Up and coming student leaders often receive their first test by producing and organizing an event. Keeping track of details, organizing and planning, following your schedule, making arrangements, recruiting volunteers, delegating responsibility, and following up on people takes some know-how and gumption.
Putting together an event can be quite a confidence booster, not to mention the fact that the event will hopefully make a whole bunch of people happy. Crowd pleasers need crowds, so beyond all the logistics try to make sure to get folks to show up. Unless pocket book and philanthropic spirits are running high, clubs also have to think about finances, too.
Not sure how to begin making room reservations? Never fear, everybody who has ever organized an event felt the "first time jitters." Club members can make it happen by keeping a few things in mind, talking to the right people, and sticking with it.
First of all ask your group:
- What goals do we want to achieve from this project - fun, attendance, money, publicity, group cohesiveness, or some combination of these?
- Do we have any money to pay the performer(s) and advertise the event or will we need to do fundraising beforehand?
- How many people will get involved and help; where and how?
- What kind of experience organizing events do our members have?
- Is an event the best way to achieve our goals?
If you still see encouraging signs after thinking about these things, then you are probably ready to decide on the type of event - dance, bake sale, performance, sports or social activity, lecture, concert, etc. Now you are ready to go to the Center for Student Leadership Involvement & Service to get the proper forms and talk to someone. CSLIS can help you work through some of the planning details.
Here are some things to think about in planning an event:
- What will be our costs; what will be our income, if any?
- How much can we afford to lose, or how much do we need to make?
- How much money do we need before the event to pay for the performer and publicity materials?
- Is our event feasible within our budgets? If not, where can we go to get funding?
- Are there any conflicts with other events planned for the same day or week?
- How much of our organization's time can be to allocated to the event?
- Do we need to make any considerations for bad weather?
- Will this be a regular event?
- Do we want to get other groups involved?
- Are there only a few people willing to take a leadership position?
- How will we advertise the event?
- What needs to get done before, during, and after and who's going to do those things?
- Don't forget about the event's location, room arrangements, permits, approvals, paperwork, hospitality for performer, parking, publicity and promotion, supplies, support crews, technical needs, scheduling volunteers, accounting, spreading out the tasks (who does what), etc.
As an organizer, club members can a great deal of satisfaction out of putting together a successful event. More importantly everybody involved benefits by developing leadership skills. Members in the group will hopefully meet new people and develop closer bonds with those they know. One of the best things is that event productions challenge us to work as a team and can really strengthen and solidify an organization. |
