Using the Internet!

When planning a public event, use the Internet to your advantage.

In the initial stages of planning an event, you can often find needed information on the World Wide Web. For example, most cities have their own web page, where they'll post local regulations and permit requirements for utilizing public property for an event.

If you can't find the page you're looking for, use the available Internet search engines. One favorite is www.google.com. For the above example, you would search for "(Yourtown) public event regulations" or "(Yourtown) public event permits." With practice you'll get the hang of finding what you need in no time.

Most daily and weekly newspapers have a website that includes local events of interest; so make sure your event is listed in both the print and online versions of the newspaper. Most churches have their own website also, with a regular calendar of community events.

Explore the potential of local clubs and civics groups that may have an interest in attending (or co-sponsoring or hosting) an event.

Most medium to large cities and towns have local branches of the NAACP or ACLU, for example, and most will have a Web presence of some sort. Once again, searching the Internet can help you contact these types of groups.

When you have News Releases and Posters and Flyers completed, you can e-mail notices to civic groups, churches, and other nonprofit groups.

You should also create a contact list in your e-mail address book for all your local contacts. Most e-mail programs allow you to create a contact list with as many entries as you need. This way, you can keep many interested local parties abreast of your event plans with a single e-mail.

Oh, and don’t forget Facebook, they have a new feature called “Create an Event.”

The Internet and e-mail have become fully integrated into our lives. Taking full advantage of what this technology can offer is an important prerequisite for becoming an efficient activist and organizer.