Big Events: 5 Steps to Success

For grand occasions like your organization’s 10 year anniversary or the celebration of a major accomplishment:

1. Choose an interesting and appropriate venue. Brainstorm to come up with something great in your area.

2. Use your theme in your invitations, decorations, gifts and food.

3. Look for inexpensive but fun options. Popcorn and hot dog carts can be more fun than a formal dinner.

4. Decorate with impact. Go to the (dollar) store or online and look for anything big, colorful and affordable. We used open umbrellas (which were also the attendee gifts) to fill a huge space. They were colorful and showed off the new logo.

5. Worried about attendance? Look for hooks like awards, if you honor them they will come. Or children, when children perform the parents come to watch. Free food works for some crowds too.

Don’t be afraid to make your celebration newsworthy. Publicity may help you achieve your mission, so go for it.