• -Decide whether your bottom line is making money, generating publicity or enhancing group cohesiveness.
• -Does the type of event fit with the mission of your organization?
• -Is the type of event appropriate for your community?
• -How is this event different from other community events?
• -Is the event within the scope of organizational resources?
• -Is it timed to avoid conflicts?

Aim at Institutionalizing the Event

• -Collect names and addresses of all attendees.
• -Test the effectiveness of different marketing techniques.
• -Do post-event evaluation and review.
• -Overlap committees chairs from year to year.
• -Reward volunteers so they’ll come back

Aim for Status and Fun

• -Target ‘key’ attendees in the community.
• -Don’t be overly serious.
• -Recognize all funders publicly.
• -Look for publicity

Piggyback Additional Revenue Sources

• -Sell food and drink.
• -Sell organizational products.
• -Sell ad book space.

Keep Costs Low

• -Budget, Budget, Budget.
• -Look for donated resources.
• -Recruit other volunteer groups to help run the event.

Have an Escape Plan

• -Know your break-even costs.
• -Do contingency budgets.
• -Write contracts with cancellation dates.
• -Prepare a ‘rain date’ plan.

Remember the Prime Rule

- It is impossible to over plan a special event - someone has to know who does what to whom, when and with what.