Pulse Legacy Archive March / April 2012 | страница 36

A HOW-TO GUIDE IN
PLANNING EVENTS
ave a clear, written game plan of the
event and how it will be executed.
Here are a few things to consider:

H
Bosse Spa & Style's waiting lounge.

working in partnership with another
vendor. “Working with a partner is
always challenging,” says Moon, sharing
a story of frantically looking for a new
makeup artist at the last minute for their
previous fashion show. “Thank goodness for Google, mobile phones and
quick reference checks!”

PROMOTING
Understanding the market that you are
working in and tailoring the message
and promotion tool around them will set
you apart. “We find Constant Contact,
an online marketing that offers promotion tools to small businesses, very
effective for e-vites,” Moon says.
“If you choose to promote the event
externally, it’s integral that you book the
ads well in advance—this helps to generate buzz,” Picton says, adding that
sending out “save the date” cards early
can further help to boost attendance.
It is also important to utilize RSVP as a
tool to gauge interest and attendance
before the event, which is necessary
when keeping your capacity in mind.
While sending an invitation to guests
early is imperative, the best marketing
strategy is still word-of-mouth. “We
used the word-of-mouth strategy by personally inviting 10 to 15 key clients and
their friends,” Moon says, adding that
days leading up to the event, signs were
placed around the health club. You can
also tap the expertise of a public re la34 PULSE

■

March/April 2012

tions consultant or firm as to how to get
media coverage.
Think of other creative ways to get
the word out, especially through
marketing collateral such as gift bags,
postcards or handouts. But more importantly, communicate the details of the
event to everyone in the staff. “Everyone
should be aware of the event in the spa
—even those staff members who may
not be directly involved. This way, they
can relay information to their clients,”
Picton says. She also suggests having
printed materials available well in
advance to supply interested guests
with information.

●

Goal: What’s the goal you seek to
accomplish with this event?

●

Time: Setup, kickoff, cleanup

●

Who: Who’s setting up, who’s speaking,
who’s cleaning up, who’s doing security,
who’s running the cash box (preferably
two people, so one can take a break if
necessary), who’s in charge of signage,
food, music, traffic, working with the
media, handling lost and found (including lost children) and more.

●

Money: Have a clear budget before the
event and have a cash box if money is to
be collected. Make sure it can be locked,
and that whoever is handling it knows
where it is to be taken after the event.
Make sure the cash box is secure at all
times.

●

Program: Who will create, print, distribute and clean up if programs are left on
seats or the event grounds.

●

Layout of Room: What tables go where
and/or what is at each table/ booth. How
electricity and/or water is to be provided,
if at all. Where people will enter/exit (in
accordance with fire codes). Where signs
will be, and whether or not maps of the
floor or area are needed.

●

Refreshments: Food, beverages,
napkins, etc.

●

Music: Stage, electricity, amplification,
microphones, etc.

●

Advertising: Post eye-catching signs,
have your customer service staff call your
clients, and check the Internet for sites or
community boards.

EVALUATION
At the end of the event, be sure to take
time to evaluate whether the event has
met your goals. Find tangible ways, such
as sales profit increase, number of new
clients, etc., to measure success.
Depending on your goals, your key
metrics may be “number of attendees or
clients, number of spa treatment bookings, raised funds, gift card sales or
media coverage of the event.” It is also
important to reflect upon the partnerships that may have been a part of the
event. This also helps in establishing
relationships for future partnerships. ■

ELZABA MATHEWS is a student of Asbury University
in Lexington, Kentucky and an intern of the
International SPA Association.

FOR MORE of ISPA’s planning guide,
visit digital Pulse at experienceispa.com.