sure your "list" is always kept up to date. And ask any partnering organizations how often they update their lists. That is because people move away, lose interest and basically get "tapped out." Or their interests change and they go on to other groups. The same holds true of events themselves. Organizations today have to keep reinventing themselves and their parties, galas, fundraisers and other events so they can continue to draw the people they can count on. If not, you've lost them before the date for the next event has even been set. That is why it is important to have a plan and a specific targeted list of supporters, those with the highest probability of attending and becoming life-long supporters.

Here are eight strategies you can use to see immediate results:

1. Research other available mailing lists. Look for associations and organizations who present events to similar audiences. Offer to trade sponsor recognition in exchange for their mailing lists. The sponsorship could include a table at your event for them to distribute promotional literature. It could include their name and logo in your brochures, programs and other printed materials. It could include an exchange of your mailing list as mentioned above. Be sure to spell out the terms of using your mailing lists. For instance, can the list be used multiple times or only once?
2. Negotiate what they would accept or develop sponsorship guidelines to include what they would receive. This will cost you nothing, and your mailing list could go from 1,000 to 10,000 (or more). Of course, it will cost more to mail to more people. When my church decided to host an auction, we looked at our community, asked volunteers for their input and found several other organizations that had hosted auctions in the past. We were able to trade lists with some of them, which tripled our original list. Since our events were at different times of the year, we agreed to trade our list for theirs, which resulted in almost half of our tickets coming from those lists.
3. Since printing and mailing to a larger list will increase costs of promotion, use other strategies to save money. Print expensive self-mailing brochures to save on envelopes, which can be costly. If two color will get the message across effectively, opt for that instead of a four-color process. Use eye-catching graphics and good copywriting to "sell the event." If you must hire someone, I recommend a copywriter, a good investment. She or he will know the words that "sell" and can come up with copy that is both appealing to the target audience, and it can be used again in multiple ways to spread the word such as postcards, email invitations and more. Be sure you bid on the print job. Unless you are getting it donated or sponsored, printing costs can vary greatly from company to company. I also recommend using bulk mail instead of first class, which will save you considerable investment and you can increase your reach by sending to more of your target audience.
4. Brainstorm lists with your in-house "staff" and volunteers. It is said each person has at least 200 in their circle of influence. Tap into those circles if and when possible.
5. Create a publicity "stunt" to increase pre-exposure for the event. When a women's organization that I am involved in (American Business Women's Association) wanted publicity for a regional conference we were hosting, we brainstormed ideas that would get the media's attention. We were hosting a cocktail reception, open to the public the night before the conference was to start. The event had two goals to meet: One was to increase local awareness of the organization. The other was to increase event attendance. Our theme for the event was Hot, Hot, Hot in South Florida. We invited the South Florida Calendar Firefighters to the event to "mingle" with attendees and sell their calendars. The calendars were a fundraiser for the Jackson Memorial Burn Center in Miami. So we created a "pre-event" to promote the reception. We called the Cooper City Fire Department (two of the calendar guys worked there). We asked if we could take publicity pictures with the firefighters on their fire truck. They said "yes." We asked a member who was a professional photographer to take the pictures. The results were great,  full color photo on the cover of the Society page, prior to the event and mentions in other local papers! We had a sell-out attendance. In fact, the firefighters sold all the calendars they had brought that they had to take orders to fulfill the rest. And the "pre-event" was FUN. This may not work for every event, especially if it is for members only.
6. If your event is open to the public, check out other local papers and journals to see what other organizations would be likely partners with your organization. Of course, if you have it in your budget you can also offer to purchase their mailing lists, which then removes any partnering responsibility on either part. Always, always be on the lookout for new lists. Chamber of Commerce and other business leagues and organizations make it a practice of selling their lists to earn extra income.
7. You can also promote the event with broadcast faxes and emails. Be cautious when doing so. Unsolicited advertising is not only intrusive, it can give the event a bad reputation and may even cost you money in fines, etc. I do send emails; however, it is to lists I have created through the several associations I am involved in. If the event is for a nonprofit or service organization, you can create your list using volunteers. 
8. Check out local high schools and colleges for students who need service hours. Offer them service hours in exchange for inputing information into your database.

Follow these eight tips and see how many more people attend! 

[Photo Credit]

4 Tips for Planning an Outdoor Event

Planning an outdoor event? Here are some tips to help you minimize stress:

1. Get a permit. You'll want to do this as soon as you've finalized where and when you'll have the event. The fastest way to get your event shut down is to hold it without a permit.
2. Check out all ordinances. Every town has noise ordinances; many times, noise is prohibited after a certain time. Also, look into fire and safety codes, which may have limits on overselling tickets, seating and advertisement. Speak with the state and local authorities, the local fire department and the police about these.
3. Power. Food stations, DJ/music and other areas that need lights will need power stations. If there aren't enough, have your vendors bring extension cords, and check the power load per plug. Additionally, have a back-up power system to fall back on.
4. Be sure the guests are comfortable. Have enough drinking water and fountains, and make sure they are spread aound the venue. You can also consider renting portable air conditioners (if your event is during the summer). 

For even more tips, check out our source 16 Tips to Plan a Successful Outdoor Event.

4 Simple Tips for Planning Your High School Reunion

In charge of planning your high school reunion? Here are four simple steps to take to make the reunion a success while impressing your former classmates (from Eventbrite.com):

1. Begin early. Bear in mind that some of your previous classmates may have to travel, so it's good to give as much advance notice as you can. So, begin the planning process 12-16 months in advance.
2. Create a reunion committee. Planning the reunion by yourself will be overwhelming. Reconnect with a few of your classmates and get comfortable with assigning some of the tasks to others.
3. Make a list and a timeline. List the tasks that are associated with the reunion planning and the timeframe they need to be done in. (Reunion Announcements can help if you're not sure what these things are).
4. Create an Eventbrite page. Check out tips on this from our source. 

Have you ever planned a high school reunion? What tips do you have?

[Photo Credit]

The Best Time to Evaluate Your Event

By Heidi Richards

When should you evaluate your events?

As soon as the event is over...if not sooner. In my experience, the best time to evaluate your event is immediately! It is important to do your evaluation/assessment of the event while the details are fresh in your mind. Include anyone in the evaluation process that had a stake in the event. Stakeholders would include vendors, hired staff, volunteers and employers. You could host a debriefing session or a wrap up meeting to accomplish this task. Make this a pleasant experience. Include refreshements and lots of kudos (thank yous for a job well done). Prior to, or when the meeting begins, enlist a "scribe" to record the comments and answers from the group.

Ask yourself -- and them -- the following questions:

• Did the event fulfill the goals and objectives set forth?
• What worked? What didn't? What would you do differently? The same?
• Did the event run smoothly and on schedule?
• Which vendors/stakeholders should be hired/recruited again?
• Were any items missing from the checklist that should be included in future events?
• Did you generate favorable publicity for the event?
• How was attendance? Were the attendance goals achieved?
• Did you receive positive feedback from those who attended? Did you use formal (written, documented forms or one-on-one surveys) or informal (chatting in the restrooms, lines, seminars, etc.) methods of evaluation?
• What could you do differently, better to reach your goals? To involve more people? To spread the word about the event?
• Was the event worth doing? What were some of the benefits? Would you do it again?

Encourage alternative forms of feedback from those unable to attend, such as via email, website and fax back forms. Once you have received feedback from the group, have the notes transcribed for distribution to all the stakeholders (clients). Be sure to incldue this in the event portfolio for future reference. Proper evaluating of the event will lead to even greater success in the future. In fact, it is important to evaluate all aspects of business from time to time. Otherwise, how and when would you know what needs to be improved? One final thought: Make sure you get feedback from attendees.

And here's a key question to ask, especially if it is an event that is open to the public: How did you hear about this event?

Heidi Richards Mooney is a Professional Speaker, Business Coach and the Author of 7 books including "Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget ~ How to Grow Your Business Without Spending a Fortune." She is also the publisher of WE Magazine for Women. Stop bywww.speakingwithspirit.com to get a FREE copy of YOUR Marketing Calendar today! 

[Photo Credit] 

How to Choose a Speaker for Your Next Chapter Meeting

One of the most important aspects of chapter meetings is the speaker-- the person you choose can make or break your event. With that said, you need to select someone appropriate for the audience and your location, someone who is informed on a topic but engaging as a speaker -- all within your budget. Check out a few tips on making this process simpler:

Keep an organized database of previous speakers. Be sure to include contact information, a brief rundown of their speech and subjective comments on the speakers' performance and reception from attendees. It's fine to draw on past successes every now and then: If a certain speaker begins to gain popularity as an engaging and entertaining presenter, the event attendance can only get better.

Plan ahead. Know what your meeting topics and goals will be for the next six to eight months, and choose speakers accordingly.

Tell your speaker what you expect, and be specific. Although the speaker has the task of creating the content, you need to tell them what the meeting's goals are. They might have the expertise on their subject matter, but you are the expert when it comes to your meeting, your members and your association. If you can, show examples of previous successful presentations, give clear time limits; tell them exactly what equipment will be available; and get a copy of the speech ahead of time. If the speaker isn't prepared, you'll look unprepared.

Check references. Speak with other local associations to learn about their experiences with a certain speaker. Find out what worked well and what could be improved on.

Ask members for referrals. Is there a person at his/her job that knows their stuff on a certain topic? Did they see a great presentation at a meeting? Referrals and word of mouth can be a great way to find speakers.

Connect with the National Speakers Association or a local speakers bureau. This is a chapter-based organization with members who are professional speakers and presenters. Use their expertise and suggest a potential joint venture with a local chapter.

[Source]

How to Plan a Party That's More Fun With Less Money

One of the most stressful aspects of planning an event is its cost. When you add everything up -- the food, decorations, etc. -- it's easy to spend a small fortune on just the basics. Check out five easy things to consider that can help you save money while planning your bash:

Imagine. Think about what your dream event will be like. Create a list of all the things you'd like to have, and don't hold back. Include every thought and concept, both big and small, regardless of how unbelievable you might think they are. Give this serious thought since this is your brainstorming session.You won't use all the ideas you write down, but putting them down will give you an outline of your ideal event and gives you a great starting point.

Theme. Evaluate your list, then place all related ideas together. More than likely, you'll have one or two main themes, and those will help you determine what you really want to do. Get rid of everything else that doesn't fit with your theme; and keep in mind that you might need to readjust a few times before you get it just right. Determining a theme is the first step in making a festive mood; it also provides you with a focus that will help you maintain your budget and even makes the party planning process more enjoyable!

For three more tips, check out our source.

The Biggest Event Planning Fears...And How to Face Them

Hosting a company event is a great way to meet new people, get the word out about your business and just have fun. If you're the organizer, however, it can be intimidating.

Read below for some ideas on dealing with some of the biggest event planning fears so you and your guests can concentrate on having fun:

1. No one will attend. Here, the most important thing is to promote your event like crazy in your store (if you have one) and on your website, blog and social media networks. Additionally, local media usually have calendar or community events sections that you can submit your event to. A few other ideas include creating an online event marketing page, making a Twitter #hashtag and encouraging people to tweet about it and using an e-mail marketing campaign.
2. People aren't mingling. Although name tags aren't the most fun thing (particularly if you forget you have it on hours after an event), they're very helpful in getting people to mingle with each other. To get people talking, try including a surprising bit of information. Additionally, put the food, drinks and seating in different areas -- this will encourage people to move around the room. 
3. People leave early, or they won't leave. Organization is very important for any event; everything needs to be set up and prepared before the early birds get there. If you have scheduled things that will take place during the event, pass out printed programs so people will know the timeline. Also, create a "soft" end time for the event. As that time gets closer, politely remind attendees that the event is about to conclude, but don't be too strict on the exact time. Most people won't hang around.
4. Uninvited party crashers arrive. Inevitably, you'll have a couple of unwanted guests, whether it's your competition, former employees or even your ex. You've heard the saying, "If you can't beat them, join them," right? Well, the same applies here. Surprise them by saying "hello" first. Hopefully, any issues they have will be discussed with you in private, not with everyone else.
5. Someone has had too much to drink. How do you handle this? Begin with the bartender(s) and have them limit the amount of drinks given to any one person and to offer coffee, water or juice as an alternative. If someone has been over served, call him/her a cab or ride home.

Although you might try to plan for everything, an event rarely goes perfectly. So, if something you weren't expecting does happen, stay calm, and get your employees to help. Know that you did the best you could, and everyone else will know as well.

What If No One Signs Up?

By C.J. Hayden, MCC

It's the nightmare of every professional who offers group programs. You design a powerful workshop, schedule a date, broadcast your marketing message...and no one registers. Then what?

Let's assume you have the basics down. You've chosen a compelling topic, identified a likely audience and clearly described the benefits of participating in your program. Even the price is right. You've already sent information about your program to a list of strong prospects. What else can you do?

Preventive Measures. First, let's back up a step. There are several measures you can take early on in your promotion that will improve your chances of full enrollment:
1. Offer your program in-house instead of to the general public. Selling your program to a company, association or learning center with an established base of employees, members or students can be much easier than trying to sell each seat yourself. You could also partner with an existing organization with a track record of filling programs and share the profits in return for a full house.
2. Build your prospect list to equal 20-100 times the number of people you want to attend. A typical response rate from a postal mailing is one to two percent. Response to opt-in email is often even lower. (Don't even consider using unsolicited email). In general, expect no more than one percent to respond if they don't know your work and rarely more than five percent even when they know you well. Make it a habit to capture the name and address of every prospect and get their permission to mail or email.
3. Plan to promote on multiple channels. Your promotion plan should include announcements in your ezine or newsletter, a description on your website, postal mail, a brochure or flyer to distribute, calendar listings and personal invitations. Don't rely on just one or two avenues -- students are much more likely to enroll when they see your program mentioned in many different areas.

Emergency Enrollment. If your program has low or no registration as the date approaches, here's what you can do to increase enrollment:
1. Call everyone on your prospect list and invite them personally. Don't count on mail and email to do the job. Place a phone call to each person you have a phone number for, give a brief description of the program, and invite them to attend. You'll be amazed at how many people will say, "Thank you for calling -- I've been meaning to sign up."
2. Ask clients and colleagues to make referrals. Just mailing an announcement to potential referral sources isn't the same as asking for their help. Call or email people who respect your work, and ask them to suggest two or three others who could benefit. If they have suggestions for you, ask if they will also contact those people themselves to endorse your program.
3. Make a special offer. Tell the people who are already registered they can bring a friend for half-price. You're not losing any revenue that way if the space would otherwise be standing empty. Offer a bonus gift with minimal cost to those who enroll -- 30 minutes of your professional time or an ebook, audio or report you've produced. To encourage people to spread the world, offer the same gift to people who refer students to you.

If All Else Fails. In the last few days before your program, if you still have only a handful pre-registered:
1. Hold your program anyway. Invite people to attend for free if necessary to have good participation. Your clients will enjoy the chance to spend more quality time with you; colleagues will benefit from the opportunity to see your work and meet other attendees. Ask people who attend at no charge to write you glowing testimonials and refer paying participants for the next time.
2. If you can't fix it, feature it. The meaning of this classic sales maxim is that if your product has an obvious flaw, make it a positive selling point. When only six people enroll in your big seminar, convert it to an intimate group experience. If you have only two people for a group, turn it into a success team. Your participants will be thrilled to have more individual attention. Never apologize for a smaller-than-expected turnout.
3. Plan ahead to do better next time. Analyze what went wrong with your marketing and strategize how to do it differently the next time around. Should you have allowed more lead time? Does your mailing list need to be larger? Do you need to factor in more promotion channels instead of relying on mailing or email alone? Make a list of all the key elements you think are necessary to successfully promote your next program.

Filling programs becomes easier when you offer them regularly. When students see the program advertised two or three times, they are much more likely to enroll. Think of all your marketing efforts as part of a long-term plan to make more people aware of your business. If the outreach for your workshop introduces your business to many new people, you may ultimately find that much more valuable than just filling one program.

(Copyright 2004, C.J. Hayden)

C.J. Hayden is the author of "Get Clients Now!" (TM) Thousands of business owners and independent professionals have used her simple sales and marketing system to double or triple their income. Get a free copy of "Five Secrets to Finding All the Clients You'll Ever Need" at www.getclientsnow.com. 

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Your Checklist for Planning a Conference

Planning a conference? Check out these tips to help:

1. Determine possible dates. When you're looking at dates for your conference, it's helpful to have many possible dates in mind. At times, the location of your choice won't be available on the date you prefer, so you have to choose another date. Additionally, you want to be sure you're not holding the conference on any bank/public holidays, and avoid having it the same day as another industry-related conference.

2. Create a budget. The purpose of the budget is to provide the event planner with a limit financially. The budget should be specific and include revenues (sponsorship, ticket sales, etc.) and expenses (printing, location, food, etc.).

3. Find a conference venue. This is key for the well-being of both your attendees and speakers and for your conference's success. As soon as you have determined possible dates, you can begin the search for the best venue. One idea: a hotel that has conference rooms -- You'll have staff and a good infrastructure, which means less work for you. Also, the venue size should be ample enough for the conference and the expected number of attendees.

4. Program and speaker(s). Aside from networking, the topics and speakers are key reasons to attend a conference. For conference success, it's important to book well-known speakers early on: The'll help you gain more attention, attract more attendees and can help obtain other well-known speakers.

Additionally, before pre-selling conference registration, your agenda should be at least roughly determined. Be sure to make enough time for networking, and if you're having food, be sure there's enough catering.

5. Pre-sell and online registration. Since conference registrations are the primary revenues for the event and event planner, attendee registration and payment management is vital; it should look professional and be simple for attendees to use. You can also use the registration form to obtain attendee data for marketing activities after the conference.

Something else to keep in mind: Your website should have more than just a registration form. It should also include the agenda, speaker, directions and hotel recommendations. You should also be sure to have a reliable provider who offers several payment methods and currencies to make registration simple for attendees.

For five more tips, visit 10 Tips for your Conference: The Checklist.

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Planning Corporate Events Using the 5 W's

By Shirley Lee


Many organizations plan events yearly or for special occasions, such as anniversaries or for holidays. These events may be highly successful or they could turn out as a flop when it comes to meeting the goal for holding the event. Event success can often be determined by appropriate planning and decision making. To aid in the success of future events, below are five questions to consider when planning an event.

1. Why should an event be held? This question helps to determine goals, possible outcomes and establishes an overall theme for the event. Once the purpose of the event is established, a budget must be determined to pay for the event, and travel costs must be considered as well. Knowing the event budget and goals before continuing with planning will help to keep the event within the desired scope. Never lose sight of the event goal; even if the budget does not allow for everything, there may be acceptable alternatives, so brainstorm along the way to meet all the event requirements.
2. What needs to happen at the event? Asking this and brainstorming answers is the first step in creating an agenda for the day(s) of activity. The next step would be developing a project plan for event assignments that include pre- and post tasks as well as the event actions. Will there be speakers, announcements, videos, presentations, exhibits, meals, breaks, recognition or award ceremonies, team-building, fun interactive activities, break out training or discussion sessions? Determine if any particular equipment or room set-ups may be necessary to facilitate portions of the event. Decide what type of print materials may need to be available for the event, then begin putting that together and arranging appropriate copies and communications.
3. Who should be invited to the event? Is it for a particular department, a set of executives, one or more work teams, individuals who achieved something or the entire company? Would this event be something to consider inviting key or potential customers and vendors to? Consider whether a keynote speaker or other special speakers should be part of the event, also, whether people with special skills such as event planners, coordinators, moderators or facilitators are needed for the success of the event or if this can be done in-house. If someone with speaker or special skills is needed, determine how arrangements for them get made and how this might impact the budget. Also, decide what communications need to be sent to those attending or working at the event, plus what follow-up is required and what the deadlines should be. 
4. When would be the best date(s) and times for holding the event? Determine the length of time required to accomplish the event goals, and then select three preferred date options to allow for finding a location. The event may be a half day, full day or over several days. Advance planning makes it more likely to get the perfect location for the event during the preferred time period. As soon as the date is set, start sending communication to potential attendees so they can put it on their calendars. Then continue sending monthly reminders with new tidbits about the event to maintain their interest in attending. Be sure to send a final date/time/location reminder two to five business days before the event
5. Where is the event to be held? After determining the happenings and attendance, a location that meets all the needs plus catering options can be selected. Consider whether the event should be held in the local area if it is a short time period and where most attendees are located. Be sure to consider travel requirements and communicate any special instructions for getting to the location for locals and others outside the area. If the event is multiple days and the selected location is away from the work area, after-hours activities or entertainment may also need to be considered. Before selecting a location, also determine if some activities are to be done outside or if everything will be done indoors.

To make an organizational event successful, whether it is for a special occasion or a yearly event, start with the five questions above when planning. These questions and associated planning should increase the chances of an event successfully meeting the organization's goal instead of being a flop where people after the event did not know why they spent their valuable time there.

Shirley Fine Lee has considerable training and expertise in leading effective meetings and projects as well as training others within the corporate world to be able to do the same. Her boom "R.A! R.A! A Meeting Wizard's Approach," is a much-needed guide to planning and conducting meetings so that they are as productive, effectual and smoothly run as possible. Find out more about her, her books and learning options she provides on her website.


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How to Get Bloggers to Attend and Cover Your Event

Photo from: wordservewatercooler.com

Thinking about inviting bloggers to your next event? Here are five things you must keep in mind:

1. Do not send a press release or media alert without sending an invitation to the event. It's rude to ask bloggers to write about an event that they aren't invited to. It may be appropriate, however, to send a press release with no invitation if the blogger isn't in the same city and is unable to travel. However, because most bloggers know their peers will likely receive the same information, they might be even less inclined to write about events they are not invited to -- bloggers are always looking for fresh and original content, and they can't create that by rewording your press release.

Also, many bloggers (like journalists) would rather receive a customized pitch instead of a press release. But, if the release or media alert is well-written and has answers to potential questions, send it. Just be sure to include a personalized note that explains why your brand or event is relevant to that particular blogger's audience.

2. What's in it for me? Blogging is business. And although "pay for play" is frowned upon (and could even be illegal), most bloggers want to know how attending your event and blogging about your company will benefit them or their readers. For example,
Will you have gift bags at your event? (if they're good, the contents could be featured in another blog post in addition to the event recap).
Will you be giving them product so they can host a giveaway or contest for readers?
Are you paying an appearance fee? (Yes, some bloggers have agents now).
Are you going to advertise on their site?
There may not be any obvious benefit for a blogger to attend your event, but it's important that you make everything clear up front.

Continue reading the other three tips here...

Do you have thoughts to share on this subject? Please share below by leaving a comment! 

Capitalize On a Successful Event with a Flood of Referrals

By Heidi Richards Mooney

Photo from: ireferpro.com

If the first, most important outcome to hosting an event is that it is a SUCCESS, what is the second most important outcome? Like any endeavor, one success becomes the model for future successes. To get to that end result (which, in my mind, is really the beginning), there is another crucial component to staging a world-class event. And that is the front and back-end promotion. By that I mean cultivating referrals from your clients/vendors/attendees. Promoting your services for other events to this base of referral business requires careful, strategic, ongoing planning. You could turn one event into many with the right marketing mix. It's the personal attention, the details and the relationships you build that will create this flood of referrals.

Gather Information
Create information cards that will be your resource for referrals. The cards should be completed for both clients and vendors. Vendors can be a great source for referrals and should be treated with the same care and personal attention as the clients. Information on the cards should include:

• Names and birth dates of family members
• Wedding anniversary and other special dates such as the # of years in business or with the same company
• Interests of each family member to include hobbies, talents and accomplishments
• Place of employment of client and spouse
• Special designations, offices or memberships of client
• Corporate client cards to include information of your contact within the corporation and the CEO
• Birth dates of key personnel within the company
• Any annual celebrations the company hosts

If you are a meeting planner or planning a meeting for your company, ask your client/colleagues for an evaluation immediately following the event. If you are hosting an event for a nonprofit or other type of organization, ask all stakeholders (volunteers, staff, interns) for the same.

Handle any complaints professionally and proficiently. Do not allow time to lapse before addressing. Make it brief and concise. Send the evaluation with a thank you note. Be sure to include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Ask one or two open-ended questions to elicit candor. Ask the client to be open and honest about all aspects of the event you were involved in. Handling and correcting complaints quickly will solidify the relationship and increase your chances of working with the client in the future. Remember the statistics, which imply that when a complaint is handled quickly and favorably, 87 percent of those who complain will do business with the "offending" party again. You've worked so hard to get that client; in most cases, it's much easier to keep a client than find a new one.

When appropriate, it is also a good idea to send an evaluation form to your vendors, eliciting their opinions of the event, and be sure to include a "ways to improve" comment section.

Send thank you notes to your vendors, catering and sales professionals, volunteers, staff and any and all of those that may have had a hand in ensuring the success of the project. Thank you notes go a long way, especially when you find yourself in a jam at one time or another. If you have been doing this for any length of time, you probably have needed to find a last minute replacement for the entertainment, photographer or speaker. You know the importance of appreciation.

Once the event is over, while it is still fresh in the minds of your client, ask for a testimonial or letter of referral. Happy clients are happy to oblige. However, they may be very busy and when too much time passes, they may forget. If you do not receive the letter within a week or two after the event, follow up. Graciously ask them if they would not mind you writing the letter for them, and fax or email it to them. Tell them you use these letters in your promotional kits and their testimonial would be greatly appreciated. Busy people are happy to accommodate your requests when you make it easier to do business with you.

When you implement these strategies, you will receive the accolades, rewards and referrals that will lead to future successes!

Read two other articles on this topic: How to Increase Attendance at Your Events and The Best Time to Evaluate Your Event.


Heidi Richards Mooney is a Professional Motivational Speaker, Business Coach and the Author of seven books including "Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget ~ How to Grow Your Business Without Spending a Fortune." She is also the Publisher of WE Magazine for Women. Stop by heidirichards.com to get a FREE copy of Chapter 1 and 2 of "Quirky Marketing: 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays" today! 

3 Ways to Make More Money From Your Event

Photo from: mylot.com

In these rough economic times, it's smart for event holders to look for other ways to make more money with their events; selling your tickets is just the beginning. Here are three ways to earn more income from your event.

1. Sell sponsorships. This is the most popular method event holders use for additional income. However, they are also often carried out wrong. Event holders usually go wrong with sponsorships because they don't give prospective sponsors enough detail, in advance, about how they can properly evaluate their results after the event is over. Although it can be difficult for an event sponsor to pinpoint their ROI, whatever method the event holder provides them to measure results will be appreciated. And that can help a sponsor determine if he or she wants to return next year. With that said, it's important for you to describe the benefits of sponsorship when it comes to the visibility sponsors will receive (aka CPM). For example, if you believe that a banner in a venue will be seen by 30 thousand people, let prospective sponsors know that. 
2. Place ads on your event website. A lot of your event promotion will probably be online, and events can create a lot of online traffic. One good reason to create a website for your event is so you can monetize the traffic you may receive before, during and after the event. Obviously, the main point of your event website is to support the event itself, give the necessary information to potential attendees, to give event details, etc. But, you can also easily turn the site into a source of revenue with a few well-placed and carefully-chosen ads; best of all, you'll have little interference to your primary goal. Be sure to work with companies who have products or services to provide that are relevant to your event and likely to be of interest to attendees. You could also put together "online-only" sponsorship packages, which are put together like ad buys and allow you to engage businesses as advertisers who may not have been interested in being sponsors. Don't have energy or time to sell ad space on your event website? Consider contextual advertising like Google Adsense; that makes it simple to show and monetize relevant ads. 
3. Sell merchandise. People love coming home from events with different items. But, a lot of times, those items end up in the trash. A better way to benefit from this desire is to sell before and during the event; this method works particularly well if your event supports a business that already sells items. You can use your event as an opportunity to give prospective customers a better idea of what you offer and encourage them to buy on the spot with discounts or special deals available only at the event. 

Need more tips? Check out 5 ways to make extra money from your event. 

5 Reasons to Create a Logo for Your Event

Creating an experience no one forgets is often a main concern for people who plan events. One of the quickest ways to capture the attention of attendees is through a core-branding image. So, if you want to develop a long-lasting memory, the quickest way to do so is with a quality event logo.

Whether you use a simple combo of initials in an appealing font or get more creative with a logo that has high quality art, creating a professional logo that embodies your event's spirit will promote an organized, unique tone and even simplify many tasks associated with planning.

Five of the best reasons to consider a logo for your next event are:

1. Differentiation.
2. Identity.
3. Unification.
4. Sticky visual image.
5. Perfect for take-aways. 

Read more about these reasons here!

Planning Special Events - Six Strategies for Success

Photo from: odesk.com

Whether you are in the event planning business, planning an event for a local nonprofit or planning an event to promote your business, the strategies needed to make your event memorable and profitable are extremely important. They require a certain amount of planning and a whole lot of commitment to achieve the ultimate goal: Having a Great Event people will remember and talk about long after the celebration has passed. And of course with the perfect number of guests in attendance!

Your ultimate goal is to host an event that leads to even more success, referrals, more business, and most likely, more people committed to the project in the future.

A special event is an event with a specific purpose such as a special occasion (celebration of a milestone, conference, party, awards ceremonies, fairs). Special events are different from ongoing programs in that they may be single, one-time productions or even once a year celebrations that people anticipate and plan for.

Here are my SIX Strategies for Success:

1. If a company or host has hired you, they have already determined that the purpose of the event is important enough to warrant the expense and time necessary to put it on. If you are a volunteer leader, this must be the first step in determining whether or not to pursue the idea.
2. Do you need a team of volunteers/paid staff to execute a successful event? Involve your team in the planning. This core group will help develop the theme, select the location and determine who else should be involved.
3. Determine the purpose of the event. Is it to make money? Is it to increase awareness of the product, company or organization? Is it to celebrate a success or a milestone? It might be a combination of all three. Once you know the purpose, you can plan accordingly. 
4. Who is the target market? If you are an event planner, you may not be involved in that part of the planning. Your job may be just to stage an extraordinary event. The company or organization may be responsible for attendance. However, you will have input and connections. Be sure you offer feedback and share those connections with the "powers that be."
5. How will you measure the success of the event? By the number of attendees, by the amount of money raised, by the number of people interested in helping out with future events?
6. If this event has been hosted in the past, talk with others who have worked on it before. Get their advice and support. Seeking the opinions and advice of others will help to elicit support for future success of the event. Find out what went right, what went wrong and how they measured success in the past. What are/were their expectations of this event? Were those expectations met or exceeded? If not, what would they have done differently?

Heidi Richards Mooney is a Professional Speaker, Business Coach and the Author of 7 books including "Rose Marketing on a Daisy Budget ~ How to Grow Your Business Without Spending a Fortune." She is also the Publisher of WE Magazine for Women. Stop by www.speakingwithspirit.com to get a FREE copy of YOUR Marketing Calendar today!

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!