A Step-By-Step Calendar to Keep You On Time

 

June

  • Contact NSN for your new promo kit (1-800-525-4514)
  • Select your production staff
  • Select your location
  • Select your tellers
  • Submit your Tellabration! Sign-Up Sheet to NSN

 

July

  • Send letters of confirmation to tellers

 

August

  • Meet with your public relations person to lay out publicity plans
  • Call the lifestyles-section editor at your local newspaper and discuss doing a color Sunday-section cover article
  • Set date for Kickoff meeting

 

September

  • Get tickets printed
  • Get flyers printed
  • Meet with the person doing the sound system; check to be sure it works
  • Do mailing (if you plan to do one)

 

October--first week...

  • Contact local radio and TV talk shows about arranging interviews
  • Schedule a Tellabration kickoff

 

October--second week...

Confirm story selection with tellers

Distribute tickets to ticket sellers

The first newspaper article should appear in local paper

 

October--third week...

  • Send calendar-of-events listings to newspapers, cable and local TV stations, and radio stations

 

October--fourth week...

  • Meet with persons in charge of decorations and refreshments at the TELLABRATION! site

 

November--first week...

  • Deliver major press releases

 

November--second week...

  • Ticket broker contacts staff regarding status of ticket sales
  • Craft your program--decide on order of tellers
  • Information for the program insert should be in the hands of the person responsible for it
  • If you're using an emcee, write a tight script
  • Refreshment chairman should remind people who have signed up to help
  • Line up ushers, ticket sellers, some one in the parking lot to point the way (if you have already done this, verify)

 

The week of Tellabration!...

  • Ask the ticket broker to check in with you and give an update on ticket sales every day or so
  • Follow through on news interviews that have been lined up for you or a member of your production staff to do.
  • Check on programs to confirm they've been put together

 

Count down...Friday (or the day before Tellabration!)

  • Decorate and set up the tables for refreshments (if possible)
  • Check on signage
  • Be sure there are tables for tickets, tapes, or other promotional materials
  • Be sure the programs are ready and at the site

 

Saturday (or the day of Tellabration!)...

One co-producer should make sure the following are in place and that everything is running smoothly:

  • ticket sales
  • ushers and other facilitators
  • refreshments

 

One co-producer should be in charge of the behind-the-scene technicalities:

  • lighting
  • sound system and microphones
  • If the tellers aren't program-listed according to when they are to perform, be sure to tell each one when he/she is to perform.

 

After you relax (but before you lose the excitement)

  • Complete your Tellabration survey and return it to NSN along with your materials, photos, and mementos for the Tellabration! archives.