PLANNING A MAJOR EVENT DOES NOT JUST INVOLVE A FEW PHONE CALLS WITH THE HOPE OF HAVING EVERYTHING "COME TOGETHER". A SUCCESSFUL EVENT HAS A BASIC BUSINESS PLAN, A STEP-BY-STEP ACTION PLAN, AND A PRE-EVENT FINAL CHECKLIST. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO ORGANIZE AN EVENT FOR THIS COMING YEAR, MAKE SURE TO DO A GREAT DEAL OF MARKET RESEARCH. DON'T JUST SIT IN A ROOM WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER PEOPLE AND DECIDE THAT "XYZ DATE" IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR AN EVENT. FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S SAY YOU WANT TO PLAN A CHARITY RUN. THERE ARE DOZENS OF RUNS THAT TAKE PLACE ON LONG ISLAND WITH THE MAJORITY HELD BETWEEN APRIL AND OCTOBER. IN FACT, THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS THREE OR FOUR ON ANY GIVEN WEEKEND. THE AVERAGE RUN DRAWS ABOUT 250 PEOPLE . THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT DRAW MUCH MORE THAN THAT NUMBER, BE THEY ARE THE EXCEPTION AND NOT THE RULE. WHILE YOU MAY THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF RUNNERS ON LONG ISLAND, THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CASUAL RUNNER AND THE COMPETITIVE RUNNER. THERE ARE MANY COST FACTORS THAT GO INTO A RUN. T-SHIRTS, AWARDS, TIMING, FOOD AND DRINK, FACILITY RENTAL, PERMITS, AND MARKETING ARE JUST SOME OF THE COSTS YOU WILL INCUR. TO ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY ON THE EVENT, YOU NEED TO OBTAIN SPONSORS. THE ENTRY FEE WILL BASICALLY COVER YOUR OPERATING COSTS WITH VERY LITTLE TO SPARE. MAKE SURE TO LINE UP THE SPONSORS BEFORE YOU LINE UP A DATE. THE LAST THREE WEEKS WILL BE THE MOST INTENSIVE. MOST ENTRIES ARE RECEIVED DURING THIS TIME WHILE YOU ARE ALSO TRYING TO ORDER SHIRTS, AWARDS, FOOD, ETC. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A DEDICATED PERSON FOR EACH FUNCTION OF THE EVENT. THIS WAY, COME THE DAY OF THE EVENT, EVERYONE WILL HAVE THEIR OWN AREA TO SUPERVISE. AND, ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT, MAKE SURE THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO IS THE CLEARINGHOUSE FOR ANY CONCERNS THAT MAY ARISE. ONCE THE EVENT HAS TAKEN PLACE, MAKE SURE TO SURVEY THE PARTICIPANTS SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE ANY NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS. REMEMBER, THE MOST IMPORTANT INPUT IS FROM THOSE WHO SPENT THEIR MONEY TO SUPPORT YOUR EVENT. HERE'S HOPING YOUR EVENT IS A GREAT SUCCESS!