Invitation Guidelines
2006 Jack Ricchiuto
Here are some suggestions, tips, and courtesies to consider when inviting people to an event, whether it's a gathering or program:
- Be clear on your event objectives in terms of invitee deliverables - what do you want people to know, think, feel, and do as a result of the event?
- Start with the first 2 circles of your social network - people you know well and people you know of (but not well)
- Ask people in your first 2 circles to recommend people in their first 2 circles
- When you're thinking about "spamming" everyone on your email (or any predetermined) list, consider an opt-in method of invitation. This is where you send out an email with a 1-paragraph description of the event and ask people if they'd like to know more in order to attend or refer people. Offer if they do the options of emailing you back and/or going to a web page you link to in the original email that gives them a full description.
- Always ask people to forward emails or printed media to others they think would be interested in the event
- If you have a website or blog, advertise the event there. Ask others to do the same if they are willing
- Always put multiple emails of people who don't know each other in the BCC (blind copy) address of an email - so people's anonymity is protected when you haven't gotten their permission to publish their email address
- If people suggest others to contact and notify of the event, ask them to introduce you to these other people through an email, call, in person, or whatever works for them
- Give people at least 2 weeks notice on any event - 4 at the most. Anything less is a discourtesy; anything more may be outside their attention span. In either case, talk up the event as far before the event as possible
- Don't hesitate to cold call people to advertise the event
- RSVP's are important for planning logistics - don't hesistate to ask for it
- Especially contact the most-connected people you can - people who know lots of other people and who can be a champion for your event; if there's a fee of any kind, offer to waive it for these people. If you can, invite these people into any parts of planning the event that makes sense.
- Make pre-event follow-up calls/emails to valuable invitees and people who you're depending on to invite others to the event
- Get the event announced in any important meetings and media your target audience may be paying attention to
- Get any trusted high-profile people to formally endorse the event and include quotes from them in anything you send out
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