Event best practices

Identify a clear purpose for the event. First, establish who your audience is and then plan accordingly. Secondly, hold a planning meeting to outline with your team the core objectives and outcomes of the event so you can organize a well-focused event.

For example: Is this an event to increase engagement for young alumni in your area? Is this a career management event for the members of your club? Is this a fundraising gala for your scholarship?

Verify information is delivered clearly and concisely among the entire volunteer team. At the very beginning of the event planning process, take the time to share your event’s objective and your overall plan for execution with every member of your team.

Craft a detailed timeline. It may sound basic, but planning accordingly is important. Be mindful of time to set up as well as time to break down in agenda. Do not have the event start time as the arrival time for volunteers. Outline roles and responsibilities for all event volunteers.

Market the event in a timely manner. In marketing your event, remember to leave time for last-minute reminders in case your attendance is low. Depending on the event type and the number of attendees desired, you may start promoting your event one to three months in advance. Using multiple forms of media is helpful in the promotion of the event. Check the RSVP list regularly so you know if you should send another round of emails, mail invitations, or make additional posts on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter.

Reference check speakers and performers. Do your research and when selecting a speaker, look at your event objective and/or purpose to ensure they align. If you are unsure of the speaker or simply unsure who would be a good speaker for your event ask for a reference through The Ohio State Alumni Association. 

Read the fine print and know all the details. That includes all signed contracts, all written instructions, orders, and more. Read everything twice and don’t be afraid to ask questions before signing anything.

Check everything twice. Remember to confirm rentals, space, catering, etc. in enough time so if they are unavailable there is enough time to explore and/or secure other options.

Have a registration and/or sign-in table with a volunteer. This is a great opportunity to get to know your guests and welcome them. Having cheerful and engaging volunteers as guests enter the event allows for a strong first impression. This can also contribute to future engagement regarding invites.

Event pace and having a moderator is important. Along with a timeline for planning, it is a good idea to have a timeline for the actual event day, detailing event flow. This should also be shared with speakers and volunteers so everyone is aware of their role, responsibilities, and expectations. It is also helpful to have each segment divided by time, i.e. minutes and time given to accomplish each task.

Assist speaker with time cues. It is helpful to have a moderator or point person who is able to assist the speaker in being aware of the time left as well as assisting in exiting the stage/podium. This is especially helpful during Q& A portions of speaker events or if there are multiple speakers.

Saying “Thank You” goes a long way. Remember to thank your speaker(s), guests, and event volunteers. For speakers or key players, this can be as simples as a follow-up phone call, thank you letter, or gift. For volunteers, this can be a thank you letter, dinner celebration, or gift. For guests, this could be a giveaway leaving the event followed with information on how to get involved with the club or follow up with feedback.

Fill out and return post-event information for OSUAA and End of the Year reporting. Filling out this form is helpful in keeping track of events and event details, but also with evaluating the success of events regarding growth or decline in attendance.

Buckeye Smart Speaker Series: Lunch-and-learn experience offering engaging and informative speakers on topics ranging from the latest research and innovation to tips for practical living. Show alumni in your area why Ohio State expertise is not just for students anymore!

Buckeyes at Sporting Events: A family-friendly activity for alumni and their families to gather, enjoy the local sports team and engage with other alumni. This event type can also be created at an amusement park, museum, local establishment, etc.

Buckeye Masters: A series of cultural events that bring together Buckeye art appreciators with art experts to experience and discuss exhibits and performances.

Buckeyes Behind the Scenes: A gathering of alumni and their families for an exclusive tour of a facility or access to an exclusive program or individual, etc.

Buckeyes After Work: Meet up with fellow Ohio State alumni after work for an evening of casual professional networking.

Scarlet and Grapes: A gathering of young alumni at a local wine establishment for education, engagement and networking.

Buckeye Masters: A series of cultural events that bring together Buckeye art appreciators with art experts to experience and discuss exhibits and performances.

Buckeyes and Broadway: Enjoy a crowd-pleasing musical and join fellow alumni for an exclusive reception before the show.

Dinner for 12 Buckeyes: This program pairs 6 students and 6 alumni at each table to connect and network over dinner. This is a great program that can be easily adapted to any size of group, and could have any ratio of students to alumni at the table.

5 Under 25: In its current state, this program is a panel of 5 young alumni (under the age of 25) who give advice to underclassmen by answering a series of questions and then opening it up to the audience. However, this format could be easily adapted to alumni of any age, and could be focused on a specific theme or topic or very broad to accommodate incoming students or even new graduates.

Buckeye Pen Pals: Designed to connect current students with alumni based on geographic location, career interest, or extracurricular interest, this program is intended to help students get acclimated to new environments and occupations, improve networking, professional and communication skills, and get involved in the community, through email correspondence with an alumnus.

An event that focuses on learning about and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. The event should focus on one of the dimensions of health and wellness which include “Emotional, Career, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Creative, Physical, Social and Spiritual.”

Emotional Wellness: The emotionally well person can identify, express and manage the entire range of feelings
and would consider seeking assistance to address areas of concern.

Occupational Wellness: The professionally well person engages in work to gain personal satisfaction and
enrichment, consistent with values, goals and lifestyle.

Environmental Wellness: The environmentally well person recognizes the responsibility to preserve, protect and
improve the environment and appreciates the interconnectedness of nature and the individual.

Financial Wellness: The financially well person is fully aware of financial state and budgets, saves and manages
finances in order to achieve realistic goals.

Intellectual Wellness: The intellectually well person values lifelong learning and seeks to foster critical thinking,
develop moral reasoning, expand worldviews and engage in education for the pursuit of knowledge.

Creative Wellness: The creatively well person values and actively participates in a diverse range of arts and
cultural experiences as a means to understand and appreciate the surrounding world.

Physical Wellness: The physically well person gets an adequate amount of sleep, eats a balanced and nutritious
diet, engages in exercise for 150 minutes per week, attends regular medical check-ups and practices safe and
healthy sexual relations.

Social Wellness: The socially well person has a network of support based on interdependence, mutual trust,
respect and has developed a sensitivity and awareness towards the feelings of others.

Spiritual Well-Being: The spiritually well person seeks harmony and balance by openly exploring the depth of
human purpose, meaning and connection through dialogue and self-reflection.

Examples: Start a walking/jogging club, host a yoga event like “Yoga at Mapfre Stadium”, host a Buckeye Smart speaker, start a book club focused on health and wellness.