When August comes around, I always feel like I’m rushing take advantage of the last days of summer. Because basketball season starts back up in the fall and my husband begins training camp, August is always bitter sweet for us as we tie up lose ends. Needless to say, I’ve been quite the busy bee this month. Between events for our foundation and my upcoming brunch for Atlanta based ladies, I’ve been in serious party planning mode. Juggling multiple upcoming events has taught me 3 important lessons about event planning.
3 Lessons I’ve Learned About Event Planning
Early bird specials are great, but promoting your event too far in advance is honestly a waste of time: When I started planning the More than a Wifey Brunch, I thought it was important to get the word out as early as possible. I quickly learned that people just don’t like to commit to things that far in advance. While providing early bird specials may capture a few people, it’s best to save your energy. Definitely send out a save the date to your mailing list and maybe post one to social media, but there’s really no reason to start heavily promoting until about a month before your event. Before then, most people won’t be ready to commit to attending.
Social media does not trump personal invitations: Social media has made getting the word out about events super easy. Hashtags and geotags take it to another level and allow you to reach almost exactly the audience you need to. Although social media is great, it does not trump sending out personal invitations. My foundation recently co-hosted a private event with Burberry. It was a fabulous event and was our first real fundraiser. While we did share on social media, I found that specifically emailing or text messaging people that we wanted to attend about the event was way more effective. People like to know that you want them, in particular, to be there.
People love free stuff! Do provide swag bags and giveaways, and be sure to include something specific to your brand: Party favors aren’t just for kids! It’s cool to leave an event with something tangible, so be sure to provide your guests with a little something to take home with them. When I attended Erica’s Table of 20, I was floored by just how cool her swag bags were and inspired to create awesome goodie bags for the More than a Wifey brunch. We have some pretty awesome sponsors who have provided us with some great gifts that our guests will love. On top of that, we’ll be doing quite a few raffle giveaways. I think providing your guests with a few freebies is not only a nice gesture to thank them for attending, but it also makes it worth their while. When putting together swag bags, it’s also super important to provide something branded. This gives your guests something to remember them by and helps spread the word about your brand. I spent weeks racking my brain on what to include in the swag bags for the More than a Wifey brunch and when I was gifted custom stickers from Stickerapp, I knew they would make a great addition! Custom labels and stickers are an awesome branded party favor because they’re not only a cute way to provide your guests with a reminder of your brand, but also something that may invite others to inquire about your brand as well. I always ask people about the stickers they have stuck to their water bottles or laptops and I know I’m not the only one. Interested in order your own custom stickers from Stickerapp? Use code LIVELIFEWELL20 at checkout for 20% off your order!
Have you ever planned an event? If so, what lessons did you learn throughout the process?
Welcome to the Thursday Three Link Up. Who doesn’t love sharing lists on their blogs?? Whether it’s 3 reasons you love your husband, 3 things you hate about graduate school, or 3 awesome birthday gift ideas, the Thursday Three Link Up is a place where you can share your posts and interact with other bloggers. Create an amazing post listing three things of your choosing and link up on LiveLifeWell, Royalty in Reality, or the Sparkling Southerner each and every Thursday! Do you have a few more trips coming up this summer? You’re in luck! This week’s Thursday Three Featured Post is 3 Keys to Healthy Eating While Traveling by Inner Savvy Wellness. Be sure to check out this post so you can stay on top of your goals while you’re on the road.
<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
<a href=”https://www.allisonmathisjones.com” target=”_blank”><img src=”https://www.allisonmathisjones.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Thursday-Small.png” alt=”LiveLifeWell” /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
The Thursday Three
[inlinkz_linkup id=654900 mode=1]
[Tweet “I just joined the Thursday Three on LiveLifeWell. Head on over and link up your blog post today!”]
Comments