The programme has been a integral part of the sports and entertainment industries for hundreds of years. The first programme is said to have been distributed to theatre-goers sometime during the 18th century. Programmes (also known as “playbills” in theatres) contain information about the event to which the programme is associated. Depending on the size and purpose of the event, as well as the event venue, programmes are either sold or given to attendees. Today, some older programmes or those associated with memorable events are considered collectors’ items.
We at Afford A Print will help you make the most of your event programme. In this article, we will consider several tips for developing and printing an effective programme.
- Know Your Audience – Programmes are event-specific. While there can be great diversity among event attendees, they will all have at least one thing in common—interest in your event. Your target audience should be foremost in your mind as you develop your programme. Everything from font style to graphics to which advertisers you select to appear in your programme—every element of your programme should promote your event, pique the interest of your audience, benefit your advertisers, and let your audience know who to credit for hosting such a great event.
- Know Your Advertisers – Events are often underwritten by the sale of advertising, in the event programme. You will want to look for advertisers that have a vested interest in the type of programme you are hosting. If your event is sports-related, then you want to solicit sporting goods shops and the like. If your event is music-related, then music shops and/or studios of various entertainment disciplines would be the type of advertisers to seek for your programme.
- Price List for Your Advertisers – Before contacting potential advertisers, put together a price list for advertising space (i.e. ¼-sheet, ½-sheet, full sheet). Be ready to explain how their advertising money will be used: for example, how many will be reading your printed programme? What are the statistics of those who will look upon the pages?
- Featured Articles – Depending on the kind of event you are hosting, you may want to consider including event-related featured articles. For instance, if your event is a fundraiser for a local animal shelter, an article about the mutual benefits of pet adoption written by the director of the shelter may be appropriate. Is your event a concert by a community choir? Consider having the choir director write an article about choral music.
These are just a few things to consider when developing and printing your event programme. We at Afford A Print will have additional suggestions to make your programme the best it can be.
At Afford A Print, our passion is your satisfaction. Whether your event programme is a single, two-sided sheet or a larger, stapled booklet (see our guide to stapled booklets here), we can guide you through every aspect of your programme project. Contact us today, and let’s get your project started.