4 Tips to Successfully Host a Community Event
Whether you’re a small business or you’re an organization looking to make an impact, hosting an event in your community is always a good idea. Community events are an excellent way to meet people in your area and develop your personal or business reputation. However, planning an event is not the most straightforward task. These four tips will help you successfully host a community event.
1. Decide What You Want Your Event To Accomplish
Getting clear on the type of event you want to throw will help you stay focused. Many first-time event planners fail to get specific with their event, which causes them to become overwhelmed by options. Getting clear on how you want the event to run and whether you’re going to educate, motivate or entertain will help you stay on track.
If you’re going to have speakers at your event, you need to get someone on board to handle the technical aspects. You’ll also need to prepare if you or your speakers want to play a video for the audience. You’ll need the proper food equipment if you’re hosting an outdoor event. If your event is for the general public, choose a place where everyone regardless of their race, religion or sexual identity will feel comfortable.
2. Try And Get Cohosts Or Sponsors
The more hands on board, the better. Getting additional cohost or sponsors is a great way to help offset the costs. If you already know that a lot of people are going to show up, you can contact local businesses and let them know your event is an opportunity to connect with the community.
The more people you collaborate with for your event, the more resources and ideas you have to work with. Make sure all your co-hosts and sponsors are on the same page and have the same goals. You don’t want people to drop out because of miscommunications about how their business will be promoted.
3. Choose The Right Location
As previously mentioned, the right location will depend on the type of event you’re hosting and who’s attending. If the event is for the general public, pick a place such as a community center or library where people already go to gather. If you’re hosting an event honoring a person or a cause, look into renting private rooms or sections of a restaurant.
When choosing a location, keep in mind it needs to be big enough for your guests to be comfortable. At the same time, you don’t want the venue to be so big that it’s difficult for people to see the main attraction or participate in a group discussion. Other factors to consider are how easy it is for your guests to get the location and if it’s accessible by public transportation.
4. Don’t Rely Fully On Volunteers
Volunteers are often the deciding factor to whether your event is successful or not. Successfully planning and running an event takes a lot of energy and you’re going to need help. It’s better to use volunteers for the event night itself. It’s hard to find people motivated to dedicate their time to just planning and preparing for the event.
It’s always worth having one or two helpers who are being compensated in some way to assist you leading up to the event. When you compensate your helpers, it’s reasonable to expect them to get things done. It’s not uncommon for volunteers to walk out on your or have more important obligations take over.