Successful Special Events

by Levy, Barbara R.; Marion, Barbara

• ISBN13: 9780834209350
• ISBN10: 0834209357
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-06-01
• Publisher: Wolters Kluwer Law & Business

Summary

Special events can be the backbone of a nonprofit fund raising program; they're also very hard work. A successful and cost-effective event takes a great deal of planning, coordination, and effort. Successful Special Event: Planning, Hosting and Evaluating provides the guidance necessary to efficiently plan, implement, and evaluate such an event. You'll discover how to establish your primary goal, the importance of market identification, special event opportunity ratings, setting goals, and the barriers to planning a successful special event.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi	(2)
Acknowledgments	xiii
1 What Is a Special Event?	1	(12)
Fantasy Flight 1029	2	(2)
What Is a Special Event?	4	(1)
Fund Raising or Development?	4	(1)
Organizational Needs	5	(1)
Is a Special Event the Answer?	6	(1)
Your Mission	6	(1)
Types of Events	6	(1)
Events and Capital Campaigns	6	(1)
Event Definition	7	(1)
The Advantages of Special Events	7	(1)
Are There Disadvantages? Yes!	7	(3)
How Do You Decide?	10	(1)
Points to Ponder	10	(1)
Summary	10	(3)
2 Goals: What Should This Event Accomplish?	13	(12)
Visibility	13	(1)
Cultivation	14	(1)
Income	14	(1)
Solicitation of Event Prospects	15	(1)
The Important Element of First-Hand Experience	15	(1)
Market Identification	16	(1)
Opportunity Ratings	16	(2)
Setting Goals	18	(2)
Your Goals and Your Plan	20	(1)
Another Option	20	(2)
Points to Ponder	22	(1)
Summary	22	(3)
3 Where to Begin?	25	(12)
Evaluating Event Readiness	25	(3)
Your Event Program	28	(1)
Barriers to a Successful Event	29	(1)
Hiring a Special Events Planner	29	(1)
Collaborative Events	30	(4)
Event Policies	34	(1)
Points to Ponder	35	(1)
Summary	36	(1)
4 The Theme: What Will It Be?	37	(8)
The Building of an Event	37	(2)
What Was Learned?	39	(1)
Making It Work for Your Event	40	(1)
What About a Star Attraction?	41	(1)
Other Event Ideas	42	(1)
The Cultivation Event	43	(1)
Further Development Confirmation of the Selected Theme	43	(1)
Points to Ponder	43	(1)
Summary	44	(1)
5 The Site: Where Will It Be?	45	(12)
Questions Regarding the Site	45	(3)
Diagrams	48	(1)
Points to Ponder	48	(7)
Summary	55	(2)
6 The Timeline: What Should Be Done by When?	57	(10)
Timelines	57	(7)
Points to Ponder	64	(3)
7 How Much Will it Cost? How Much Can You Net?	67	(18)
Printing and Mailing	67	(1)
Environment and Decorations	68	(1)
Food and Beverage	68	(1)
Entertainment	68	(1)
Miscellaneous	68	(5)
Potential Income	73	(1)
Sponsorships	73	(5)
Return on Investment	78	(1)
How Many Guests Do You Need?	78	(1)
When Budgets Indicate That an Event Should Be Canceled	78	(4)
When a Special Event Is Not a Fund-Raising Event	82	(1)
Points to Ponder	82	(1)
Summary	83	(2)
8 Human Resources: How Many People Will You Need?	85	(8)
Tasks Requiring Volunteer Support	85	(3)
Summary	88	(5)
9 Who Should Be the Key Players?	93	(10)
Who Are the "Key" People and How Do You Reach Them?	93	(2)
How to Equip Your Volunteers	95	(1)
Involvement of Key Volunteers from the Start	96	(1)
The Fantasy Flight 1029 Volunteer Recruitment Experience	97	(1)
Recruitment of Hosts and Hostesses	97	(1)
What Benefits Accrue to Your Volunteers?	97	(2)
Honorary Chairs and Working Chairs	99	(1)
Committee Chairs	100	(1)
Training Volunteers	100	(1)
Problems with Volunteers	100	(1)
Points to Ponder	101	(1)
Summary	102	(1)
10 Who Will Do the Work and How Do You Keep Them Involved?	103	(8)
Attracting Working Committee Chairs	103	(1)
Job Descriptions	103	(1)
Cultivation Opportunities or Maintaining the Enthusiasm of the Entire Volunteer Structure	104	(2)
Training Volunteers	106	(4)
Points to Ponder	110	(1)
Summary	110	(1)
11 What About the Invitation? Who Should Receive It?	111	(26)
Invitation Design	111	(1)
Donated Printing	112	(2)
How Many to Print	114	(1)
Save-the-Date Cards	114	(1)
Copywriting	114	(1)
Help from the Post Office	115	(1)
Event Tickets and Seating	115	(1)
Establishing the Database/Constructing the List	115	(18)
When to Build Your Invitation List	133	(1)
Duplication and Other Problems	133	(1)
Orchestrating the Note Writing	133	(1)
Points to Ponder	133	(1)
Summary	134	(3)
12 What Goes in the Program?	137	(18)
Do You Want or Need a Program?	137	(1)
Selling Program Ads	138	(8)
The Program and the Timeline	146	(1)
Summary	146	(9)
13 What About Decor?	155	(4)
Possibilities for Decor	155	(1)
Design and the Budget	156	(1)
Installing Your Design	156	(1)
Time	156	(1)
Decorations Provide an Opportunity for Additional Income	157	(1)
Party Favors	157	(1)
Points to Ponder	157	(1)
Summary	158	(1)
14 What About Public Relations?	159	(20)
The Public Interest	159	(1)
Building Relationships	160	(1)
Who Should Speak for Your Event?	160	(1)
The Society Column	160	(1)
Ties to Community News or Trends	161	(1)
Talk Shows	161	(1)
Other Coverage	162	(1)
Media Sponsorships	162	(1)
For a Press Conference	163	(1)
Brainstorming Public Relations Ideas	163	(1)
Points to Ponder	163	(15)
Summary	178	(1)
15 How Do You Handle Logistics?	179	(16)
Event Management--Tools of the Trade	179	(1)
Practices That Prevent Problems	180	(1)
The Event Walk-Through	180	(2)
Organizing by Chart	182	(1)
Volunteer Instructions	182	(3)
The Logistics of Rentals	185	(1)
Points to Ponder	185	(9)
Summary	194	(1)
16 What About Legal and Insurance Requirements?	195	(6)
Insurance, Licenses, and Permits	195	(1)
Current IRS Regulations	196	(3)
Accounting Practices for Special Events	199	(1)
Special Event Policies	199	(1)
Points to Ponder	200	(1)
Summary	200	(1)
17 What Are the Checkpoints? How to Avoid Disaster	201	(14)
The Psychology of Special Events	201	(1)
The Three-Month Checkpoint	202	(1)
The One-Month Checkpoint	203	(1)
The Two-Week Checkpoint	204	(1)
One Week and Holding	204	(1)
The Week of the Event	204	(7)
Other Checklists	211	(1)
Summary	211	(4)
18 How Can You Enjoy a Worry-Free Event? A Word to the Wise!	215	(4)
Dressing for the Event	215	(1)
Arriving Early	215	(1)
Reviewing Lists	215	(1)
Greeting Volunteers and Guests	216	(1)
Encouraging Exploration	216	(1)
Taking Notes	216	(1)
Have Fun!	217	(1)
Points to Ponder	217	(1)
Summary	217	(2)
19 Where to End	219	(8)
Expressing Appreciation	219	(1)
Event Evaluation	220	(1)
The Final Report	220	(3)
The Future of Your Event	223	(1)
Does It Ever End?	223	(1)
Converting Attendees to Donors	223	(2)
Points to Ponder	225	(1)
Summary	226	(1)
Conclusion	226	(1)
Bibliography	227	(2)
Index	229	(4)
About the Authors	233