Episode 26: 6 Ways to Prep for Next Year’s Events
Are you heading into the new year excited and ready to take on your first event? Or are you feeling overwhelmed and anxious?
If it’s the latter, it may mean you simply need to do some year-end tasks that will set you up for success for next year’s events.
In this episode I share:
Why you need a recap for all events
Why you should start recruiting your planning team now
The importance of organizing your digital files and event “stuff”
How to create an event kit and what you should put in it
For a full transcript, see below.
Links & resources
SHOW NOTES: https://www.thatsoundslikeaplan.net/episodes/26
Ep. 22_Creating an Internal Event Recap
Ep. 20_Event Volunteer Basics
RIpple Event FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/RippleEventMktg
Ripple Event Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rippleeventmktg/
Podcast Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thatsoundslikeaplan
Event Kit Links*
Registration/Check In Kit:
Scissors, stapler & highlighters - Check the dollar store
Paper Clips & Rubber Bands - Grab a handful of each from your desk drawer
Set-Up Kit:
Hanging file box to store supplies
*THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. IF YOU CLICK ON A LINK AND PURCHASE AN ITEM, I MAY RECEIVE AN AFFILIATE COMMISSION AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. ALL OPINIONS REMAIN MY OWN.
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Episode 26 Full Transcript
Hello and welcome back to That Sounds Like a Plan! The podcast where we talk about all things related to nonprofit fundraising events. I'm your host, Alicia Barga. I'm the owner of Ripple Event Marketing, and I've been planning nonprofit events since 2010.
Holy smokes - what a year! I don't know about you, but this is the busiest I've been in quite some. As I've said before, spring and fall are my busiest seasons and it feels like I've been going nonstop. My last event of the year just wrapped up and I finally have a little bit of time to get organized. I hope you can set aside some time at the end of this year so that you're ready to go for next year.
[00:00:47] Here are six ways to prep for next year's events.
If you haven't already, you wanna create a post-event recap document for all of this year's events. If you don't know what that is, what a recap is, or how to do one, go back and listen to episode #22, Creating An Internal Event Recap. I walk you through that whole process. One of my clients calls the recap document a Plus/Delta.
[00:01:19] I'd never heard that term before, but it's exactly the same thing. The ideal time to create your recap document or your plus delta, whatever you're calling it, is immediately after your event so that you capture things while they're fresh in your mind.
[00:01:37] But if you haven't done one already, it's better to do it now than not at all. You wanna make sure that you capture all those lessons for each event from this year so that you continue doing what worked well, and don't repeat any of the same mistakes that you made this year. You may think that you don't need to write it all down, that you're gonna remember, but believe me, you won't remember everything. So get it in writing.
[00:02:05] Number two. Year end is a great time to organize your digital event files. Go through and delete irrelevant documents and keep only what's necessary. If you're like me, you probably saved all of the quotes from vendors so that you could compare them. Well, after the event, the only documents that you need to keep are the final invoices from the vendors that you actually used.
[00:02:33] Go back and delete all those quotes and any excess documents. Deleting those files is gonna save you a whole lot of time when you go searching for things next year and clearing out that digital clutter is just gonna make you feel so much better. And if you haven't already, put those documents into folders and subfolders so that they're organized by category.
[00:03:01] You want all of your auction documents in an auction folder, all of your sponsor documents in a sponsorship folder just like you would, a physical file cabinet. Make sure all event related documents are stored somewhere that you can give the planning team access to when you start planning next year's event.
[00:03:22] I use Google Drive for this, but there are a number of file sharing options. It's important for your team to have that historic information and that it's easily accessible, especially for new team members that you're trying to get onboarded.
[00:03:38] And speaking of team, number three is you want to work on putting together your event planning team. So try to get confirmation that this year's team is on board for next year, and for those team members not returning, start recruiting right away. If you've had a long-term volunteer in a role, the recruitment process to replace them may need to start with creating a volunteer job description.
[00:04:04] And that can take time. And you wanna make sure that you're thoughtfully recruiting your planning team members, not just taking somebody that says, sure, I'll do that. There are certain skills and talents that you need for key planning roles.
[00:04:19] If you need a refresher, listen to episode number 20. Event Volunteer Basics.
[00:04:24] Number four, you want to organize your physical stuff, your event supplies
[00:04:30] After an event, tear down is typically pretty chaotic. Everyone is just trying to get the heck out of there as quickly as possible, and stuff gets thrown into boxes and bins with the idea that you'll go through it later. But if there isn't another event in the near future, oftentimes going through those boxes gets put aside for more pressing tasks.
[00:04:57] However, it's nice to set aside one day in your schedule to get those things in order. I just finished my last event for the year, and I have some bins that are sitting on my kitchen table right now that I need to go through.
[00:05:12] I need to sort everything, count quantities to make sure I have enough for next year and replenish those supplies as needed, and then organize it in a way that makes sense for me. I bought some new supplies this year, so I have to get some new bins and label them and store it away neatly so it's easily accessible for my first event of the new year.
[00:05:36] Number five, you wanna create an event kit. The end of the year is a great time to create an event kit if you don't already have one, or to organize the event kit if you do.
[00:05:49] I am gonna explain what an event kit is in a moment. But, it's something that you should have packed and ready to go at a moment's notice. It should be easy to grab and go. If you get invited to showcase your organization by tabling at an event at the last minute, you'll have everything you need to just grab and.go.
[00:06:08] I actually have two separate kits that have different supplies in them, and I'll explain what they are and why. I have two separate kits instead of putting everything in one big kit. The first kit I have is a small tackle box with a clear lid.
[00:06:25] So this is something that's normally used to hold fishing tackle, but I use it for my event kit and I use it to hold pins, markers, some highlighters, a pair of scissors, scotch tape, double-sided tape, paperclips, rubber bands. I also have a small stapler and staples in it. Post-it notes. I also have a stash of blank name cards in this kit.
[00:06:49] It's basically a desk in a box. And the reason I keep this as a separate, small and portable kit is for use at the registration or check-in table on the day of the event. Your registration table often becomes command central for your event, so it makes sense to store these items there. And your registration volunteers can just tuck this under the table and if they need extra supplies, it's readily accessible for them.
[00:07:20] The second kit that I have is a portable file box. It's meant to hold hanging file folders, but that's not what I use it for. I use it for anything. I need for event set up. I have in my kit a small hammer fishing line, Velcro, an extension cord, some string and rope, a box cutter, zip ties.
[00:07:46] I have a glue gun and glue sticks, safety pins. And then I also have packing tape and gaffer tape. And if you don't know what gaffer tape is, it's a cloth-like tape that is used to tape down cords so that people don't trip on them. Now, this tape is quite expensive. It's about $20 for a roll, but it's worth it to have a roll.
[00:08:10] In your kit at your disposal. You know, a $20 roll of tape is a heck of a lot less expensive than a lawsuit because somebody tripped and hurt themselves by tripping over a cord at your event. One caveat on gaffer tape, just make sure that you check with your venue before you start taping down cords because some venues, if it's a beautiful floor, they don't want you.
[00:08:33] Taping stuff down and they might have other solutions to cover those cords. However, having a roll of gaffer tape in your kit is always a good idea. For the event setup kit, the one with the tools in it, make sure that you clearly label everything that's yours so you get it back. I even put my name on the inside of that roll of gaffer tape ‘cuz it's 20 bucks a roll and I wanna make sure that I get it back and it stays in my kit.
[00:09:04] For the smaller kit, the one that's at registration. Don't put anything in there that you aren't okay if it doesn't come back. It's essentially a kit of disposable items. Like I said, it's a desk in a box, so even for the more. Physical items in there, like, a scissors or a stapler. Make sure you're putting inexpensive items in their dollar store or cheap ones cuz they can and do walkaway. Sometimes, not intentionally, but it might get put into somebody else's stuff.
[00:09:33] And so you don't wanna be replacing a $20 pair of scissors every time you're replenishing your. If you have branded pens, that's a great spot to put those in your kit because you do want those to walk away. you want your organization name and contact info to get out in the world. So if somebody walks away with that pen, great.
[00:09:53] otherwise you can just put a cheap box of pens in your kit. , and again, as I said, this is a great kit to have if you are invited to table at another event. And so I'll give you an example. One of my clients was recently invited to table at a local brewery. The brewery had a night where for every pint sold, a portion of those sales went back to my client's organization.
[00:10:20] And so they invited them to come have a table at the brewery so if somebody. Came to, have a pint, and they were wondering, well, where the heck is this money going? What is it supporting? they could just go talk to my client at their table. Now, if you wanna take your, Kit game to the next level, and I know you do, you can create a checklist of the items that should be in your kit, in each of your kits and tape it to,whatever the physical box is that you're keeping your stuff in.
[00:10:54] So that way when you go to replenish your kit, you don't have to remember what the heck was in it. You just look at your list and then replenish those items as needed.
[00:11:03] I have a list of items. in both of my event kits that I'll put in the show notes, I will also put links to those items, like the tackle box and the file box if you need to purchase and put together a kit for yourself.
[00:11:19] All right, enough about event kits. I could go on, but I, I really do love it because such a great thing to have packed and ready to go for any event.
[00:11:29] And then number six, Your last way to prep for next year's event is of course to set goals. Year end is always a great time to set goals for the following year.this is the time to set your organizational fundraising goals and determine how events fit into those goals. Just make sure that your budget numbers are realistic. Now, I'm all for having lofty. Stretch goals, but I'd rather see you set a modest goal and hit it out of the park than to have a super stretch goal and not come close, leaving you not only feeling dejected, but it can really screw up your finances if you're overestimating your revenue goals.
[00:12:14] You wanna make sure that you're being realistic with those revenue goals. All right, there you go. Those are six ways you can prep for next year's events. Let's go through them one more time quickly. Number one, create a post-event recap for every single event that you hosted this. . Number two, organize your digital files. Get rid of all that clutter and organize things, so it's nice and clean and easily accessible for next year.
[00:12:42] Number three, put together your event planning team or start recruiting as necessary if your, past team isn't coming back. Number four,
[00:12:53] Organize your physical stuff. Number five, put together event kits if you don't have them, or replenish the supplies in your event kit if you do. And then lastly, number six, set your fundraising goals. Getting these things done is going to make you feel so organized, prepared, and ready to take on anything that comes at you in the new.
[00:13:16] coming up next month, I'm going to focus on event sponsorship. The start of the new year is the best time to secure sponsors for your event, even if your event isn't until late in the year. Businesses or potential sponsors that have a fiscal year that aligns with the calendar year.
[00:13:36] They set their marketing budgets in November or December of the previous year. That money gets allocated pretty quickly in quarter one of the budget year. So the sooner you can get on a potential sponsors radar, the better. We're gonna talk about all this and more in the new year. Now that sounds like a.
[00:13:57] I'll see you next time.