Community Events is in the middle of creating/managing "Columbia Business Times Entrepreneurial Excellence Week" and this morning we scheduled two of our sponsors (David Keller from Bank of Missouri and Cathy Atkins from Sandler Training) for a TV appearance to promote the event.
They both did a wonderful job and I'll tell you that it was quite a relief. There's nothing quite so professionally depressing as creating a media opportunity and having it go poorly. The worst part is that the only thing the client remembers is that you put them into a situation where they looked bad. Thanks goodness that was not the case here.
One of the reasons they did so well (in addition to natural ability, which they both have in abundance) is that we took time to prep. Surprisingly, people skip this step far too often. Honestly, we could have done more, but what we did worked so I'm not going to worry about it.
The key was that I created a prep sheet with the key questions that we could expect in a general interview about an event -- such as "What is it that you are doing?" and "Why are you involved with this?"
The prep sheet was intentionally just one page because a longer document would have made it harder for the sponsors to focus on our key messages. In addition to a list of six broad questions, with suggested answers based on our messaging, the sheet included the three key points that the sponsors should stress above all others. If they couldn't think of something else to say, these three points could fill in the gaps.
When interview time came, both sponsors were total pros and repeated back a combination of the prep sheet with their own personal backgrounds.
Team work at its best.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Panel discussion time limits
Years ago I coordinated a panel discussion of media professionals. It was moderated by a seasoned PR pro, so I let him handle all of the details of the panel. BIG MISTAKE! He didn't set time limits for answering questions and had no mechanism for letting panelists know that they were running long. At first it wasn't a problem... until we got to a long-time TV journalist who, literally, took just under 25 minutes to answer a question. Painful.
A good panel discussion event sets time limits, clearly explains them, and makes sure participants stick to them.
Forget this and your panelists will get rightfully upset when others monopolize the time and the audience will be unhappy that there isn't enough time for a variety of questions.
Here are the guidelines I use for a panel discussion:
A good panel discussion event sets time limits, clearly explains them, and makes sure participants stick to them.
Forget this and your panelists will get rightfully upset when others monopolize the time and the audience will be unhappy that there isn't enough time for a variety of questions.
Here are the guidelines I use for a panel discussion:
- Each participant is given 2-3 minutes (depending on the subject matter) for an opening statement.
- Each participant is given 1-2 minutes to answer each question.
- Each participant is given 2-3 minutes for a closing statement.
- I don't set time limits on questions from the audience, but I mention that they need to be kept short, and if a question exceeds about 30 seconds (rare), I step in and gently push the questioner to get to the point.
- I have a yellow sign to hold up when a panelist has 30 seconds remaining and a red sign for 15 seconds. At the end of the time limit, I verbally call "time" even if the panelist is in mid-sentence. People quickly get the message and it doesn't have to happen more than a time or two. If you don't do this, answers tend to grow longer and longer.
The key is to explain the limits clearly and to be strident in enforcing them. It can feel strict, but it makes for a much better event.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
573-823-1308
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Fun student resources
I'm doing a small event for a local business -- bringing in a local speaker and making sure we fill the room with 100 or so guests. We are working hard to keep the budget as low as possible, while still having some fun features that add something special to the event.
One of the ways we are doing this is with student resources. Living in a college town, there are times we might turn to the university, but in this case I mean high school students.
Specifically, we are working with the culinary arts program to do the catering, the music program to provide a trio of talented musicians, and a student service group to work the door. Not only is this an incredibly inexpensive way to go, the quality can be surprisingly good (although you really need to make sure you check it out, particularly if you choose this route for catering). Further, at least some of your guests will see it as uniquely cool that kids are helping them have a nice time.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
One of the ways we are doing this is with student resources. Living in a college town, there are times we might turn to the university, but in this case I mean high school students.
Specifically, we are working with the culinary arts program to do the catering, the music program to provide a trio of talented musicians, and a student service group to work the door. Not only is this an incredibly inexpensive way to go, the quality can be surprisingly good (although you really need to make sure you check it out, particularly if you choose this route for catering). Further, at least some of your guests will see it as uniquely cool that kids are helping them have a nice time.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Event Evaluations
Yesterday I put together a small event for COLORS (www.colorsalliance.org), an organization for local, independent busineses. It was small, but as big as we wanted it to be, and made a small profit for the group.
At the end of the meeting, we distributed a short (five questions), subjective evaluation. One hundred percent of the attendees gave it back, with varying lengths of response (thankfully, almost entirely positive). Collectively, the evaluations will provide a wealth of information as our group moves forward. For example, we asked for suggestions for programs the participants would like to see in the future, and we received some great ideas.
I find that this evaluation piece is too often forgotten, despite the fact that is so essential. First, because it provides information that can help future events. Second, because it helps people see that their input is valued by the presenting organization.
For this event, I added a second level of evaluation, and we are still seeing how that will work. I received an e-mail this morning from an events consultant I respect, Eugene Loj (www.eugeneloj.com). His suggestion came from someone else -- he said to send an e-mail immediately after the event, thanking people for attending and posing just one question, "What did you not like about the event?"
Loj says the question makes people think and communicates that you are serious about improvement. That makes sense to me and I'm already receiving great feedback that makes me want to make this a permanent part of my event marketing mix.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
At the end of the meeting, we distributed a short (five questions), subjective evaluation. One hundred percent of the attendees gave it back, with varying lengths of response (thankfully, almost entirely positive). Collectively, the evaluations will provide a wealth of information as our group moves forward. For example, we asked for suggestions for programs the participants would like to see in the future, and we received some great ideas.
I find that this evaluation piece is too often forgotten, despite the fact that is so essential. First, because it provides information that can help future events. Second, because it helps people see that their input is valued by the presenting organization.
For this event, I added a second level of evaluation, and we are still seeing how that will work. I received an e-mail this morning from an events consultant I respect, Eugene Loj (www.eugeneloj.com). His suggestion came from someone else -- he said to send an e-mail immediately after the event, thanking people for attending and posing just one question, "What did you not like about the event?"
Loj says the question makes people think and communicates that you are serious about improvement. That makes sense to me and I'm already receiving great feedback that makes me want to make this a permanent part of my event marketing mix.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
Friday, February 6, 2009
online event registration services
I recently found an online event registration service that I like pretty well.
www.eventbrite.com
So far, I have only used the free functions. It allowed me to create a page for an event with its own URL (mine is www.colors.eventbrite.com -- which I suspect will go inactive after the event, on 2/10/2009). It isn't super fancy, but it allowed me to post my group's logo and descriptive text.
Credit card payments are processed through my PayPal account, but registrants do not need an account, just a card. It allowed me to create several levels of tickets, which was cool, but it did not allow me to restrict who gets which kind of ticket. So, for example, I have to hope that non-members of the organization will not register at the cheaper "member" price. That's a pretty small problem, though.
Setting up my event took no more than 15 minutes.
For a quick and easy way to have online registration for your events, I definitely recommend www.eventbrite.com.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.eventbrite.com
So far, I have only used the free functions. It allowed me to create a page for an event with its own URL (mine is www.colors.eventbrite.com -- which I suspect will go inactive after the event, on 2/10/2009). It isn't super fancy, but it allowed me to post my group's logo and descriptive text.
Credit card payments are processed through my PayPal account, but registrants do not need an account, just a card. It allowed me to create several levels of tickets, which was cool, but it did not allow me to restrict who gets which kind of ticket. So, for example, I have to hope that non-members of the organization will not register at the cheaper "member" price. That's a pretty small problem, though.
Setting up my event took no more than 15 minutes.
For a quick and easy way to have online registration for your events, I definitely recommend www.eventbrite.com.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The key to being popular at a potluck.
What's your favorite dish?
Perhaps counter-intuitively, this is not a particularly important question to consider when choosing what to make for a potluck dinner.
The key to being a successful pot-luck guest (i.e. taking something that most people will actually eat), is taking something recognizable, that LOOKS appetizing. It is all about visual presentation, and some level of familiarity. It is about appealing to the lowest common denominator.
My favorite things to take to a potluck are chocolate covered strawberries (cheap and easy to make), homemade chunky guacamole and chips, and stuffed mushrooms. Recognizable. Appetizing to most folks.
Happy Super Bowl!
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
Perhaps counter-intuitively, this is not a particularly important question to consider when choosing what to make for a potluck dinner.
The key to being a successful pot-luck guest (i.e. taking something that most people will actually eat), is taking something recognizable, that LOOKS appetizing. It is all about visual presentation, and some level of familiarity. It is about appealing to the lowest common denominator.
My favorite things to take to a potluck are chocolate covered strawberries (cheap and easy to make), homemade chunky guacamole and chips, and stuffed mushrooms. Recognizable. Appetizing to most folks.
Happy Super Bowl!
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Rule -- ALWAYS first class stamps!
Mostly, this rule is for fundraising events, but it really applies to everything. And I'm sure there is an exception, but I haven't found it yet.
People are much more likely to open a piece of mail that has come from a real person that they know. So my overall rule of thumb is that you want letters of any kind -- in this case, invitations to an event -- to follow the same rules as for a letter to your grandmother. You want the letter to feel as personal as possible to whomever is receiving it, increasing the possibility that they will respond favorably.
1. If what you are sending is an actual letter, make it to "Dear Bob," not "Dear Supporter," or "Dear Friend," or whatever. You wouldn't send a letter to your grandmother starting with "Dear Senior Citizen" would you?
2. Have the return address be yours or that of some other person (such as the chair of the board, if the event you are doing is for a non-profit), NOT an organization. Nothing seems less personal than a letter from "National Association of...".
3. Use a hand-writing font for the outgoing address (and blue ink, if your printer can handle it).
4. Use stick-on, first class stamps! In the long run, it will be worth the extra expense because more people will open what you have sent them. If you are fundraising, you'll raise more money, and certainly enough to cover the extra postage cost if your list is good. If it is just a social or PR sort of event, these are the kind of personal touches that will set you apart from the very beginning.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
People are much more likely to open a piece of mail that has come from a real person that they know. So my overall rule of thumb is that you want letters of any kind -- in this case, invitations to an event -- to follow the same rules as for a letter to your grandmother. You want the letter to feel as personal as possible to whomever is receiving it, increasing the possibility that they will respond favorably.
1. If what you are sending is an actual letter, make it to "Dear Bob," not "Dear Supporter," or "Dear Friend," or whatever. You wouldn't send a letter to your grandmother starting with "Dear Senior Citizen" would you?
2. Have the return address be yours or that of some other person (such as the chair of the board, if the event you are doing is for a non-profit), NOT an organization. Nothing seems less personal than a letter from "National Association of...".
3. Use a hand-writing font for the outgoing address (and blue ink, if your printer can handle it).
4. Use stick-on, first class stamps! In the long run, it will be worth the extra expense because more people will open what you have sent them. If you are fundraising, you'll raise more money, and certainly enough to cover the extra postage cost if your list is good. If it is just a social or PR sort of event, these are the kind of personal touches that will set you apart from the very beginning.
- sean
Sean Spence
Community Events
www.commevents.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
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