What NOT to do when planning a LIVE event! Part 1 of 2

I'm currently in the midst (actually down to the wire) of planning the first really big LIVE event I've ever planned. I've hosted or spoken at small workshops, talks, biz expos, breakout sessions and seminars and have always wanted to hold a really big event.

When I first started my business in 2002, I was even more of a local networking fanatic back then and my thinking was that I'd gather up about 4-8 chambers of commerce and get them all to coordinate or go in together for one gigantic networking event here in the Sacramento area. But I soon found out that the chambers weren't really open to playing nice with each other, too many chiefs for sure.

So I had attended numerous bigger live events, conferences and workshops around the country and I'd seen what they did, watched their processes and their marketing and took notice of what was going on in the room during the event for sure. I even got the inside scoop from one of my coaches events, Alexandria Brown and her Online Success Blueprint Workshop (which is coming up in November 2008 by the way - fabulous event, I'm going again!). I learned what her event planner Joy was doing along the way since I was in her high-end coaching program.


Yet when my friend Richard Ruckman (CEO of TGIF Networking) and I sat down in March this year, I think it was, I somehow let a lot of that knowledge and understanding get thrown out of the window!!

We actually brainstormed this EntrePalooza event together which is turning out really great but I must admit a few mistakes along the way as well as "I'll never do that again" things that I want to warn you about in case you might be thinking about holding your own LIVE event in the near future.


The 20 Things NOT to Do When Planning Your Own LIVE Event:

1. Do not think you can do it all yourself
2. Do not think you can do it all yourself
3. Do not think you can do it all yourself (this is important enough to list at least 3 times!)
4. For an event of over 30 people (especially 75 plus), you're crazy if you don't hire an event coordinator to help with the budget, venue, audio visual needs, catering, etc. or you will forget to anticipate certain expenses
5. You're also crazy if you don't hire a marketing company to coordinate all the mailings, emails, mailing lists, gathering of information, project managing all the design, printing and delivery, the sign development, vendor booth setup, sponsor correspondence, attendee correspondence, daily emails, registrations and sooooo much more it's insane.
6. Do not forget to ask for inkind donations for items and services you need to support your event in exchange for sponsorship or exposure
7. Do not skimp on the food or beverages - you need to keep your people fed and happy so they are alert and will listen and want to buy from you
8. Do not do manual registrations or you'll go nuts - we have online registrations (and there are other registration specific services you can get too) and we're still nuts
9. Do not forget to plan ahead on your marketing, mailings and emails so you don't pay extra for rush jobs and full postageDo not forget to sell sponsorships way in advance to supplement your revenues
10. Do not forget to sell sponsorships way in advance to supplement your revenues

No, Richard and I didn't make all these mistakes but we came close to many and did a few. Since this topic was so top of mind with me at the moment I thought I'd share these points I've learned with you. I hope you find it helpful. Next time, I will share with you 10 more tips on what NOT to do when planning a LIVE event.

--Kat Out

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© Copyright 2008 K. Sawa MarketingWANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Katrina Sawa is known as The JumpStart Your Biz Coach because she literally kicks her clients and their businesses into high gear. She works with highly motivated women entrepreneurs that want to maximize and fast-track their business to make more money and enjoy more free time. Katrina uses online and offline Relationship Marketing Systems & Strategies to leverage your resources, contacts and your expertise; plus she kicks you in the butt to implement it all too! Get her Free Tips, Free Audio & Free Report online at www.JumpStartYourMarketing.com!

Katrina's Silver Mentor Program

Want Kat to show you the EASY ways to build your business FASTER and without wasting a bunch of money or time in the WRONG places?

• Need a few fresh ideas now and again to keep your marketing STANDING OUT!?


• Need someone to hold you accountable so that the stuff that you know needs to get done, gets done?

You can get this you know when you join Katrina's Silver Mentor Program.

Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned business professional; Kat will share tips with you in her teleclasses and call in days (not to mention her backend Mentor Members Only Resources Page) that can truly save you money, time and you never know - she could help you develop that MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS IDEA!

Find out all the details of this affordable, helpful, monthly Mentor Program - go to MentorSignUp.com !

No where else can you get this kind of brainstorming, list of resources, one-on-one consulting for so little investment each month!

-Kat Out !

EntrePalooza - June 27, 2008 - Sacramento, CA

EntrePalooza Business Workshop, Must-Attend Networking Event for Entrepreneurs

Check out the video and news release for EntrePalooza
on NewsBlaze.com --> click here


EntrePalooza is a one-day business workshop and entertainment event to feature speakers this area has never experienced with topics scheduled to refine the way the entrepreneur and small business owner promote and run their business in today’s economy, society and online world.

• What: “EntrePalooza” is a hands-on Business Workshop and Power Networking Reception
• When: Friday, June 27, 2008
• Where: The Sheraton Grand Hotel, 1230 J St., Sacramento, CA 95814
• Registration Deadline: Monday, June 23, 2008
• Ticket Prices: $69/person or $55/person if you register two at one time ($110 total)
  Information and Ticket Sales: Online at www.EntrePalooza.info or call (916) 727-4142

Who Should Attend?

Any entrepreneur, small business owner or business professional responsible for marketing and selling themselves should attend EntrePalooza because they will learn immediately implementable strategies to take back to their businesses and use to get more customers.

EntrePalooza is designed and dedicated to:

• Give attendees a ton of effective, simple and affordable business, networking and marketing strategies.
• Provide attendees with a friendly and welcoming environment to meet hundreds of other small business owners and professionals just like them.
• Show attendees ways to have more fun in their business while even making more money too.
• Introduce attendees to speakers that have never spoken in this area before.

Attendees will also be given an entire directory of all the contact information of every attendee, sponsor, vendor and speaker for simple, easy follow up so that they can maximize their time at the event. At the event they can spend their time building better quality, one-on-one relationships with those they really connect with instead of spending their time trying to go around the room collecting everyone’s business cards.

In addition, anyone can go onto the event website at www.EntrePalooza.com and have instant access to an absolutely free gift: The Entrepreneur’s Success Kit which will get them started with some tips and resources they can use in their business right away.
EntrePalooza speakers are scheduled to deliver high-quality, informative and content-rich presentations.

--Kat Out !

Want to Know How Adding a Membership Program of Some Sort in Your Business Could Increase (and Stabilize) Your Cash Flow?

This form of marketing (or model if you will) can be extremely lucrative you know? Have you given this any thought for your own business and marketing funnel?

Almost any type of business could potentially add some kind of membership model to their business - both retail or store front, online businesses or almost any service professional and probably many product based companies too.

Some examples of membership programs that many of you might already be a member of and not even realize it (or see it as an opportunity for you) are:

• Netflix - movie rentals in the mail


• Wine club


• Online service such as ConstantContact.com, SubmitYOURArticle.com or Webstat.com - I use these services (among many)


• Door to door dry cleaning service


• Product refill orders such as for Juice Plus or beauty products


• Your website hosting services


• Memberships in networking or professional organizations


• Some advertising you might do like yellow pages for example

Each of these companies or services are charging your credit card (most likely) each month based on your signup and agreement to receive their offer/products/services on a monthly basis for an agreed upon fee. They will continue to charge your card unless you cancel which you have to either do in writing or online most often but continuation or cancellation is up to you.

They don't have to keep selling you each month; it's recurring income for them - hence constant cash flow!

You can do this too most likely with a little creativity - you just need to brainstorm on:

• WHAT this would look like in YOUR business.


• Who it would be attractive to (who'd want to buy it/sign up for it).


• What you would offer (that wouldn't take up a lot of your time and be cost effective)


• How to best set it up so you can automate this as much as possible.


• How much to charge.


• How to structure and market it to your list

Other examples of this include memberships such as:

• My Silver Marketing Mentor Program - get all the details at

http://www.mentorsignup.com/ - but basically it includes one teleclass each month that you can listen in on, get the CD by mail, access to personal 1on1 time with me once a month over the phone for laser coaching, my backend online Mentor Resources page which houses all my past teleclass recordings, articles, samples, templates and tons of resources just for my Mentor Members - ALL FOR ONLY $47/MO (best deal with my personal coaching of all these 3)!

One of my coaches, Alexandria Brown, Silver Motivation Mastermind Group - get all the details at AlexandriaBrown.com - her program includes access to her monthly teleclass and the CD by mail, her printed newsletter and access to her online forum - ALL FOR ONLY $47/MO TOO!

My other coach David Neagle's Silver Level Coaching Program - get all the details at DavidNeagle.com - his program includes 1 teaching call each month and the CD's mailed plus 10% off his programs (after 3 months) - ALL FOR ONLY $97/MO.

Yes, these examples are all for coaching and consulting services primarily (see how easy it could be though?), however there are many business owners I've consulted with that had 'regular type businesses' who we were able to come up with a cool membership idea for as well to give them extra cash flow such as:

• Day spas and Medspas


• Home furnishings and decor stores


• Gift basket companies


• Network Marketing companies


• Fitness Trainers and Gyms


• Bookkeepers


• Photographers


• Virtual Assistants


• Chiropractors


• Personal Makeup Artists

It's really just all about leverage - leveraging your time, expertise and packaging it in such a way that it benefits your customers AND it helps to provide YOU the type of lifestyle you want to lead.

Put your thinking cap on or
contact me and let's brainstorm on some cash flow generating ideas for YOUR business ASAP!!

--Kat Out.

Cancer check – what to do before age 40?

So remember I was going to go into Kaiser (the medical carrier I have here) and raise bloody hell if they didn't give me a mamogram (at age 38, they wanted me to wait until I was 40)? Well they agreed when I went in thank goodness I didn't have to use my 'big girl' voice! ;0)

I haven't heard back so hopefully that's a 'good sign' so far. With all the friends around me being diagnosed, I didn't want to risk waiting and it didn't hurt as bad as I thought it would either thank goodness - I'm not good with pain!

If you have any cancer resources you should comment on this posting so others will see them!

-- Kat Out

Attracting Ideal Clients

I will be interviewed by Rick Cooper, The Sales Results Expert, who hosts the show. Click here to learn more and set a reminder. There is NO COST to listen in!


Tune in on June 18th for Attracting Ideal Clients, aired on BlogTalkRadio.

Attracting Ideal ClientsRadio Show on BlogTalkRadio

June 18th (Episode 9) - 3pm Pacific / 5pm Central / 6pm Eastern

Topic: Kick your Business into High Gear

Tune in every Wednesday at 3pm Pacific Time:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepdapro Listen online (live or archived) or call (646) 478-4558 and ask a question during the show.

Set a Reminder for the Show Now:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepdapro/2008/06/18/Kick-your-Business-into-High-Gear

--Kat Out

Katrina is the Featured Speaker at the eWomenNetwork "Accelerated Networking" Luncheon at the Sonoma County Chapter

Wednesday, June 17 - Katrina is the Featured Speaker at the eWomenNetwork "Accelerated Networking" Luncheon at the Sonoma County Chapter, 11:30 AM

Location: Flamingo Hotel & Conference Center1208 4th Street, Santa Rosa,CA Click here to register online now! You can be an eWomen member or guest to attend

Topic: "How to be the Go-To-Gal of Your Industry or Organization"