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How do I select dates for a fly-in trip?
Selecting dates for your fly-in trip will depend on the purpose of the trip and the availability of hotels, venues, legislators, and policymakers. When planning your trip, it’s important to first determine the purpose of your trip. If you’re planning to meet with your congressional representatives during your trip, make sure to choose dates based on when both the House and Senate are both in session. Check out this helpful calendar – the yellow dates are when both chambers are in session.
How many people should I bring on a fly-in trip?
The number of people a fly-in group should bring on a trip to Washington, D.C. can vary depending on the organization’s goals and the nature of the specific event. When planning your fly-in trip, consider the number of attendees that would be manageable for your organization, the purpose of your trip and the impact a small or large group will have on your goals. Many organizations choose to host a larger group to increase revenue, while others bring a smaller number to have more focused conversations with legislators.
What should I charge for participation?
The participation fees for a fly-in trip can greatly vary depending on delegation size, the purpose of the trip, and what’s included in the itinerary. You will need to create a budget to determine the overall cost and any revenue you hope to make from the trip.
Most organizations also charge a different amount for members and non-members. Registration fees typically do not include hotel or airfare, so be sure to factor in these additional costs when planning your trip.
How do I attract sponsors?
Your sponsorship package is the most important aspect of finding sponsorship. Be clear as to what you can give your sponsor in return for their product or monetary contribution.
The package should include information about the event, including a clear explanation of what you hope to achieve from your fly-in trip, the expected number of attendees, the demographics of the attendees, and the benefits of sponsoring the event. You can offer different levels of sponsorship, with increasing benefits for higher levels of sponsorship.
Research companies that may be interested in sponsoring your event. Look for companies that have a history of sponsoring similar events or that have a vested interest in the issues you will be discussing during your fly-in trip.
Once you have identified potential sponsors, reach out to them with your sponsorship package. Be sure to explain why your fly-in trip is a good fit for their brand and how sponsoring your event can benefit their business.
After you have reached out to potential sponsors, follow up with them to see if they are interested in sponsoring your event. If they are not interested, ask for feedback on how you can improve your sponsorship package for future events.
Once you have your sponsors confirmed, communicate with them regularly before the event to ensure they know what to expect, their role, etc.
During the fly-in, make sure to recognize your sponsors and ensure that they receive all the benefits their sponsorship entitles them to. A dedicated staff member who will manage your sponsors during the fly-in is recommended.
After your fly-in trip, be sure to thank your sponsors for their support. Send them a thank-you note or email and let them know how their sponsorship helped make your event a success. Continue to recognize them in any post-trip newsletters or other communications back home.
How do I promote our fly-in trip to attract attendee interest?
Determine your target audience and create a marketing plan that includes social media, email marketing, and other channels.
Create a webpage that provides information about your fly-in trip, including the itinerary, travel dates, and registration information.
Use social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn to promote your fly-in trip. You can create a Facebook event page and invite your followers to attend. You can also use X and LinkedIn to share updates about your event and engage with potential attendees.
Send email newsletters to your members and other potential attendees to keep them informed about your fly-in trip.
Partner with other organizations that have a vested interest in the issues you will be discussing during your fly-in trip. You can also partner with local businesses to offer discounts or other incentives to attendees.
Offer early bird discounts or other incentives to encourage early registration. This can help you generate interest in your fly-in trip and increase attendance.
How can I measure the success of our fly-in trip?
Measuring the success of a fly-in trip can depend on the goals of the trip. Here are some metrics that can be used to measure the success of a fly-in trip:
- Attendance: If the attendance is high, it can indicate that the event was well-promoted and that the experience and goals of the trip were relevant to the attendees.
- Engagement: Monitor how your attendees engage during meetings with policymakers, the number of attendees who participated in networking events, and the number of attendees who provided feedback after the event.
- Policy outcomes: Was your message communicated? Were your advocates prepared? Did you achieve progress or actionable next steps as a result of your meetings?
- Media coverage: Review the number of news articles, blog posts, and social media posts about the trip and the impact of this coverage.
- Return on investment: How much revenue was generated as a result of the trip? How many new business opportunities were created and how many new partnerships were formed? Did your sponsors find value in the trip? Did you accomplish your goals?
