Planning a family reunion is a big commitment of time and resources. Having a good turnout is important to the overall success of the event. It is never too early to get the word out to encourage attendance and build enthusiasm. In this two-part series, learn eight great ways you can generate buzz for your family reunion.
- Create a theme. Creating a theme for the reunion can make it more fun and exciting for everyone. Go retro and celebrate a decade (Roaring 20s, Disco 70s, the year 2000, etc.) or use holiday themes (Halloween, New Year’s Eve Party, Christmas in July), or consider having a “dress as your favorite ancestor” theme. Be sure to use images illustrating the theme in all reunion correspondence and advertising.
- Send out email invites. Create an email invite with all the details of the reunion and send it to all your family members. Use templates in Microsoft Word or try Canva https://www.canva.com to make your invitation visually appealing. Make sure to include a call-to-action to RSVP by a designated date. Invite people to share the invite with other family member. You can also use a program such as Evite® https://www.evite.com.
- Create a family reunion website. Create a website dedicated to your reunion that includes information about the event, an RSVP form, and a way for family members to connect with each other via email through a special email address created for the reunion, or message board. Google Sites provides a simple way to build a free basic website without a custom domain (e.g., sites.google.com/view/your site). For those who feel a bit more technically ambitious, you can purchase a customized domain for a reasonable cost (typically around $9-$12 per year) from a domain registrar such as Cloudflare Register, Namecheap or Name Silo. and then use the free version of WordPress (wordpress.com) or a Website Builder tool such as Wix or Squarespace (fees may apply—usually around $16 per month) to create and manage your site.
- Create a social media event page. Use platforms like Facebook or Instagram to create an event page for your reunion. Share details, photos, short videos, and updates on the event to keep family members informed and engaged. Facebook offers the ability to take polls (use this for decisions about the menu, or suggestions for games and activities).
- Create a hashtag. Create a hashtag (for example, #ALAFFFA2023) for your reunion that can be used on social media to keep everyone connected and informed.
