EVENT DETAILS      

• What type of event should I host?
  We encourage out-of-the-box thinking. Your event could be a panel, presentation, party, comedy show, fashion show, athletic event, workshop, etc. As long as the content / mission has to do with creating a more inclusive and welcoming city, the floor is yours to think creatively! 

• Who should my target audience be?
  Anyone who wants to be involved in shaping our region to be more inclusive for everyone. This includes young professionals of color who are new to the city or who have been in Boston and are looking to deepen their knowledge & connections, white young professionals who want to take action and help rewrite the narrative of our city, and CEOs / senior leaders of all backgrounds who want to work directly with the next generation of leaders to improve our region. Your event can be broad or can be focused on specific groups like women, recent graduates, recent parents, allyship, etc. As long as the content of your event is focused around the experiences, challenges, and/or opportunities for young professionals of color - that works! 

• When should I schedule my event?
  In the RFP we will ask you what dates and times work best for you. Please keep in mind that we see the most success for professional development events to happen during the weekdays, social events during the evenings and weekends, athletic events during the mornings and weekends.

• Should I charge for my event?
  We strongly encourage Event Hosts to have free or very low cost events to ensure accessibility for attendees. Historically, we have seen that free events have higher registration rates. However, we understand that some event hosts need to charge in order to help host the event. If that's the case, we encourage you to finalize all event details as soon as possible so that the promotion of your event can start sooner. This will help us help you receive more registrations. This festival is all about accessibility, and the higher the price = the less accessible.

• How do I secure a venue?
  You are responsible for securing your venue for your event. We will have a few organizations that will submit a Venue Proposal - meaning that they will offer their space for free or reduced cost. When you fill out the application, please inform us of the estimated size of your event and if you need assistance securing a venue. If there is a venue that seems appropriate, we will connect you with the Venue Host directly to discuss availability and cost. You may also find venues outside of our list. Let them know about the festival and its mission and ask if they will reduce costs.

• What should I look for in a speaker/panelist?
  We ask that you pick speakers who are diverse and dynamic and has the ability to engage and relate to the audience. We need the voices of advocates and allies, as well, but please keep in mind race, gender, sexual orientation, and age diversity.

• Will the Chamber provide photography/videography?
  We encourage event hosts to book their own photography and videography. The Chamber will work to have photography/videography at as many events as possible, however, we have limited capacity. If you are hosting a virtual event, please take screenshots throughout the program. Ask attendees to take pictures, as well! 

• I need help staffing my event, is this something the Chamber will help? 
  Please plan to staff volunteers for your event. If you need support, please let us know far enough in advance so that we can send volunteers from the City Awake Advisory Board and/or from community groups. 

• What and when are the Chamber hosted events?
  We will be hosting a few Chamber events throughout the weekend. We call these events our 'signature events'. More details to come.

     REGISTRATION     

• Who is in charge of the registration page?
  This year, the City Awake team will be in charge of creating all registration pages. We ask that you send us your marketing point of contact, any logos, and all information in a timely manner. We will also use this information to create a Facebook Page for your event. These two pages will integrate which significantly increases attendance at your event. Once we create the page, you will have secure access to make updates and control the page. 

• What does it mean to be a co-host on Facebook? 
  By accepting to be a co-host on Facebook, you instantely increase online awareness and engagement by a significant amount. This will mean you will need access to your company's Facebook page or put us in touch with the marketing point of contact. 

• How do I mark people as attended? 
  Please print out the guest list and have copies of it onsite. A volunteer or staff person should be present at the registration table and be checking off who attended. Other options are to have name badges and checking people off as they come, or have a computer onsite and keep track that way. 

• If I don't have enough ticket sales/registrations can I withdraw my event? 
  We strongly encourage you not to withdraw your event. One of the reasons, the Chamber will be taking ownership of the registration pages is to help monitor ticket sales/registrations. If we see that numbers are low, we will put extra marketing support behind that event. *It is important to note that almost 90% of registrations happen the week before the festival* 

     MARKETING      

• Do I get a media kit?
  Yes, we will be sending a media kit out this spring that includes our logos, social media handles, sample posts, and sample language that you can share with your networks. 
   
• What am I expected to promote? 
  It is the event host responsibility to market their own event as much as possible. We ask that you also market the festival and other event hosts. Consider attending other events during the festival too so that you can see what others are doing and support their events. 
   
• How much should I spend on marketing my event? 
  We know that the cost of putting on an event can be significant. We have seen, however, that marketing efforts increase drastically if you put $100-$200 behind your social media campaigns/posts. 
   
• I'm not really a marketer, can I get additional marketing support? 
  Of course! If you have specific marketing questions, we'd be happy to help. In addition to the media kit, we will provide other one pagers that will assist with marketing your event and for onsite event logistics. 

     SPONSORSHIP     

• Can I have my own sponsors for my event? 
  Sure! We won't be able to promote them on our site, but to help offset the cost of your individual events, we understand the need for additional financial and marketing support. 
   
• Am I considered a sponsor if I am an event host? 
  No, you are not considered a sponsor if you are an event/venue host. However, if you are intersted in becoming a sponsor, please reach out to msbaker@bostonchamber.com.