Friday, November 14, 2008

The 6 A's of the Event

The Hope Cuts event last weekend was very successful in part because of the attention paid to the 6 A's of event planning.

Anticipation: We posted the Donna's Hair Studio Hope Cuts fliers we developed on the TCNJ campus and in the windows of local businesses. They were also placed in professor mailboxes. We also had a table at Community Fest on October 25th and in the TCNJ Student Center the Monday and Thursday before the event in the hopes of reaching out to new clients. At these tables we had literature about breast cancer, fliers for Hope Cuts, and answered any questions about the event. An ad for Hope Cuts at Donna's ran in a local Mercer County newspaper. In the month leading up to the event, we left brochures specially designed for Hope Cuts at Donna's including special pricing for the event and breast cancer information. This way current clients could make their appointments for the event in advance.

Arrival: To draw attention from the street we hung a City of Hope banner and pink balloons from the shopping center sign. We also hung our hand-made Hope Cuts banner outside of the salon along with additional pink balloons. Parking was not an issue because most of the other shops in the plaza are closed on Sundays. We did make sure to park most of our cars at the far end of the lot to leave the front spots for clients. We cleared the aisles in the salon so both doors could open. One was used as an entrance and the other as an exit. Guests at the event entered into the area designated for activities. We assigned one person as a specific greeter who told them about sign-in and the activities offered.

Atmosphere: The Hope Cuts atmosphere was very festive and reflected the cause of the event. All of the decorations were in pink to support breast cancer. Streamers hung across the room and pink balloons danced along the ceiling. All of the signs in the store had the same pink border. Pink tablecloths were used as well as pink silverware, plates, and napkins. There was a constant reminder that everyone was there to support the breast cancer cause. Two members of the TCNJ radio station provided upbeat and fun music for the event further contributing to the atmosphere.

Appetite: There was plenty of food for the customers to enjoy at the event. We received a sandwich platter donation from Delilicious and a pizza donation from Mama Floras. We also had a veggie platter, chips, sodas, and water. Each member of our event planning team brought a baked good. We made pink heart-shaped chocolate candies and had a special "Hope Cuts" cake. We wanted to ensure that our customers, vendors, and staff were well fed.

Activity: Aside from the obvious activity of salon services, we wanted to keep our customers entertained while they were waiting for their appointment. In tradition with Hope Cuts, we sold raffle tickets for a chance to win a prize through Hope Cuts. We also sold tickets for the tricky trays that were displayed in the salon. These prizes were donated from various companies and included many beauty and kitchen products. Winners were drawn as the end of the event. Outside vendors from Pampered Chef and Tupperware were invited to display their products so the customers could shop. They also offered a portion of their sales as a donation to Hope Cuts. A table was set up with information on preventing and detecting breast cancer. Finally, we created an activity booklet with puzzles, breast cancer information, and a place for the customer to put a photo of them with their new style.

Amenities: Hope Cuts is wonderful with providing tons of products to giveaway. We put together goody bags with pens, shampoo packets, and lip glosses with different products for men and women. Hope Cuts t-shirts were offered to take as well as several purple beanie bears. Informational breast cancer literature was available to everyone. Each customer was encouraged to fill out a feedback survey and sign up for Donna's mailing list so that we can further perfect the event next year.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for sharing this, I have an exam on this topic and this show how to apply the theory to practical methods, Thanks again!