14. Get With the Program

Program or no program? As it turns out, this decision can have a great deal to do with both profits and the amount of time and effort you must put into your Tip-Off.

There are several advantages to having an event program:

They increase the value of the sponsorship proposal.
They allow you to promote your event and other activities you will sponsor.

They present a lower-cost option that will generate support from businesses that choose not to purchase a full sponsorship.

They can help facilitate other activities such as "lucky program" promotions, and they generate revenue.

As you can see, there is a lot of upside to having a program. However, there are some negatives as well. They are labor-intensive if you design all of the ads. They add several more "deadlines" that you will have to monitor. They do not necessarily add to the quality of the actual event, so you might better spend the time on other activities. If you decide not to do a program—you can skip the rest of this chapter. However, if a program is something you want to use, read on.

I feel the program is worthwhile for three reasons. First, it provides a source of revenue. The revenue from the program can be the difference between covering costs before the event or having to depend upon ticket sales.

Second, the program provides an additional inventory item to offer sponsors. Use the program to increase the value of sponsorships or sell individual ads--or both.

Finally, a program, if done correctly, adds a bit of professionalism to your event.

Once you have decided to include a program for your event, the decision-making has just started. You will have to make several other decisions, including the following:

What format should be used?
Full page (8 ½ X 11)? Half-page? Folded? Stapled?
How many pages?
Do we limit the pages or have as many as we can support with ads?
What about the editorial content?
What types of "stories" should be included?
What is the mix of editorial to advertising?50%-50%? 60%-40%?
Do we sell them at the event or give them away?

And the list goes on. In the following few pages, you will learn about putting together a program. The best way to make these decisions is to sit down with your classmates and discuss the pros and cons.

Program Size & Design

Experience shows that it is most effective to have 8 ½ "X 11" pages in size. You may decide to use paper that is 11" x 17" and fold it in half. You will have to print pages in multiples of four since both sides of an 11" X 17" paper folded in half will give you four pages. If you end up with six or ten pages, you can print on an 8 ½" X 11" and insert it in the programs.

I suggest you use Canva.com to create your program. Just collect digital logos from your advertisers and load them into Canva.

If you choose to go to a printer, it will be far less expensive for you to provide a camera-ready file.

Since this is going to be a one-time event, the program is a disposable item. I would not recommend spending a great deal of money on it. It should look professional, but there are corners you can cut. You don't need to print in color, although printing on color paper may be worth the added expense. Or, you may decide to use color ink (other than black) on colored paper. Although this will be more expensive than black on white, you may feel it is worth it.

If you decide to use black print, you may print it on your school photocopying machines. Or, maybe your graphic arts department can help.