Network Event Planning Guide

Transcription

1 Network Event Planning Guide You were. You are. UMASS. Click on a topic to jump to that section Events Overview Network Events: Connecting Alumni with UMass Amherst Strategic Planning for Meaningful Engagement Event Planning Calendar Signature Events The Lifecycle of an Event Types of Events Student-Alumni Engagement Event Social or Networking Event Career Development Event UMass Athletics Game Watch Community Service Activity Timelines Event Planning Timeline Last Minute Events Limited Support Events Special Considerations Day of Event Considerations Considerations by Event Type Budget & Ticket Pricing Policies

2 Events Overview Network Events: Connecting Alumni with UMass Amherst Alumni Networks play a vital role in establishing and maintaining active connections between alumni, students and UMass Amherst. As Regional and Affinity Network volunteers, you help serve the strategic priorities of the Alumni Association by: Engaging constituents in support of university and Alumni Association initiatives Advancing UMass Amherst through philanthropy and volunteerism Providing educational, networking and professional development opportunities Creating opportunities for interaction between alumni and students In addition to supporting regional and affinity alumni networks, the Alumni Association supports events and communications for many areas of campus, including the schools and colleges, academic departments, development and athletics. In fiscal year 2014, we engaged nearly 32,000 alumni through 267 events. Strategic Planning for Meaningful Engagement Want to have a huge impact in your region or affinity group? Strategic planning is key. Work with your staff liaison to develop your network goals and a year-long plan for engaging your constituents. Planning your events, programs and communications in advance has many benefits: Balance & Participation: You ll be delivering a balanced slate of programming for your constituents, and participation will increase if your constituents know about your programs sooner. Scheduling: We can work together to schedule your events, avoiding times when competing programs may be taking place or when resources may not be available to deliver the highest level of support. We ll put placeholders on the planning calendar for your upcoming events, even if you don t have all the details in place. Support: The Alumni Association can deliver a higher level of support if we know about your programs well in advance.

3 Event Planning Calendar The Alumni Association maintains an event planning calendar. You can access the calendar through the UMassAlumni.com website under Campus Services. Click here to view the calendar. Take advantage of this helpful tool when considering dates for your events, and consult with your staff liaison for additional scheduling recommendations. Certain times of year are always busy for the Alumni Association: October and April are our busiest event months and December and June are our busiest communications months. This doesn t mean you can t plan events during those times, but available support may be limited, especially if the event comes in on short notice. The Lifecycle of an Event Do you ever wonder what s going on at the Alumni Association while you re waiting for your event page to be posted or your to be sent? Check out the chart below to see the lifecycle of an event, from concept to evaluation. Types of Events Student-Alumni Engagement Event Connecting alumni with current students can be a great way to increase alumni engagement with the university. Note that outside of the Amherst area, events incorporating students should be scheduled during the breaks from school. Social or Networking Event Strengthen the global UMass alumni network by creating opportunities for alumni to build personal and professional relationships with one another.

4 Career Development Event Programming that helps your constituents achieve professional success is what these events are all about. Whether a speaker event, a panel or a training/workshop, be sure to include time for networking when planning a career development event for your network. UMass Athletics Game Watch Game watches provide a great opportunity to bring spirited alumni together to cheer for the Minutemen. Community Service Activity Volunteering provides an opportunity to connect with fellow alumni while giving back to your community. Event Planning Timeline 8+ weeks prior to event CONCEPT: Establish the purpose of the event. Why are you having the event? What do you want to accomplish? How does the event fit with the strategic priorities of the Regional & Affinity Alumni Networks program? Who will attend? When should you host the event? Check the Alumni Association planning calendar. What are any/all associated cost(s) to the event? How will success be measured? (Attendance, Revenue vs. Expenses, Total Income Goals, Attendee Experience, Membership Investments, Opportunities for Alumni to Connect) 8 weeks prior to event PROPOSAL: Submit your proposal to the Alumni Association using the Event Proposal Form. You ll want to include as much information as you have, but even if you don t have all of the details of the event, it s best to submit a proposal as early in the planning process as possible. 7-8 weeks prior to event REVIEW: Alumni Association reviews your proposal. The Alumni Association will review your proposal to confirm: That it fits the mission and goals of the Regional & Affinity Alumni Networks, the Alumni Association or the university

5 That the Alumni Association has capacity to take on the event and communications at that time That the budget is complete and the projected expenses/ticket prices are approved The process of review can take up to one week. If approved, you will be assigned an event coordinator and the level of communications support will be confirmed. We strive to provide the highest level of support possible for your events. Occasionally, competing demands on the Alumni Association events and/or communications staff or lack of adequate notice prevent us from providing the full suite of available services. In those cases, there may still be ways to move forward with your event by harnessing the power of your own communication channels and engaging your volunteers in direct outreach. 6-7 weeks prior to event DETAILS: Confirm all logistics and collect necessary information to begin promotions. Finalize all logistical details and forward the information to your event coordinator. The sooner we build your event page, the sooner we can begin communications. However, promotions can t begin until we have the following critical info: Volunteer contact information for the lead volunteer Event title and description Event date and time Event location and contact info (include any directions/special instructions needed) Event costs (catering, room rental, etc.) Ticket price (and any special pricing) Registration details including maximum attendance allowed, registration deadline and inclement weather plan (if applicable) 4-6 weeks prior to event BEHIND THE SCENES: Alumni Association staff build your registration page and communications. Once your event coordinator has received all the details, staff can begin the process of building your event registration page. It normally takes one week to build, proof and activate a registration page. You will have a chance to review the page before it is activated. To ensure a smooth registration process, we advise against requesting changes once your page is live. 4 weeks prior to event AA PROMOTIONS: The Alumni Association begins to promote your event. Once the registration page is created, an invitation will be developed and sent to alumni in your target audience. Please feel free to suggest content to be included, or staff will create the using standard event language and the details of your event. Events are normally posted to the Alumni Association website, allotted two broadcast s and included the monthly electronic newsletter, if dates align properly. We will promote your event using our official social media channels. You can help increase the effectiveness of these messages by liking them and/or sharing them

6 with your personal networks. Promotions will be ongoing through the registration deadline for your event. 4 weeks prior to event NETWORK PROMOTIONS: Use your channels to promote your event. If your network has its own social media channels, use them to promote your event. Don t forget to include the link to your event page! Encourage your fellow network volunteers to help drive participation for your event, through s to personal networks, social media posts through personal channels, and phone calls to friends. Keep in touch with your event coordinator for updates on registration numbers as your event approaches. Continue promoting your event through available channels until the registration deadline for your event. Day of Event EVENT: Enjoy your event. At the event, you serve as an ambassador for UMass Amherst. Talk about your experience as a volunteer and share updates about key initiatives of the Alumni Association and the university. Take advantage of opportunities to get to know your attendees and encourage them to get involved as advocates, volunteers or donors. Be sure to track attendees, no-shows and walk-ins. Within One Week of Event EVALUATION: Share feedback on your event. In order to assess the success of each alumni event, we need your feedback and comments using the Post Event Wrap-up Form. Submit your evaluation within one week of your event, while the experience is still fresh in your mind. If the event requires additional conversation, contact your event coordinator. Last Minute Events What if a great opportunity pops up with fewer than eight weeks notice? We know that this sometimes happens, and we want you to be able to move forward with events, even if the planning timeline is condensed. Submit your event proposal as soon as possible. We will work with you to define the level of support we can provide, determined on a case-by-case basis accounting for the amount of lead time, available Alumni Association resources and strategic impact. Limited Support Events Your event may be approved with limited Alumni Association support, but what does that really mean? Your event coordinator will be able to give you details on what types of support you may receive. For example, a limited support event may have an online information page without registration, and it may be promoted through social media but not broadcast s. In order to get the word out about your event, you re encouraged to use your own communication channels. Direct s to your personal contacts, social media posts through your network and personal channels and phone calls to your constituents (if available) can all help drive participation.

7 Day of Event Considerations Registration Before your registration deadline passes, be sure to register yourself. Your event coordinator will provide you with an attendee list. Assign a volunteer to work the registration table and greet attendees. Remarks Plan into the event agenda a time where a volunteer will thank all alumni for attending and briefly speak on a few of the Alumni Association talking points. Alumni Association staff will help develop the speaking program for speaker events and other events as needed. Photos When possible, assign a volunteer to capture photos and share them with the Alumni Association. Event Supplies One to two weeks prior to your event, work with your event coordinator to secure any event supplies you need. In addition to table cloths and banners, consider any opportunities to promote the UMass License Plate, Alumni Association Membership and other key programs of the Alumni Association. Considerations by Event Type Speaker Events Inviting Speakers: You must go through the Alumni Association to contact highprofile alumni, faculty, staff and coaches. Longer Timelines: Start planning at least three months in advance of your target event date. Realistic Expectations: Make sure that speaker expectations of successful attendance correspond with a realistic estimate of how many alumni will attend, based upon past attendance history. Environment: Make sure the atmosphere fits with the nature of the speaker and event. Additionally, make sure that attendees can easily and clearly hear the speaker. Recognition: Bring a thank you gift for the speaker. The Alumni Association can typically provide one, or talk to your event coordinator if there s a specific gift you have in mind. Social & Networking Event Price: Social events should be priced to break even or profit. Location: The location is typically a draw for social/networking events. You also need to identify a place for alumni to find each other within the venue.

8 Freebies: Don t be shy about asking for a private room at no charge, or food and drink specials for our alumni. Many venues will be happy to work with you, especially if you re bringing in business for them during a traditionally slow time. Notice: Even if the event isn t in a private room, be sure to let the venue know ahead of time that we are coming. Community Service Service vs. Charity: Please note the distinction between community service and charity. The goal of community service is to volunteer help build a home, clean up a park, walk/run for a cause, etc. Some volunteer efforts may have a fundraising component to them, but the primary experience should be volunteering. Expect participation to be lower if your project requires fundraising. Activity: What will volunteers be doing? What activities and responsibilities are volunteers asked to undertake? What service are they providing? What do Alumni need to bring/wear? Details: How will alumni find each other? For instance, if you are meeting at a park to help in a cleanup, exactly where and when can alumni go to make sure they meet up with the group? Capacity & Restrictions: Is there a limit to the number of volunteers that can help out with this project? Is there an age requirement? People may wish to bring their children, so it s important to specify any age restrictions. Ticketed Events Ticket Price vs. Seat Location: There is a trade-off between seats with a good view and the cost of the seats. Most of the inquiries revolve around where are the tickets located? This is an important factor for alumni when considering purchasing tickets. Depending on the venue, less expensive seats may or may not provide a good view. Conversely, seats that are more expensive may be cost-prohibitive for most alumni to attend. There may be multiple pricing and seating locations available at a venue, so talk with the group sales representative to verify that there are good sight-lines and to see if they can provide any deals. Inclement Weather Plan: If the event is outdoors, what happens if there is inclement weather? Will people be refunded their money, or will it be postponed to a future date, or something entirely different? Pre-Event Reception: It is important to have a place where alumni can gather and connect with one another. This is where the Network, and the Alumni Association, derives the greatest value out of the event. Try to match the feel of the venue with the feel of the ticketed event. Game Watches Television: Confirm that the game is televised and on a channel carried by the venue. Make sure the venue is willing to show the game on one or more of the TV s in the area where our alumni are sitting.

9 Notice: Even if the event isn t in a private room, be sure to let the venue know ahead of time that we are coming. Budget & Ticket Pricing Policies All events should typically be priced with the goal to break-even or generate a profit, and must be approved by Alumni Association staff prior to incurring any related expenses. If you are planning a group outing to professional sporting events, we require a nominal registration fee of $10 per person, which is dedicated to directly supporting student scholarships. In doing so, your guests are no longer just watching a game with you they are now donors to the university. Questions? If you have additional questions, contact your event coordinator or the Alumni Association at UMASS or alumni@admin.umass.edu.