Website -- Eventsburgh

Attention all Pittsburgh event planners!  Looking for new website to post your events for free?  Eventsburgh  is the new on-line place to be. 

Want to post an event on Eventsburgh?  First you have to become a member.  That's free and all you have to do is complete the form.  Yeah!  I like easy.  You can add a picture of yourself if you would like, otherwise you get an avatar.

Once you have registered you can click on the big button that says "Post an Event"  and complete the form and post.  The 100,000 character description  block will cover even the most detailed event.  Don't forget to use the preview button to make sure you have all your information.

You can also push it out to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn with a mouse click.  For those of us used to doing separate postings, it's a time saver.

It has a few bells and whistles that you can choose to add for a small fee. For example, an additional link to your on-line registration site, or additional social media listings but they are inexpensive and I think worth the cost.

All events are posted to the calendar and emailed to those who register.  You only receive emails for events in categories that interested you when you signed up. 

Also take a few minutes to wonder around the site to find listings or read forum postings.  The site has lots of potential.

Eventsburgh was started by University of Pittsburgh alum, Tony Hsieh (pronounced "Shea") as a way to show his friends that there are lots of things to do in the 'Burgh.  Yeah Tony!

Remember an on-line event site is only as good as those who post their listings.  Add Eventsburgh to your list of on-line calendar listings.  

That's the Planners Pointer for today!

Invitation Tips for better mailing and response

Welcome to Planners Pointers!  You are planning a wonderful special event.  You have a great speaker or are honoring community volunteers or this could be a special fund raiser.  Now it's

time to send the invitations.  When you are sending invitations for an event you have been doing for several years it's easy to recycle the same invitation.  Just slip in the new dates, new honorees and it's good to go.  But before you hit send to your printer's ftp site here are five idea you consider.

1. Review last year's invitation.  Does it still reflect the goal of the event?  Has your logo changed?  Location?  Board members? Website?  Mission statement?  Have at least 3 pairs of eyes.  Add something new like a QR code.  Design it so it will fit into a standard size envelope.

2. Mailing list  When was the last time it was updated?  Have you made the corrections that resulted the last mailing you sent?  Are the invitations going to those you support your events or you interact with on a regular basis?  Or are you doing a really broad mailing?  Do you even know who has supported you in the past?  The cost of printing and mailing has increased greatly over the last couple of years and it would be prudent if you could see who has not been attending and perhaps remove them from printed mailings.  Not talking about removing them from emails that you send, just printed materials.

3. Response cards  Do you know how your attendees RSVP?  Do they call?  Do they email?  Do they do it through on line registration?  If the response cards are being thrown out in the trash, it might be the time to save a few trees and do away with them.  Make sure though that phone numbers, emails and websites are clear on the invitation.  Or what about adding a QR code to the piece?  Invitees can scan the code with their smart phone and register.

4. Mailing date  Yes eight weeks is the traditional time so don't change that.  What you can do to make sure you hear from people is to make sure you also add emails to the mix.  These days you are competing with several organizations and 200 cable channels.  People are responding later and later.  More not less interaction is necessary to get the responses necessary to reach your attendance goals.

5. Save the date mailings.  They still have a very important place in your overall marketing plan.  Mailing are a good way to keep in touch with everyone on you lists of contacts. 

In this world of 200 email messages a day, mailed invitations still are an important part in getting the word out about events.  The trick is keeping your list manageable to keep the costs manageable.

That's the Planners Pointer for today