How to Organize an Event (General)
1. Make a plan WELL IN ADVANCE of the event. As a rule, the bigger the event, the more in advance it should be planned.
2. Get all the people you need to organize the plan understanding the plan and divide up roles WELL IN ADVANCE.
3. Advertise WELL IN ADVANCE.
So, the real key here is that planning happens early: this WILL make life a whole lot less stressful and things a whole lot more likely to succeed.
Guideline, latest advertising should occur (last but most important step of event organization):
-2 weeks in advance for a local/low key event
-1 month in advance for a new or infrequent local event
-2 months in advance for a larger event/one involving travel
-4 months in advance for an event involving travel outside of province.
In some cases (esp if it has become a routine event), it is possible to get away with less time between advertising and event... but don't count on it! People need time to organize their lives, and if you can't set the date of an event (with firm details) well in advance, then don't expect them to be able to have the time for your event.
1. Planning:
-Timing: Check against a calendar to see if the event would conflict with anything, or be at an inconvenient time of the school year (very difficult to get students to come out the last week of class). Put the event on the Calendar of Events and make sure it is not too close to other events there (otherwise members might be burned out).
-Who, What, When, Where: Have answers to these, otherwise people will not know what you're trying to get them to sign up for.
2. People Find all the people you need to organize something. Convince them Individually. Mass e-mails do not work because they do not show that you value someone as an individual. Phoning or personal e-mails is the way to go.
And if you don't know how to do something: find someone who does! Good leaders gather people who are smarter than themselves around them.
3.Advertising: This is The Most Important Step. All the plans in the world are useless if no one comes.
-Make posters or printouts to hand to people. Make a facebook event (or in some cases) a website. Send e-mails. These things make it seem "official"
-Be clear and concise in all communication. Say the most with the least words.
-Talk to people. This makes it seem real, and reinforces the message.
-Be excited! If you're not excited about your event, why would anyone else want to come?
Even if you don't have every single detail together for the planning (though have Where and When), make sure to advertise! You can always improvise something if there's a detail you've neglected to think of. However, it won't matter what rules you've made if no one shows up.