Real time to plan and organise event was 8 weeks

Process followed- Select Date- Send Requests For Venue Costs- Select Venue- Create Invitation List- Invite

Point of improvement

The Day Before The Event

Not many participents had confirmed attendance.

Spent most of day calling old, and (NEW) contacts if they could attend

Participent Commitment level was LOW!

Target was 20 confirmed corporate attendees

We reached 8 who said they would bring a collegue....!!

Day Of The Event

Woke Up To 33 SMS message...

Sorry David, I am Unable to Attend...

Sorry David, I have Another Urgent Appointment....

Sorry, I can not get out of the office today....

Days Potential Guest total was already reduced to 5 (+1's)...

I was starting to get Very Nervous!!

Toastmasters Start To Arrive...

On Queue the event start time arrived, and passed....

NO CORPORATE GUESTS HAD TURNED UP!!!!

WHAT Had Happened!

I sent out SMS messages to each of the confirmed recipients...

THEN I WAITED FOR REPLIES....

”Hi, did you have difficulty finding the location? -David-”

FIRST Guest replies...

”I am running late. Will arrive in 10 mins, Is it OK to turn up late?”

YES! I reply...

First Guest ARRIVES at the event...!!

** SUCCESS**

More Guest start to arrive SLOWLY during the day...

I got 2 SMS saying they just woke up!!

At 2pm

[ Entreprenuers, have different schedules... ]

STATS:-

3 Corporate Guests3 Toastmaster Entreprenuers2 District Representatives

Results:1x Potential Demo Meeting 3x Potential New Toastmasters

Self Event Evaluation:-

In total approximately 80-100 people in corporate positions were informed of the event.

Most just asked for information to be emailed to them, and they will get back to us.

Surpirse... mostly we never heard from them again!

Commitment level was DRASTICALLY LOW, even within Toastmasters own network of trusted

friends.

The value add message was either too weak, or not clear enough!

Even the people we did get to commit, did not eventually show up.

This was also the experience previously in NICE a year ago.

Unfortunately in NICE's experience, they did not get a single guest turn-up.

Positive Take Aways:-

www.eventbright.co.uk ticketing system worked well.

Professional Feel and Intuitive event management tool.

The appreciation of what it takes to create a high quality, high level event in a short amount of time.

I felt the time restriction was not too crazy, but a bit of additional help early in the project would of been a better option.

The event has started a dialogue with corporations.

Even if they did not attend this first event. I have already been asked about the next time.

A big thankyou to my small and dedicated team, plus all the supportive Toastmasters of Area G5.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED