39 The When. The “when” of an event is the timing or rough placement on the academic calendar. This is general when setting goals and will be refined during the logistics setting. The goal may be to impact new student veterans, in which case, the beginning of the academic year may be appropriate. The Where. The “where” of an event is its location. While the student veterans center may be appropriate for meetings, a more notable location might be more appropriate if the goal is to draw community member attendance. Each of these goals contribute to the overall outcomes of an event and are important for consideration when beginning the event planning and before moving on to logistics. Logistics The logistics of an event are what make it work; they are the pen to paper, nuts and bolts of success. There are many moving parts in event planning, and it is important to begin early with an event plan so that anyone who picks up the process can know what has been done, what is currently happening, and what is left to be done. An event plan is not appropriate for every event but is helpful for events that are larger in scope and have donors with expected outcomes. Logistics include items such as setting a specific date (i.e., moving from “spring” to “March 15”), deciding if this is a weekend or weekday type of event, a specific time (i.e., professional event in the daytime beginning at 8am or a social event in the evening at 7pm), and a specific location (i.e., outside or inside, depending on weather and dress). More specifically, logistics include catering or food and beverage, invitations, music, speakers, place settings, equipment rentals, and so on. Each of these contribute to the event’s goals and so should be selected with intent. Logistics are variable and at the discretion of the Chapter Leaders but are heavily reliant on the event budget – the difference between a sit-down dinner and open bar or buffet-style hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Campus culture should also be considered but can be dynamic. Changes in culture regarding alcohol or events should be monitored to ensure cultural appropriateness. Communications and Marketing For major events, a communications and marketing plan is an important consideration. It is important to get the word out early, even prior to setting up logistics. “Save the dates” are excellent tools to use to ensure potential attendees do not schedule other events and thus cannot attend the Chapter event. Marketing for events is all about meeting people where they are, and a plan that includes social media, email outreach, posts in an office on campus, or word-of-mouth will connect with a wider reach. These are common outlets for event marketing in the SVA network as well as on a single campus. In Chapter communications about events, Chapter Leaders can take the opportunity to tell the compelling story of why the event fits into the Chapter narrative, how it aligns with Chapter mission, and how it will benefit attendees. After-Action As important as it is to plan an event, it is just as important to review the event after it is complete. Although this may be a Chapter President’s only time planning the larger events before stepping down from their leadership role, the success and sustainability of the Chapter and the events they put on are made possible by keeping a running list of best practices. For example, best practices can include lists of, locations that have worked with the Chapter and locations that are a bad idea to repeat, types of events that gain attendees and types that are a flop on with the campus. It is an option to figure out the total cost to execute the event, then simply weigh that against other quantifiable elements to determine a black-and-white “score” of the return on investment. There is quite a
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