 Later this month, Anita will be attending an event featuring Rachel Hollis, author of the best-selling book “Girl, Wash Your Face.”
Hollis has been a hot ticket for our local chamber’s Women Connect anniversary. So big, that the event quickly sold out. Anita, and many others, were placed on a waiting list. To accommodate growing demand for tickets, the Chamber of Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo quickly decided to move the event to a larger venue. More people could hear the author AND celebrate Women Connect. Woo-hoo! A sold-out event is every event planner’s dream, right? If all the tickets are gone, you’ve planned an event that people want to attend. If all the tickets are gone, you’ve likely covered your costs. But sell-outs come with their own set of challenges.
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 Every day of the year, we are grateful for our partners and the work we do with them. This time of year, however, gives us even more excuses to reflect on what brings meaning to our work.
Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to help amazing organizations host events and complete special projects. We are grateful for the relationships we’ve built and honored to use our skills to bring value to those who connect with us. This Thanksgiving we’d like to share a few projects that we are particularly grateful for being involved with. (And we certainly had many wonderful ones to choose from.) Thank you, all, for being a part of Reach Partners! Training for Better Communication Mental Health America of North Dakota wanted to change how sensitive stories about suicide are shared. We helped plan and oversee a conference for news media and organizational spokespeople so they could learn the best way to present information on suicide. More about the North Dakota Suicide Communications Summit. Guiding Strategy for Event Planning Organizations often reach out to us when they want to plan an event to market their brand. Here’s how we worked with two organizations – and how they came to different conclusions after we guided them through the planning process. Spoiler alert: Sometimes NOT hosting an event is the best way forward. More about strategic event planning. Partnering with The Fargo Project When the City of Fargo partnered with a renowned artist to turn a stormwater basin into an ecological commons, the public entity needed someone to coordinate communication among its stakeholders and help with events and volunteer coordination. We stepped into this role. More about our role with The Fargo Project. Scouting Locations for a Commercial We are always eager to tap our connections and networks. That’s what we did when a local marketing agency needed to identify locations for a team of out-of-town videographers to film backdrops for a commercial – fast! More about how we found the locations. And so many more wonderful projects and partnerships.  It takes courage to speak to a large crowd.
Every speaker I’ve ever met spends hours perfecting their message. They search for perfect anecdotes and create meaningful slides that support their points. They’re ready to inspire and inform. As someone who works with speakers, however, all that prep work doesn’t necessarily lead to a polished presentation. Whether you’re a speaker or someone who works regularly with them, there are a few extra steps that need to be taken to make the speaker sing instead of stutter. Know Your Audience Speakers know their topics, but they don’t always know their audience. Some audiences come to a presentation with a depth of knowledge and high level of interest. Others? Not so much. The best presenters ask detailed questions about who will be in the audience. They tweak their message to meet audience needs. If you’re working with a speaker, make sure they get this information even if they don’t ask for it. Use a Mic Always. It may be tempting to go without a microphone if the audience is small and you’re confident in your ability to project your voice. Don’t. Even a small audience can find it difficult to hear over the clatter of plates being removed from the lunch table. Or a hotel air handling system. Use a microphone. You’ll never regret it. On a related note, be sure to dress for a microphone. Items like loose jackets, chunky necklaces, or scarves can rub against a mic and drown out your words – or at least serve as another distraction for your audience. Check Your Tech Allow ample time to check any technology that you will be using. If using a PowerPoint presentation, load it early so you can check for missing fonts and photos that might not transfer. (Did you know you can a save your fonts WITH your presentation? Search “Save Fonts with PowerPoint” in the “Save As” menu.) Even checking technology is no guarantee it will work, so be prepared to punt. I once gave a presentation to about 300 emergency room doctors and nurses. I arrived ahead of time, checked the stage, loaded my slide deck, and viewed it on the screen. With 20 minutes left before I spoke, I simply put the plastic lens cover on the projector. When I took the cover off after being introduced, it became apparent that one of bulbs in the projector had burned out. Only half of the image displayed. I continued my presentation sans images. Be Aware of Your Surroundings If you’re a speaker, identify someone who can help you on the day of the presentation. This person may not be who made the arrangements to get you there in the first place. But this person can get you water, fix your tie. This presentation buddy needs to be available and accessible. Take a moment to check out the space where you will be speaking. If there is a stage, how do you get on and off of it? Where will you put your notes and your water? If using slides, how will you see them? If all you have is the same screen your audience is looking at, think about how to handle it. You don’t want to spend a lot of time with your back to the audience. Rehearse Onsite Most speakers will practice their presentations. But there are other elements that need to be rehearsed. Pay close attention to the transitions. Is someone introducing you? If so, what will happen when you take the stage? Do you shake hands? Hug? High five? At the end of your presentation, what happens next? If a host or emcee is taking the stage, work out ahead of time what that interaction will look like (and where!). Take time for a short walk-through. This will guarantee the audience’s last impression won’t be one of uncertainty and awkwardness. An eight-hour conference can be run through in less than an hour if all you focus on is the transitions. I have never had a client regret this time. Do you have handouts? Think about how you will get them distributed. If they can’t be included in conference packets ahead of time, arrive early and place them on tables. Distribution while you are presenting is often distracting. A nice stack in the middle of the table keeps them out of the way as people arrive, but still handy. Invest in a Clock Time. Give it some thought. If you have 45 minutes, does that include time for questions? Ten minutes of questions can go by very quickly. Keeping track of time while on stage can be more challenging than it seems. Larger conferences may provide a speaker timer near the front of the stage. If that isn’t an option, bring a battery-operated wall clock. It can be set somewhere just off stage where it is visible to you. Your cell phone seems like a great option . . . until you forget to go back to the podium to look at it! Paying attention to these small details makes a difference. Good luck on your next presentation!
It's always fun to be part of something big, which is why we were so grateful to put our project management skills to work on some grand opening events for the new Sanford Medical Center Fargo earlier this month. (Congrats to Sanford Health on this amazing milestone!)
We assisted the Sanford marketing team with some of the activities that took place during the three-day celebration. Of course, considerable planning and coordination happened beforehand, but here's a glimpse of what the actual week looked like from our perspective.
 As the days grow warmer, our minds turn to one of those harbingers of summer: family reunions. As much fun as old-auntie kisses are, planning a family get-together is no walk in the park, even if the event is held in one.
Whether you’re in charge of a picnic for a few cousins or a week-long vacation with the entire clan, we have some tips to make the planning less daunting and the connections more fun. Write It Down Save yourself a headache, stress and maybe even some money: jot down what you know. It’s okay if all details aren’t planned. After all, we don’t need to know right away whether there will be a sack race for the kiddos at 2:30 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Start with the basics. Break each day into meals and broad time slots: breakfast, morning (travel), lunch (on own), afternoon (family activities), dinner (potluck), evening (family photos). As you get closer to the event, you’ll likely have a couple of different written plans: one that you can share with the family when you send out the invitations; one that is more of a planning/resourcing document; a third that serves as a communications outline. Here’s an example of information you may want to track:
Create a Budget A budget determines what type of space you can rent for the event. (Even park shelters often have fees.) Food is always a cost. Create a “per person” budget so that Cousin Sam’s family of seven doesn’t pay the same as Grandma. Determine early on, too, how you will gather the money and who is responsible for tracking down those who haven’t paid yet. Gather the Addresses Ask for both email and snail mail addresses. While most people communicate via email, remember great-aunt Maggie may not. Use something like Google sheets so you can easily share updates with the group (and EVERYONE can update their Christmas lists). Ask family members to update their own contact information and to pass along to anybody who might not be on your contact list. List families by household and double-check that cousin Sally isn’t listed twice – at her childhood home and her new SoHo flat. Venue and Accommodations Your venues and accommodations largely will be determined by your budget, but you should also think about your audience. Special accommodations may be needed if there are babies, toddlers, or family members who are visually impaired or use a wheelchair. Check out the site prior to the event. Will it accommodate the whole group if it rains? Is there a severe weather shelter nearby? Does the site have everything you need: electricity, tables, chairs, projector or screen, full kitchen, stocked bathrooms? Nothing’s worse than expecting 125 people and realizing you were supposed to bring your own TP. If you opt for a hotel, ask for a discount rate for room nights. Even if your plan is as simple as setting up tents on Uncle Bruce’s lawn, ask questions. Is there a septic system that people should avoid driving over? Invitations In your first announcement, be sure to provide the basics: dates, location (include the address!), accommodations, and any upfront fees or shared costs. As the event gets closer, update attendees with details about activities and what everyone needs to bring. Swimsuits? A dish for sharing? Additional cash for the latest edition of the family genealogy book or a regional tour? Your last communication prior to the event should contain the schedule of events. It will include a simple layout of the hours and day/s and where activities will be held. This schedule is a kindness for all involved. Keep messages simple and avoid long-winded updates about Aunt Lena’s gout flair-up or the not-so-recent discovery of great-grandpa’s third wife Anna’s missing china in Aunt Mildred’s collection. Tips: Suggest a family hashtag so you can aggregate images on social media during and after the event. Also keep each email heading similar so people can find it easily, e.g. Jaaten Larson Reunion: Accommodations and Jaaten Larson Family Reunion: Graveyard Tour. Activities Activities are a great way to encourage interaction among family members who don’t know each other well. Assign teams (mix by ages and families) to play yard Olympics: bag toss, ladder golf, bocce ball, Klub, washer toss. Create clues for a medallion hunt. If it’s a large group, use nametags. You all may be related, but that doesn’t necessarily mean everybody knows each other. (And think about it: the young ones in your group think anyone over 25 looks the same.) Color coordinate nametags for each branch of the family tree. Bonus points if you can get everyone to wear a nametag every single day. Roles and Jobs You don’t have to do this alone even if you are a prized control freak. Outline jobs for others to take on. Give family members a chance to choose how they want to help. If you are specifically asking people, don’t ask one person to do all the like activities, such as kitchen clean-up, recycling, photography. Ask Sandy to take photos in the morning and Mark in the afternoon. Split up families to prep meals so they can get to know each other. Enjoy the Moments Once the event is underway, stick to the schedule shared prior to the reunion. Everyone will thank you. Be sure to take some leisure time for yourself. After all, it’s your family reunion, too.  Sometimes you just have to play the number game.
Whether you’re planning a corporate event, a training or an open house, there will be times that you need to estimate the size of your audience long before the RSVP’s or registration forms are due. You want to scream, but I don’t know how many people are coming!! Take a deep breath. At the end of the day, it’s all about comfort. Some of our clients estimate high because they’d rather have extras than worry about running out. Others tend to estimate low because budgets are tight and they have no storage space for leftovers. Estimating may not be fun, but we’ve come up with a few ways to relieve some of the pressure. By asking the right questions and considering both “too much” and “not enough” scenarios, you can sleep better knowing that your estimate might not be perfect, but you have a plan. 1. Can you easily add more? Hotels often ask for food counts three days ahead of time. If you’re expecting (or hoping for!) a lot of walk-in traffic, this can prove difficult. The good news is that many caterers will allow you to increase the amount of food up to the day of the event. They also may be able to provide meals for unexpected guests, if you are willing to be flexible about what they are served. Be sure to ask your conference location or caterer about their policy. 2. Can extra printed materials be delivered on demand ? If your training typically requires printed materials, ask if there is access to a short printer that can quickly deliver extras, if necessary. Or, determine whether materials and programs could be emailed to last-minute attendees. Most attendees have smart phones or tablets with them, making access to digital materials relatively easy. 3. Can extras be repurposed or used in the future? Nobody wants to be stuck with boxes of water bottles that will never be used or food that must be tossed away. Will the hotel donate leftovers to a local food pantry? Who gets the extra prewrapped snacks? Can you choose foods/snacks that will keep? Is there something else you can use the giveaway items for? Do you have space to store extra training binders until the next training is held? If you have space and future need for an item, ordering too much is not a problem. 4. Can evidence of a giveaway be removed? Once the free pens and notebooks are gone, remove the table that they were displayed on. Take down signage asking people to “please take one.” A few guests might notice that their friend received the freebie, but most won’t even be aware that they didn’t get a gigamawhick … unless you forget to take down the huge sign advertising it as a giveaway. If you run out of a popular item and can’t hide the evidence, you’ll get lots of questions and maybe even a few angry glares.  At Reach Partners, we value connections.
We strongly believe that everything is possible when you connect the right people with the right ideas and the right resources. We believe that good can happen when we work together. That said, sometimes making a connection or networking with someone you don’t know is hard. After all, it can be hard to introduce yourself to someone new. It can be hard to continue a conversation about a topic you know very little about. And, it can be hard – at least for some of us – to maneuver through the dreaded silence that follows the obligatory swapping of biographical information. Uh, more spinach dip, anyone? This week (Feb. 2) Reach Partners will be one of the exhibitors at Business After Hours, the region’s largest networking event regularly held by the Chamber of Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo. Hundreds of people mingle with their peers, while enjoying drinks and appetizers. It’s a fun and worthy event. It’s also a time when we can celebrate connections – those with people we know and those we have yet to meet. If you find yourself at Business After Hours, stop by our booth and say hi. We’ll have high-top tables where you can comfortably take a break from wandering. We’ll even provide some fun networking questions that you can use to get to know others a little better. Make a new connection; strengthen an existing one. Either way, we hope to see you there! 5 Fun Ice-Breaking Questions It helps to have a couple of out-of-the-box questions prepared for when you meet someone new. Try these:
 I am excited to introduce myself as the spring intern for Reach Partners. I am from the tiny town of Mahnomen, Minn., where everyone knows each other and where Minnesota goodbyes are a real thing. I am a senior at Concordia College, where I am finishing up my major in communication studies with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in Business.
I am involved in numerous activities at Concordia including Fall Orientation, Lambda Delta Sigma, Family Weekend, PR Club and other various community service projects. Being so involved in activities is what sparked my interest in event management, which is why I am looking forward to my internship with Reach Partners! I am excited to learn from Anita and Rachel and can't wait to put my skills to the test with hands-on experiences that will help me in my chosen field of study. I hope to work in event management after graduation. When I'm not at Reach Partners, chances are you can find me working in downtown Fargo at Kittsona, indulging in a cup of coffee at a local coffee shop, or binge-watching my favorite shows on Netflix! -Olivia, Event Strategy Intern Reach Partners is excited to work with three partners offering special events.  #HungerFreeND
The Creating a Hunger Free North Dakota Coalition will bring together passion people and organizations united in their vision for a hunger-free North Dakota to the Creating Hunger-Free Communities Summit in Bismarck on September 17-18, 2015. A “Stone Soup” event for the public in the evening of September 17 is also planned. #WHCBismarck Improve the messages from your inner voice, get up and move, and learn how character register for the Women's Health Conference and Preview September 27 & 28. An event featuring activity and conversation focused on women's wellness, nutrition and fitness. Worksite Wellness Summit Improve Employee Health • Decrease Health Care Costs • Increase Productivity and Morale Research shows you can expect those results from a worksite wellness program. Attend the North Dakota Worksite Wellness Summit on October 13 in Fargo to get the information, tools and motivation you need to build or strengthen a culture of wellness in your organization. Reach Partners is fortunate to work with a committee of strong women from across the state of ND to produce a day of health and wellness designed to inspire women to take better care of themselves. Read on to learn more about this year's line-up. And register today to attend the brand-new Sunday Preview event featuring Fargo's own Jodee Bock and motivational speaker, author and storyteller, Kelly Swanson from North Carolina. The sassy southerner's message is just what we northern women need to hear. Register TODAY - laugh, learn, share, and participate. It's YOUR health. Get $5 off when you use this link: http://bit.ly/1zKnI8x
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