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How to Host an Event |
Find out if there's enough interest in your target market to make the event worth your while. To gauge interest you may want to post messages to various e-lists and networking sites and ask.
Is there an event in your area you might be able to piggyback? If so, see if you can make your event an extension of the existing event. If the chairpersons of the existing event nix your idea, you can still have your own event nearby and benefit secondhand from the publicity and crowds drawn by the existing event.
Know ahead of time how much you can afford to spend. Ask lots of questions. Don't be afraid to look dumb; be afraid of getting stuck with an outrageous bill you weren't expecting.
Plan well enough ahead of time to ensure that you will get the space you desire, that people interested in participating won't have already planned to be elsewhere, and that you have time to recruit both vendors and attendees.
Check into whether or not you need a business license. If you sponsor an expo, you would need to obtain a retail license that covers all vendors. Check into all the legalities: licensing, Fire Marshall's codes, etc.
Think about how you can make your event stand out from the crowd. Workshops, seminars, panels, entertainment, fee vs. fee based services and/or products will help you differentiate your event from others like it.