Social, sports, service or recreation whatever category your clubs in, events are the best way to promote a buzz and get people together. A club that works hard to organize different and exciting activities is what attracts attendees away from their competitors.
Wondering what kind of events will attract people to your club?
For club organizers or club managers, planning something fun and fresh for every event is a time-consuming job. Thats why weve listed the following ten themes to help out when it comes to event planning. While theres nothing wrong with a get together at the bar here are some interactive club event prompts to keep your attendees on their toes.
Table of Content
What Events Should Your Club Host?
8 Steps to Planning a Great Event for Club Members
Virtual vs. In Person Club Events
Tips for Planning Successful Club Events
What Events Should Your Club Host?
Are you having trouble coming up with ideas for club events? Here are 4 simple strategies to get things moving.
Keep track of What Has Worked
Examine the results of any previous club events you have hosted! Look at:
- The numbers: What was the number of attendees? How many people joined as new members? How did the funds turn out?
- The answer: Is your event still being discussed? What were the results of your post-event feedback surveys?
Reviewing your prior successful events yields the finest data!
Using a Team to Brainstorm
The more viewpoints you have while coming up with ideas for club events, the better! Everybody has unique experiences, passions, and backgrounds. Give them a chance to express their thoughts, and you’ll probably learn everything
Watch What Other Clubs Are Doing
What are other organizations in your space doing with their club events? If you’re seeing pictures of an event that are taking over social media, your competition might be onto something.
Inspiration isn’t “borrowing an idea“but do be sure to brand and market your event so it’s that much more applicable to YOUR club.
Get Feedback from Your Club Members
It sounds stupid, but honestly: just ask people what they want. Keep in mind, the event is to make them happy! Sending a member satisfaction survey shows people that you care about what they think and in time of the follow-up, you build a relationship based on trust and harmony.
8 Steps to Planning a Great Event for Club Members
Turning your social event for clubs into reality doesn’t have to be difficult! Here’s how to get started in 8 simple steps.
1. Get your team together
The first step in any project is to round up the dream team! Have a balance of “ideas guys” and more logistical planners. Both of these will make your event enjoyable and stress-free.
2. Use the right tools
While you’re planning, determine what software you should buy to get started. For example, do you need to purchase a mobile event app? You’ll need to think about things like registration, payment processing, communications and more.
3. Create (and track) a budget
Don’t be so excited that you don’t bother to check the figures! Having a budget in place good and early offers some handy boundaries to work within. Plus, it significantly reduces the chances of leaving your event in debt.
Decide on all the steps that you are to be prepared for. Then create a sense of how long each one of them will take. After that, you can outline a timeline of tasks and assign it all to your staff.
Ensure that you mark in check-in meetings into your timeline. It’s equally important to track your progress as your spending!
5. Know your audience
Knowing your audience affects hundreds of your choices. Communicating with your members in relevant branding, voice, channels of communication and more is how you get high event turnout.
For example, if your club is mainly made up of seniors, you’re not going to reach very many people through Instagram!
6. Set a Clear Goal
So, what’s the point of this event? Want to get some publicity for your club? Raise money for your club? Get new members?
The secret to achieving your goal is first knowing it. Along the way, as you think up all sorts of ideas for club events, you can always ask yourself whether the plan will bring you closer to where you want to be.
7. Plan your Market Strategy
If you expect members to attend your event, you’re going to have to advertise it! If your club has fat pockets to spend or is struggling to get publicity on the cheap, there are plenty of ways to spread the word.
Develop a good marketing plan, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments if you find you are not getting the results you had hoped.
8. Show Impact
You have an idea of what you want your event to accomplish for your clubnow consider what it can accomplish for your community. Give members good reasons to come and celebrate what their attendance does for the future of your club.
Club Event Planning Checklist
Wish you had it all, organization of an event planner? Great news! We have an entire event planning checklist.
Our checklist includes:
- The 10 steps to plan an event
- What to include in a checklist, broken down by timeline
- How to follow-up on your event
- How to measure your event success
- The best event registration software
Virtual vs. In Person Club Events
Oh, the million-dollar question. Social club event ideas, do you do a virtual or in-person event? There are benefits to both!
Virtual events:
- Have a greater reach
- Are more accessible to some disabled visitors
- Are cheaper to host
- Require fewer staff
In-person events:
- Create local community
- More media opportunities
- Good for sports clubs
- More engagement
For some events, being hybrid is also an optionit just might require a little more creativity.
Club Event Ideas
Here are 10 engaging club event ideas your members will love:
1. Test audience imagination: introduce AR/VR
Its time to break out the technology and have a play! Virtual and augmented reality is something thatll capture peoples attention and get them to your event. Bring in some VR and AR headsets to your next meeting and let everyone test the limits of their imagination. Whether its something thrilling like a virtual skydiving simulator or a round of team building multiplayer games, your attendees are sure to have a good time.
For tech clubs, its a great event theme to connect with like-minded people and show off the latest tech to your local community. For ideas on hosting why not check out the Brisbane Virtual Reality Club as they construct their own VR experiences.
2. A night out doing art
Looking for a creative event that inspires your attendees and also works to provide a new colorful space to walk through? Then look no further because an art night has you covered. With the addition of food or wine, its a great way to entertain your guests and encourage people to inspire each other.
For a different take on a faithful old event, make use of fluoro and neon art materials for an exciting twist. Invite local artists and give your members the chance to try something new and offer expert advice for anyone looking to get their start painting. Make sure to advise the list of artists coming as it can tempt new members with interest in art to come.
Looking to go even bigger? Then try hosting a body painting event. Its unique and intimate nature will ensure a night to remember.
3. Costume party
For a night of mystery and fun ask your club members to try something new and cosplay at your next event. Try to set a theme based on what your club enjoys and encourage participants with prizes such as best dressed, or most creative costume.
While cosplay, shouldnt be required, its a great conversation starter when it comes to sharing popular culture. I mean what better way to talk about the upcoming Avengers Movies than dressing as the Marvel heroes themselves? Even consider inviting some local stars to help generate hype or hosting your event around local conventions. For instance, take a look at how ping-pong club SPIN uses their local Comic-Con to produce the perfect cosplay event!
4. Halloween cabin fever
There is no obligation that a Halloween party must be held during October. Get everyone into the spirit by redesigning your space with plenty of creepy antiques and jack-o-lanterns for a spooky feel. If youre catering why not have Halloween themed cocktails ready for your costumed guests.
Dont forget to hand out prizes for the best dressed! Ready the zombie swing band and make your event the afterlife of the party where you can dance till you are dead. Luna Parks Halloscream, one of Sydneys most significant Halloween events, is an excellent source of inspiration, and dont forget wholesale decorations can be brought all year round online. Get more Halloween event ideas from EventBookings click above link.
5. Musical night
Theres nothing like a night of music to bring people together. Invite members and friends to share their favourite songs or bring their instruments to jam out together. You can use free, pre-made music from online sources or make your own! You can also plan to bring in local bands and encourage members to bring friends and family along for the experience. Having a public forum where people can share music and plan what instruments to bring will ensure your event goes off without a hitch. Alternatively, a set list on your event page will pique the interest of the public and attract more attendees.
6. Grand movie night
A grand movie screening is a perfect event to settle into after a long week of work, providing your members with both relaxation and entertainment. Instead of going to the theater, why not set up a projector in a bar or event space so you members can enjoy the experience, talking and drinking as much as they want without distrusting others. Thats what makes the movie night such an outstanding event for interacting.
If youre looking to marathon why not try a Nicolas Cage Marathon, The Marvel universe movies, or even your favorite TV show. Arrange snacks but also encourage members to bring in something to share for an award-winning event.
7. Book club
Nothing beats the classic book club. These events are perfect for a lively discussion with others around good food. Set books that are both interesting and match the lifestyles of your club members. Also, encourage anyone who hasnt read the book to come along and discuss whatever else they might be reading. For special events contact the authors of individual books to learn more about its origins and encourage boarder attendance. Planning this event is sure to bring your favorite stories to life.
8. Laughter yoga
Like the saying goes: laughter is the best medicine. So if you and your members are looking to feel better physically and mentally why not give Laughter Yoga a try? When laughing, your bodys oxygen increases allowing for better circulation, decreased stress, decreased depression and anxiety.
An event like Laughter Yoga is an excellent way to lift your clubs spirits and help them connect to their selves. The series of playful, interactive and laugh-inducing exercises will need to be guided by an expert, so organize a day at the studio. Make sure you add a dress code to your event, asking everyone to dress comfortably!
9. Comedy night
Get your mind off things and enjoy a night of quality comedy. Whether the club is keen to try their hands at an open mic or have sat down to enjoy a performance, its sure to be an event to remember. When arranging your comedic guest be sure to look at both headlining comedians and local talents. Who knows, there might be a rising star amongst your club members. Check out how Sydneys Comedy Festival kicks off their proceedings in a grand style.
10. Campfire session
Invite your club members to gather around the campfire for a night of music and stories. It may be a simple event but, one that gets people to interact and get closer.
Fire bans in your area, or maybe theres no continent area to host? Not to worry! You can always stay in around the heater, tell ghost stories by torchlight and enjoy that traditional camping cuisine all from the comfort of home!
Tips for Planning Successful Club Events
Plan Ahead: Allow yourself ample time to plan and publicize each event. This helps ensure all details are attended to and members can save the date.
Promote Effectively: Utilize multiple sources to publicize your events, such as email newsletters, community bulletin boards, and social media for your event. Make engaging graphics and interesting descriptions to draw people in.
Engage Members: Involve the members in the planning by seeking their opinions and ideas. This makes them feel important and also guarantees that the events reflect their interests.
Provide Clear Information: Offer all the event details, including date, time, location, dress code, and any cost involved. This prepares the members in advance and reduces last-minute confusion.
Provide a Friendly Atmosphere: Make your events friendly and inviting to all members. Be considerate of new members’ needs and try to introduce them to others.
Assess and Improve: Gather feedback from members after each event to understand what worked and where improvement was needed. Take the feedback on board to enhance your future events and continue to develop. In this context, event planners can make use of ticketing sites like EventBookings that allow the management of event attendees effectively.
Whatever club you represent, we hope you have found the following event ideas inspiring. You can even try combining these ideas to come up with something new! When in doubt always think about what you and your members would enjoy, thats a sure way to ensure everyone is having a good time.
However, creating and managing club events can be very overwhelming at times. And here, EventBookings is a great option to consider. The easy-to-use event ticketing system can assist you in creating, managing or selling your club event tickets. You can get room to impress your potential attendees by creating an engaging event page and ensuring a secured event experience. It is that one platform that will fit the needs of any of your club event ideas, no matter its a musical night or costume party.