Win your independence over event planning chaos
As we approach July 4th celebrations, I thought I’d reflect on the Revolutionary War, to see just how our independence was won, and by whom exactly.
If you remember anything from high school history class, and let’s be honest, not many of us do, you probably recall that back in the 1700s, there was growing tension between the early American colonists and the British colonial government. Basically, the government kept raising taxes and the people just weren’t having it.
The colonists no longer wanted to be told how to live their lives by what they believed to be a corrupt government; they wanted to set out on their own to shape their own destiny (and drink massive amounts of wine coolers. Or was that just my teenage years?)
Anyhoo, let’s get to the condensed version: there was the Boston Tea Party – an attempt to protest said taxes, violence broke out, all-out war eventually started, France got involved, taking the side of the colonists, and in 1781, the Americans had finally won their independence and we became a sovereign nation.
So what does any of this have to do with event planning? Plenty!
Many non-profit event planners are like the colonists – they are attempting to create something really great but are constantly hampered by a totalitarian regime in the form of disorganization, chaos and inefficiencies.
If this sounds about right, then it’s time to claim your independence over this madness and start your own revolution by implementing event management software. (See what I did there?)
Let’s continue with our history lesson…
We’ve covered the why of the American Revolution, but now let’s talk about the who. Because you see, while you may have heard of Paul Revere and George Washington, you may not be familiar with some of the major players in the American Revolution, just like you may not be aware of some of the main features and benefits of event management software:
Henry Knox – The Father of Automation
Henry Knox was a chubby kid who used to like to fight in the streets of Boston. What he lacked in physique he made up for in moxie and it wasn’t long before George Washington himself took notice.
Soon, Knox was responsible for transporting cannons from the recently captured Fort Ticonderoga. He and his men were put in charge of moving heavy artillery over 300 miles (in winter terrain mind you) using nothing but ox-drawn sleds.
Soon after, Knox was put in charge of handling all of the logistics for Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River. With Knox handling all of the logistics of the famous Delaware crossing, Washington was free to plan the surprise attack against the Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey on the morning of December 26.
You may not be planning an attack, per se, but don’t you like the idea of software taking care of all of the logistical details so you can do more important stuff?
Event management software can automate your email outreach efforts, payment processing and registration tracking. This will allow your event staff to focus on more important things.
Nathanael Greene – a Not-So-Obvious Benefit to the War Efforts
No one that knew Nathanael growing up would have ever suspected he’d be a key player in the war. For starters, he was born a Quaker, raised a pacifist, and had really bad asthma. Oh, and there was also the very pronounced limp. Not exactly the bullet points you’d find on a soldier’s resume.
But Greene wanted very much to become a great soldier and read every military book on tactics and leadership that he could get his hands on. Though he had never been in a battle in his life, Washington saw raw talent and passion and appointed Greene the youngest brigadier general in the Continental Army in 1775. He was soon promoted to major general under Washington the following year and was responsible for major successes in various battles.
Greene started out being a not-so-obvious soldier. At first glance, no one realized the potential he offered. But he ended up bringing a whole lot to the table.
The same can be said of event management software. At first you might think, “What the heck is it and why do I even need it?”
Take the ability to snapshot events as they happen. You might not instantly recognize the value in that. But what if I told you snapshotting will allow you to easily see which of your targeted prospects has already registered, who needs some more sweet talking via email, and who is most likely to attend the event based on past history? Or what if I told you snapshotting will easily let you track the money trail? Would you see the value then?
John Stark – A Real Professional
John Stark was a 46-year-old (so really old for back then) farmer and sawmill operator when he heard about the shots being fired at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. He had already seen battle in the French and Indian War and knew he had to act and fast.
He rounded up 400 men and marched to Boston, were he led his regiment into the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. Because of his actions, the British soldiers were prevented from getting around the American line. Stark pretty much saved the day at Bunker Hill. Later it was Stark who uttered the famous words “Live free or die,” which became the state of New Hampshire’s motto.
Stark was a professional soldier who could get the job done. Event management software supports a more professional process. If you want to get the job done in a professional manner, you’ve got to leverage a software solution that can handle every task you throw at it.
Dicey Langston – Engaging the Enemy
Laodicea Langston, also known as Dicey, was a high-spirited girl raised on a Southern plantation. When the Revolutionary War began, Dicey’s brothers left the plantation to fight with the Continental Army. But through the war, the brothers kept in communication with their sister, who at this point had become an outspoken patriot.
One day Dicey noticed that British soldiers had actually set up camp close to her father’s farm. She began watching their every move and on occasion, pretending to be an innocent young girl with no political agenda, interacted with them. She took all of the information that she gathered and passed it on to the rebels through her brothers. The British could not understand how the rebel army knew so much about their every move.
By engaging the British soldiers (in a very clever way), Dicey was able to glean some important information that helped the rebel’s war efforts.
Without question, event management software can help you improve engagement with your members. Connect with both online and offline audiences and aggregate social media conversations to get a deeper understanding of your attendees. This will help ensure your messaging is always relevant.
Without the American Revolution, we wouldn’t have the freedoms we enjoy today. And without event management software, planning your event is harder than schlepping cannons over snowy hills with nothing but rickety carts and foul-smelling oxen.
Has your association or non-profit been considering adopting event management software? Find out how MemberSuite can help you win independence over the chaos of event planning.