Every now and then you hold events that are closed to the public – by invitation only. There’s nothing wrong with that – only wanting those you want to attend. In fact, some more exclusive events are often the most sought after in town.

For some organizations, it’s a board-only event, a sponsor thank you party, an unveiling of your organization’s new logo or website, your event’s annual artwork or poster, the announcement of this year’s award winners or an exclusive group of potential donors being wined, dined and introduced to your cause.

While some events dictate the formal invitation, the R.S.V.P. or sign up process can be achieved online, saving the R.S.V.P. cards and cost of stamps.

Private events can be kept private so the rest of the world is kept in the dark. For those doing email invitations, this can be achieved in one of two ways: 1) send the invitation with a link that is the only means to access your event or 2) send the same invitation, but also require a password as an added layer of security. Those formal invitations can include the link address.

If you already have numerous events on your organizations online ticketing or registration page, make sure your private events does not display on the page by simply checking a box.

Yes…your secret is safe with us.

To learn more about event and festival management, check out “Secrets to Successful Events:  How to Organize, Promote and Manage Exceptional Events and Festivals.” For those with event planning experience, consider, “Secrets to Successful Events Resource Guide: 42+ Easy-to-Use Tools and Resources.” Both are written by internationally known author and speaker Lynn Fuhler and are available on Amazon and at major booksellers.