| 6
Months Ahead |
|
Determine
your reasons for having the function |
- Annual Event
- Business Anniversary
- Celebration: a new facility or a
new product or service
- Ground breaking / ribbon cutting
- Publicity
- Sale
- Thank you for customers
|
| Determine
your budget |
- How much are you willing to
spend on the overall event?
|
| |
|
Where and When? |
|
- One day, weekend, week
- During / after office hours
- Time of the year
- Indoors/outdoors
- In your facility or
office/canopy or tent, off premises
When you select the location,
logistics must be considered. How many people can the venue accommodate? Where
will your guests park? |
| |
| 5
Months Ahead |
|
- Form a committee of people
within your organization to work on this event. Assign specific tasks and
deadlines.
- Research any possible
permits/licenses that may be required. What is needed to apply? How long does
it take to process?
|
| |
| 4
Months Ahead |
|
- Put together a preliminary guest
list. Who to invite?
- Account customers
- Regular customers
- Prospective customers
- Local dignitaries
- Press
- Competitors
- Friends/Neighbours
- Vendors
- Seek proposals from all
suppliers involved - caterers, rental dealers, entertainment, florists, and
invitations.
- Are you creating a theme for
this event? If yes, you should also get a proposal from a decor/prop company
- Inform your advertising agency
so they can prepare some special promos.
|
| |
| 3
Months Ahead |
|
- Book a rental company and
caterer
- Determine type of reception:
cocktail-stand up, lunch, dinner
- Determine types of beverages
served: wine, beer, soft drinks, punch and coffee
- Check availability of
entertainment
- Finalize guest list and order
invitations.
- What type of invitations to use?
Formal? Flyer? Theme related?
Tips: The type of
invitation should dictate the type of event. Keep invitations concise, and print
extra. The RSVP date should always be clearly noted and specify the occasion. |
| |
| 2
Months Ahead |
|
- Meet with advertising agency
- Book your florist, decor company
- Book entertainment
- Inform staff and neighbours of
the time and place of the event
- Conduct site inspection with
rental company and caterer to design layout and flow
- Consider your electrical power
requirements. Do you have sufficient power for entertainment, food and
beverage, and audio visual equipment?
- Invitations as a statement
stuffer, send first mailing now
|
| |
| 6
Weeks Ahead |
|
- Apply for necessary licenses and
permits
- Plan demonstrations
- Arrange giveaways/door prizes
|
| |
| 4
Weeks Ahead |
|
- Mail invitations (if using
regular mail)
- Invitations as a statement
stuffer - send second mailing now
- Review task assignments within
your company. Who is responsible for what?
- Receiving RSVP's. You must get
the correct name and spelling of all guests attending
- Prepare location
- Set up
- Hosts/hostesses
- Tour guides
- Demonstrations
- Traffic flow design
- Food serving/refilling/clean up
- Security
- Clean up
|
| |
| 3
Weeks Ahead |
|
- Priority mail or hand delivery
of invitations
- Media releases should begin
|
| |
| 2
Weeks Ahead |
|
- All RSVP's due. This still
allows time to follow up invitations by phone
- Prepare a production schedule so
all suppliers for the event know when and where they should be arriving at
your facility
|
| |
| 1
Week Ahead |
|
- Confirm final numbers with
caterers and rental company
- Prepare name tags if using.
Confirm spelling of any first and last names that you are uncertain of. Do not
guess!
|
| |
| Day
Of The Reception |
|
- Have the entrance to your event
well marked. (i.e. a tented walkway, rope end stanchions, balloons etc!)
- Have your reception table in a
convenient spot. Be prepared with extra name tags for last minute attendees.
- Review with staff members all
last minute details and jobs to be completed
- Before guests arrive, conduct
one last walk through of your facility and restrooms to make sure everything
is in place
- Have a plan for any guests that
may arrive early
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