Nowdays there's a tool for
this – an app for that – and web platforms for doing tasks that
had required several people many hours to accomplish.
Meetup.com is a web-based
system which takes the drudge out of holding an event. Load in a
contact list and it takes just minutes to distribute an announcement
of the event, send reminders, print check-in lists, and name tags.
Attendees can register on-line and click to load the event info on
their calendar.
Peter
Corbett manages the monthly meetings of DC
Tech Meetup with this platform for about 1,000 attendees. For
this group, the Meetup site serves as a website with information
about the group, events, pictures, and member profiles.
Corbett sets up meetings
on Meetup 6-months or more in advance – at times some details are
TBD (to be determined) – the regulars register and load the date on
their calendar as a placeholder for the event (easy to update later
when plans are final).
This method is handy for
the event organizer – the date and known info is distributed to
all, and the recipients can respond and click to update their
calendar – simple and easy – fewer cracks for things to fall
through in finalizing the event.
Isn't this more effective
than an email asking you to save the date?
How
to become wise in 5 minute increments –Rainmakers.
DC Tech has over 6,800 members. I find that groups that make administrivia easier are bigger and healthier.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Meetup provides feedback on every meeting by polling the attendees, and rates members by how many they meetings they said they were going to attend and how many they got to.