Events can be very challenging in terms of tasks, deadlines, timelines and decisions! There is always SOMETHING around the corner that needs attention or that needs to move forward.
But honestly, events are more than just agendas, signage, marketing and the various other tasks at hand. It’s really about the people and how they feel! Who is involved? Who are your guests or your participants? Who is your target audience? And…who will help you pull it off?
It’s really about these 4 essential groups of people:
Volunteers
Do you have a volunteer committee? Do you have folks who will be helping you pull off this event ahead of time or day of? What is the role of volunteers? Volunteers will help make the event a HUGE success more than you’ll ever know. They will talk about the event ahead of time, they will help execute on the day of your event and they will talk about the amazing experience they had after.
Funders and Donors
What is the role of your funders and donors at your event? Are you recognizing them? Is it a reason to bring them back and remind them of the great work you are doing? Donors are so important to an organization and you have to continue to find ways to engage them in meaningful ways. Events are a great reason to bring donors together in person.
Participants/Guests
How do you want your participants or guests to feel when they leave? What kind of impact do you want to have on them so they continue to push your mission forward? Everything you do and all the decisions, tasks, deadlines and seemingly small details are done so your participants or guests feel GREAT when they leave.
Staff
What is the role of your staff members at the event? Have they done events before? Do they all know what the purpose of the event is? Events can be great team building experiences for your staff. When they can laugh together and solve problems together in healthy ways, these are memories and stories they will tell for a long time. Many of your staff members have institutional knowledge that is priceless and involving them in meaningful ways is so important along the way.
Of these demographics, the most important thing to consider is how do these people feel when they leave your event? Your goal should be to make each attendee — whether volunteer, donor, guest or staff — leave your event feeling positive about your organization and mission.