Seven Programming Tips for Large Events

The Seven Programming Tips have been designed to help you make your program a success. These tips have evolved from working with hundreds of thousands of students from hundreds of campuses in North America. A GOOD PROGRAM WILL RESULT FROM GOOD PROGRAM PLANNING! Feel free to edit, or add to this list; but HAVE A PROGRAM PLAN! You'll be glad you did, and your program will be a success!

1. Get Right to the Basics - You can never book too early, but there are a few things to check:
• Set a date and time of event.
• Does date conflict with school, state or national programs? (Example: Monday Night football, school sporting event, or other keynote lectures on campus, etc).
• Put date on campus calendar and give date to campus information office.

2. Secure the Budget - Funding is always possible if you utilize all resources on campus
• Is funding approved?
• If short of funds, which other groups on campus could contribute?
• Is there university paperwork to finalize payment to performers?

3. Reserve the Building - This may be one of the hardest tasks to complete if you wait too long.
• Reserve building with official papers signed.
• Reserve wireless microphone.
• Check quality of sound
• Decide on lighting and seating arrangements.

4. Delegate Your Tasks - Have planning committee divide into subgroups for efficiency and to facilitate Ownership and Involvement. Subgroups could involve:
• Equipment/Room Coordinator
• Publicity
  1. general public
  2. specialized groups (Fraternities, Sororities, Residence Halls, Ethnic and Independent groups)
  3. Recommend a representative per each large student organization to be on publicity committee
  4. Coordinator of travel/lodging
  5. Reception Coordinator
  6. Theme/Topic Coordinator

5. Make a Time Line - Having a time line for publicity helps to utilize all resources. The 45 day plan has proven very successful
   1. 30 - 45 days before event
   • Have representative go to large student group meeting to personally tell about event and how they can get involved. Pick excited well-informed representatives to go to these meetings.
   2. 15 - 30 days before event
      • Large posters out
      • Article of interest in local/school newspaper
      • Plan creative types of publicity. Put a plan out to the public every four to five days during this period (see # 6)
   3. 7 - 15 days before event
      • Final reminders by representative to push the event by word of mouth the last week.
      • Follow-up with each student organization.
   4. Last 7 days
      • Ads in local/school newspapers
      • Large banners in strategic locations
      • Final small flyers
      • Public announcements on radio/TV

6. Publicize, Publicize, Publicize - A summary of the most popular avenues of publicity.
• Campus/Information office
• Student newspaper
• Town newspaper
• Radio/TV stations
• Faculty/Senate announcement
• Associated Student Body government
• Residence Hall government
• Table Tents
• Souvenir items; buttons, t-shirts, etc.
• Display cases
• Banners
• Flyers, posters
• Special invitations to campus/community dignitaries
• WORD OF MOUTH!!!

7. Evaluation - The evaluation is often forgotten and one of the most useful tools for future successes.
• Feedback sheets at the event
• Follow-up meeting for feedback with planning group members

  Answer the following questions:

  1. Was the event a success? (Define what a success means to your group?
  2. Did it meet the original need?
  3. Was the event cost effective?

NOTE: This article has been reproduced per the permission of Will Keim, PhD., Educational Consultant.

"It is really a small world and it never hurts you to do something nice for someone...it always comes back tenfold!" Will Keim, Ph.D.