For Women Event Planners

After speaking in many states for various women’s events it has occurred to me that there are certain events that are more powerful than others due to certain aspects of their planning process. I think it is wise for us to learn and grow in order for the women we lead to do so. With that said, I would like to share what I have learned, so you may grow your events into a more powerful and therefore transforming event that will change the lives of the women who attend. I do this with great humility because I know that it is the anointing blood of Jesus and the Word of God that ultimately brings power and transformation. However with that said, I do believe we must do our part with excellence as we are serving the King of Kings! So let us do our best, and leave the rest to God. Here are some suggestions on how to lay the ground work and prepare the atmosphere for powerful Women’s Event that invites the Holy Spirit to move:

• Prayer is the foundation. Start with it, start it early on, continue with it, have a team that devotes themselves to it and through it. Pray for the women, your team, the speaker, the facility, and every aspect of your event. The earlier you start the better your event will be. Period.
• Decide on your purpose. Example: 1. Have women transformed by the love of Jesus. 2. Teach women how to connect with God and with other women. 3. Refresh women with encouragement. Then remember everything you do or decide needs to be funneled through your purpose. If it doesn’t serve your purpose, it doesn’t fit, so get rid of it.
• Choose your theme. This is the fun part! Of course you want to choose a theme that goes with your purpose! It also helps to choose one that you can decorate around. Think about centerpieces, nametags, handouts and promotional materials that go along with your theme. Are there creative ways to work your theme into your event? You want your women to remember this event forever! So “layering” your purpose with your theme is essential. Think of it like layering your perfume! First you use the shower gel, then the lotion, and then the perfume. This way your scent lasts longer and is more fragrant. You want your event to be the pleasing aroma of Christ to your women that lingers in their minds and hearts for a long time!
• Choose your speaker. Well obviously you don’t want a college speaker on purity for a women’s connecting event! Check it out: Go to the speakers website, read the endorsements, look at her topics. Do they sound like they will mesh with your purpose, theme, and your women? One of my most requested conferences is “Becoming a Woman of Connection.” It is great for all ages; easy to decorate around (puzzle pieces, connect the dot nametags and WOMEN!…) Another one of my conferences is “These Boots were made for Walking and Talking!” This conference teaches women how to talk about the Word of God and walk it out in faith. It is easy to decorate around: boot centerpieces with flowers, boot nametags, and you may even ask all the women to wear their favorite boots. Then we’ll talk about what each different boot symbolizes in our walk of faith! These are just ideas to get your juices flowing!
• Choose your Scripture. I don’t think I need to tell you this, but make sure there is no way anyone could wonder how the theme relates to the verse. It should be obvious! Example I use for the Boot Conference: Ephesians 6:14- 15 Stand firm then,…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
• Choose the Date of your Celebration/Event/Conference. Will it be a retreat weekend? Friday evening and Saturday morning? Just a one-hour event? As a speaker I prefer the weekend events because they give me more time to teach and ‘layer’ the Word. A one-hour event does not give me a chance to
• get to know the women personally and to minister to each of them in prayer. However, your purpose will most likely decide this for you.
• Choose the Location. Hotel, someone’s home, banquet center? My vote is a church or a Christian retreat center. Why? They are already prayed over! I would choose a place that is wooded, private, with lots of God’s beauty and no shopping available! If you are looking for fun, go to the shopping mall. That is not what this article is about though.
• Choose your Team. Prayer warriors, Music team, Registration ladies, Food, Greeters, Creative Decorators, Marketers, and Lights, Action, Roll ‘em, your technology efforts cannot go unforgotten!
• Choose your Food. Make sure it is healthy! Serve lots of water, fruit, veggies…keep the sugar to a minimum.
• Choose your music. Does it flow with your theme?
• Choose your Schedule. This is the tricky part. I would be careful here. If you are too programmed, you may miss the leading of the Holy Spirit, if you don’t schedule enough, your women will be sitting there thinking you have wasted their precious time. Watch out for too much fluff. KISS—Keep it simple sisters! Christ centered worship and the word can never go wrong. Keep your distractions to a minimum and stay on course. Have 15 -30 minute breaks.
• Choose your Advertisement Plan. I cannot say this enough: how will they know if you don’t tell them? PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE! Your speaker should be able to give you help and ideas in this area.
• Choose your cost or ticket price. Add up what you will be spending; subtract what your church will underwrite, and then go from there. Lots of variables here. Cut down on food, ask women to bring food. Find someone with airline points to donate an airline ticket. Perhaps your speaker will reduce her fee? I always work with the event planners to fit into their budget, and some other speakers do the same.
• Choose how you will wrap up the event. Lots of options here too. Prayer, a time of commitment, music solo, oil anointing, or maybe you have another idea? Many speakers have their own way of wrapping things up, so I would ask. Just make sure your event is wrapped up in a nice tidy package that they can take away feeling it is ‘finished!’