Tips for Creating Your Own Event Programs

ID's on the table

Hosting an event can be costly, especially these days. The thing is, a lot of costs that come with an event are necessary. While you may try to cut costs and save where you can, a program is a piece you’ll want to include if you have it in your budget. Whether you need programs printed for a dance recital, sporting event, concert, etc., we have tips to help you create your own event programs for every occasion.

Audience of people at an event

Why you should print programs for your event

There are many reasons you should print programs for your event, but the most important one is that they are helpful for your attendees. Programs contain useful and interesting information to help your guests get the most out of their time there. On top of that, they are a great way to highlight certain aspects of your company you may not always have the opportunity for.

Design a program worth keeping so that your attendees will remember the event long after it is over and have them hoping for another one soon.

Start with the cover

The first thing someone will see when they pick up your program is the cover, so you want to take great care in designing this part. First impressions matter regardless of what they say, people do judge books by their covers.

With that being said, the cover shouldn’t be too difficult to design. What is your event about? Choose a graphic or image, or even photograph your own cover, to highlight your event’s main purpose. Are you hosting a dance recital? Grab your digital camera and snap some photos of the performers in action. If you are not highly confident in your photography skills, you can opt for a graphic depicting dancing. Just make sure your image accurately portrays your event. It wouldn’t make much sense to have a picture of a barbeque on the cover of a dance recital program, would it?

As always, ensure that any graphics you use in your print materials are at least 300 dpi to provide quality printing.

Once you have established your imagery, you’ll want to include relevant information, such as the event’s title, date, and location. Considering your program will likely have multiple pages, you don’t have to cram every detail onto the front page. Include only what is necessary, and leave the rest for the inside. 

Pro tip: if your event happens on a regular basis, consider using images from a previous event.

women holding map outside

The inside pages  

The kind of event you are hosting will help determine what some of your inside pages are. Regardless of what type of event you are hosting, there are a few key pages you will certainly want to include.

Must have pages

Welcome/introductory page – the first page someone sees when they flip open your program should be some sort of introduction. You can use this page to give a brief background about who you are, what this event is, and why you are hosting it. This is a great space to showcase who you are, how your company came to be, or any message you want about your business.

Table of contents – you want to include detailed information about the event, such as any performer details, breaks, and timeline. Etc. This is especially helpful if you host breakout events in different areas around your location. The table of contents will help attendees plan their time at the event to get the most out of it.

Optional pages

Map – this page may not be necessary if you are hosting a small event at a small location, but if you are hosting a more significant event that will be taking up multiple rooms or is spread out, a map will be helpful. 

History/highlights – let’s say you are hosting a sporting game or an annual event. Use some space to highlight past scores or notable happenings from previous events. This is the time to showcase how much fun is had and why people should keep coming back to your events.

Photos – dedicating pages for photos is a great way to break up text and showcase important individuals. Use these pages to highlight key performers in your show or include a team photo with the roster and coaches’ names listed below. 

Advertisements – now, you certainly do not need to include pages (or even one) for advertisements, but this would be a great way to earn back some money and even pay for the programs. 

Putting it all together

Designing a program may seem daunting with all of the pages you can include, but it does not have to be. Start by compiling all the information you need and want to include and write it all out. Once you have that together, you can start figuring out what kind of pages make sense to incorporate. 

Print your programs with Printivity

Saddle Stitch booklets are an excellent option for programs as they are typically only a handful of pages, covers included. Printivity’s saddle stitch booklets provide a high-quality program, even on a budget. Choose from multiple paper types, including matte and gloss, for an even more sophisticated and lasting program.

If you have any questions about the process or are ready to get your programs printed, contact Printivity today at 1-877-649-5463

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