The Primer for Hosting a Green Event

It has happened to all of us.  You walked into a "green" event for which you paid US$20, stood around bored, and thought, "Should've stayed home and freed some space on the DVR."  True, part of the problem is that online calendars are choc-a-block with such events, and in a down economy, you have everyone looking for the same thing (jobs).  I do not fault people for using creativity in trying to make a buck, but these $20 evenings often end up being a one-off event because they offer no value to the attendees.  While I have targeted the following suggestions to the hosts of such $20-networking events, they can apply equally to a meeting of 500 scientists or your organization's winter solstice party:

  1.   The venue.  It is tempting to rely on that art gallery your friend owns, or the restaurant that has a great space in the back.  But if the place feels like a meat locker or has awful acoustics, you risk your guests asking each other if they have an aspirin instead of asking each other what they do and why they came to the event.  Months ago, my alumni group organized a "green professionals" dinner to a hideous restaurant that required most of us to drive far, and the place was so loud we all grew frustrated from the yelling.  And no one followed up with each other, probably because we did not exchange much conversation of any substance.

2.   The 24-hour rule.  Just like those college final exams, you should do all your preparation and organizing in advance.  The night before your soiree, you should be finished with all your tasks.  Get a good night's sleep.  If you are tired, cranky, and burned out on the evening of your event, most likely the evening will not turn out so well.

3.   Make sure your guests can arrive to the venue.  Scope out the parking, and include the directions.  Do not assume that Google Maps or MapQuest will work.  You want your guests to show up enthusiastic, ready to enjoy the evening--not frazzled and cursing that they should have stayed home.  Make it easy for them to join you.  Also, in  particular if you are organizing a “green” event, make sure that there is some sort of public transportation to your event, even if the participants have to do a little walking.

4.   Welcome your guests as they arrive.  I do not care if you are in Las Vegas, NV, or Las Vegas, NM:  your guests arrived because they wanted to gain something from your gathering, not because they were bored and had nothing better to do.  As your guests file in, give them the logistics:  where the restrooms are, where the food is, where they can leave their cards, etc.  I recently attended a film screening where everyone was standing around the lobby, looking like deer in headlights--and trust me, the director was not Judd Apatow.  I already forgot his name:  maybe if he got off his mobile and said a few words to everyone, I would have remembered him. 

5.   Speaking of your iPhone or Blackberry.  Put it away.  Nothing imparts the vibe, "I'm mega important," than chatting on your phone or texting while your event is going on.  Yes, I know, people may call for directions, or say they are late--perhaps someone helping you with the event should be that point of contact.

6.   Humility.  I'll never forget the lecture I attended at a crowded, stuffy, yoga room in Santa Monica where one of the hosts plastered us with clichés like the importance of this "monumental event."  Monumental events are in Washington, DC, where they have monuments--not in yoga studios.  Thank your guests for coming, remind them why they came, and make it clear you are open to suggestions afterward.  Your guests can decide whether your event was important or not.  The attention should be on the reason why this event was put together--not on you.

7.   Volunteers.  You will hear more from me on this.  Having your friends help is fine.  Trolling on LinkedIn in the "jobs" section asking for volunteers can be lecherous.  But, if you do get free labor to help with your event, you need to thank with more than an email blast a week after the event.  Give your volunteers plenty of time to enjoy the event--they may want to network or attend sessions, too.  And as for the clean-up, hire a service or pay the venue a cleaning free.  If you do not have the budget, your volunteers' time is valuable and they are not the clean-up crew:  you are.  You are the event host, so you are the garbage collector.

8.   Introductions.  If you are hosting a smaller event, let everyone introduce each other.  If you have scores of people showing up, please do not make everyone introduce themselves--it'll feel like a long college graduation.  But when you do take out those few minutes to get everyone's attention to thank them for coming, you can ask the group who is interested in issues relevant to your event, so at least the folks attending can know whom to approach as the evening progresses.  When talking personally to your guests, avoid the trap of looking over someone's shoulder to see if someone "more important" is around.  Even if you give each guest a 30-second welcome, focus your eyes, and attention, on him or her.  Go against the grain:  that shy, nerdy person who's standing in the corner alone may surprise you with what he or she can offer you.  So seek those people out!

9.   Food and drink.  True, you are not obligated to feed and hydrate your guests.  But if do not have a decent spread, do not bother at all; nothing screams "tacky" more than a table of chips and salsa.  Use your creativity; in a sluggish economy, there are plenty of stores, bakeries, beverage companies, and caterers that can cut you a deal.  You will just need to do your homework.  If your event is at a bar or a restaurant, work with the manager in providing a drink or appetizer special.  When times are tough, no one wants to be surprised with a $15 glass of house wine.

10.  Look the part.  Dame Edna Everage once said, "If it looks good in Guatemala, it should stay in Guatemala."  No matter what the event is about, you need to look good.  You don't have to buy a Tom Ford suit, but drop the attitude that "appearances mean nothing."  That's the ideal, not the reality.  If you look sloppy, chances are your evening may seem sloppy.

11.  Follow up.  After your event, do more than just a blanket email "thanking" everyone for coming.  If you collected any business cards, send a tailored card to each person, thanking him or her for coming, and asking for suggestions for the next event.  Better yet, send a snail mail thank you note if possible.  True, such correspondence is time-consuming; but if you want to repeat the event, you'll need to invest that time and energy.

  This is just the beginning.  If you have suggestions as to what has worked, or what has turned you off, at an event you recently attended, we would like to hear from you.