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…consider the following:
a. general public
b. specialized groups (Fraternities, Sororities, Residence Halls, Ethnic and Independent groups)
c. Recommend a representative per each large student organization to be on publicity committee
d. Coordinator of travel/lodging
e. Reception Coordinator
f. 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
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.
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)
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.
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.