Launching Activities

Tips for planning a successful launch event

• Staff and volunteers

Staff and volunteers are key to the event running smoothly. Once you have designed your event, you will know how many people are needed to help you make it a success. Meet with staff and volunteers before the event to review its sequence and their roles. Meet again the day before or a few hours before the event to finalize details and answer questions or concerns.

Make sure two staff or volunteers are assigned as the key contacts for the media. One person registers the media and gives out another copy of the media kit at the event. The other person makes sure the media have a chance to interview adult learners and VIPs. This contact will help make adult learners feel more comfortable talking to the media.

Appoint a team to clean up after the event. You will build positive relations with the venue if it is left as clean or cleaner than when you arrived.

• Community partners

A launch is a great way to get community partners involved and to help them get publicity for being involved with the campaign. Consider carefully what you want each community partner to do and inform them in writing. The partners need to know who is the key contact at the event.

• Adult learners

The adult learners are the “face” of this campaign. Be sure to meet with them a few days ahead of the event to go over their speaking notes and give them a chance to ask questions and go over any concerns they might have. Schedule a volunteer or staff member to accompany them, if necessary.

• Host venue

There should always be one key contact at the host venue. Make sure the contact will be at the event and inform him or her of your plans at every step. The host may be able to provide most of the equipment you will need such as microphones, tables, chairs, display areas and hospitality, if appropriate. A final meeting with the host venue is critical in the few days leading up to the event.

• VIPs

Most communities have already invited local VIPs to participate in the event. Make sure VIPs have the campaign fact sheet, FAQs about literacy, and the key messages at least one week before the event to familiarize them with literacy in general and the campaign specifically.

Call each VIP to confirm his/her attendance two days before the event. Remind the VIPs who their contact is and where and what time they will be meeting him/her.

• Thank you’s

Thank you’s are always remembered, and are especially worth making if you plan on having other events in the future. Everyone deserves a thank you for being part of the event. See the chart for suggestions on who to include on your list.