- Design Invitations
- Prepare your guest list. Create both an A list and a B list. The A list includes your personal relationships. These A-list persons should be personally contacted by the owner. The B List includes everyone else.
- business partners
- friends and family
- financiers/bankers
- contractors
- employees and their families
- customers
- neighboring businesses
- elected officials/council members/mayor (click here for contact list)
- neighbors
- landlord and building tenants
- Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media contacts
- Contacts in your phone, Outlook, etc.
- Decide on your communications strategy
- Advertising
- Flyer distribution and invitations
- Social media
- Email, digital marketing, etc.
- Press releases
- Agenda or Program. Typically, 10 – 15 minutes long, including speaker order.
- Emcee or Guest Speakers
- Additional activities (tours, exhibits, posters, activities, games for children, etc.)
- Press Releases
- Caterer
- Photography/drones
- Set-Up
- Giveaways and Door Prizes
- Parking Assistance
- Greeters
- VIP Coordinator
- Tour Guides, Exhibits, Activities
- Music
- Microphone, Public Announcement System
- Thanking Guests
- Ribbon, Ribbon Stands, Scissors, or Golden Shovel (provided by the Chamber of Commerce)
- Clean Up
- Sending thank you notes
- Post photos, videos, and information on your website, newsletter, Facebook, etc.
- Utilize the Chamber online directory to find event planners, media companies, promotional vendors, party rental supplies, or digital marketing consultants.
Helpful Timeline
EIGHT WEEKS OUT
- Mail save-the-date postcards to everyone on your invitation list. Email your Chamber Professional for all Chamber Member addresses.
- Contact the media outlets and your Chamber Professional to publish your event on community calendars. Create an event on your business Facebook account, and add the Graham County Chamber of Commerce as a co-host.
- Secure sign permits for banners on government and private property.
SIX WEEKS OUT
- Send out a press release announcing the event to the local media. Contact your Chamber Professional to learn how to write a press release and for local media contacts.
- Post your event on bulletin boards (city website, church newsletters, newspaper, Valley View, Radio, Websites, and Facebook Pages.
THREE WEEKS OUT
- Have street banners made to announce your event and where to go for more information.
- Contact local radio and television stations about the possibility of a live visit
TWO WEEKS OUT
- Contact local media representatives and event reporters to write an article on your business
- Post signs and hang street banners
- Make phone calls to everyone on your invitation list; start with your A list, and call them twice (one personal invite, one reminder).
WEEK OF THE EVENT
- Solicit local media outlets to send a photographer to cover the event for the community events section.
- Create a customer contact information collection method for attendees, for example a Facebook raffle.
WEEK AFTER
- Send out a press release announcing the success of the event and that you are now open for business. If possible, announce any grand opening specials.
- Send Thank you notes
Event Best Practices
- We have found Lunchtime and just after work on weekdays to be good times for events. On Saturdays, morning, noon, afternoon, and evenings work well.
- Chamber Policies do not allow for Sunday Events.
- Consult the Community Calendars to look for conflicting events.
- Determine who will cut the ribbon or shovel the first dirt. The owners or top executives most frequently do the honors, but each business is different and can pick whomever they like.
- Take photos. Some businesses will take multiple photos with various groups of people before actually cutting the ribbon. Photos might include employees, family, dignitaries, Chamber Members, business partners, and customers.
- Prepare your remarks or speech in advance. This is usually done when everyone is gathered before cutting the ribbon.
- Consider having giveaways, especially logo items that guests can take back to their offices.
- Utilize the Chamber online directory to find event planners, media companies, promotional vendors, party rental supplies, or digital marketing consultants.
- Food and beverages are not required, but it makes a nice touch and will improve your turn-out.
- Be sure to have plenty of brochures, flyers, and information available.
The Chamber does not provide…
- event planning services, food, and/or beverages for events, however we WILL connect you to excellent chamber members who provide these services.
- a guarantee of attendance by members. Attendance depends on the date, time, location, type of business, and other competing events. We WILL invite all chamber members and the community to your event.
- guaranteed attendance of the media and elected officials, however we WILL do our best to attract them to your event.
- a certificate of insurance.
