/event-hosting

name: event-hosting
description: When the user wants to host a tech event, meetup, workshop, or community gathering — especially using Luma. Also use when the user mentions "host an event", "meetup", "workshop", "Luma event", or "community event".
related: [community-discovery, founder-thought-leadership, content-strategy, employer-brand]
reads: [startup-context]

Event Hosting

When to Use

• Founder wants to host a meetup, workshop, demo day, or community event
• Founder wants to use events to build pipeline, recruit, or establish thought leadership
• Founder wants to create a Luma event page with compelling copy
• Founder wants to plan a recurring event series to build community around their product or space

Context Required

• Event goal (lead generation, community building, recruiting, brand awareness, product feedback)
• Target audience (developers, founders, enterprise buyers, designers, etc.)
• Format (in-person, virtual, hybrid)
• Topic/theme and any confirmed speakers
• Capacity and venue (or virtual platform)
• Budget (many founder-hosted events are $0-500)

Workflow

1. **Define the event concept** — clarify:

• **Goal:** what success looks like (X attendees, Y leads, Z brand impressions)
• **Format:** panel, workshop, demo night, fireside chat, networking, hackathon
• **Audience:** who should attend and why they'd show up
• **Value prop for attendees:** what they'll learn, who they'll meet, or what they'll get

2. **Write the event page** — create copy for Luma (lu.ma) or similar platform:

• **Title:** specific and compelling (not "Tech Meetup #4" — instead "How 5 YC Founders Got Their First 100 Customers")
• **Description:** problem/hook → what you'll cover → who should attend → speaker bios → logistics
• **Image/banner:** recommend dimensions and style (Luma: 1600x900px)

3. **Plan the run of show** — minute-by-minute agenda:

• Doors/login open (15 min buffer)
• Welcome and context (5 min — who you are, why this event exists)
• Main content (30-45 min — talks, panels, demos)
• Q&A or discussion (15 min)
• Networking / unstructured time (30 min for in-person)
• Close and next steps

4. **Build the promotion plan** — how to fill seats:

• Post on relevant communities (use `community-discovery`)
• Personal outreach to 20-30 "anchor attendees" who make the event worth attending
• Cross-promotion with speakers' audiences
• LinkedIn/X posts from founder personal account
• Luma's built-in invite and reminder features

5. **Prepare follow-up** — plan what happens after the event:

• Thank-you message to attendees (same day)
• Share recording/slides (if applicable)
• Connect with high-value attendees individually
• Announce next event (if recurring)

Output Format

## Event Plan: [Event Title]

### Concept
- **Goal:** [what success looks like]
- **Format:** [panel / workshop / demo night / etc.]
- **Audience:** [who and why they'd come]
- **Date/Time:** [proposed]
- **Capacity:** [number]
- **Platform:** [Luma link / venue]

### Luma Event Page Copy

**Title:** [title]

**Description:**
[Full event description — 150-300 words, structured as hook → content → audience → speakers → logistics]

**Tags:** [relevant Luma tags]

### Run of Show
| Time | Segment | Owner | Notes |
|------|---------|-------|-------|
| 6:00 PM | Doors open | — | Networking, food/drinks |
| 6:15 PM | Welcome | [Founder] | Context, housekeeping |
| 6:20 PM | Talk 1 | [Speaker] | [Topic] |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |

### Promotion Plan
| Channel | Action | Timeline |
|---------|--------|----------|
| Luma | Publish event page | 3 weeks before |
| LinkedIn | Founder post + speaker reshares | 2 weeks before |
| Communities | Post in [specific communities] | 2 weeks before |
| Direct outreach | Personal invite to 20 anchor attendees | 2 weeks before |
| Reminder | Luma auto-reminder + personal note | 1 day before |

### Follow-Up Plan
- [ ] Same-day thank you email with key takeaways
- [ ] Share recording/slides within 48 hours
- [ ] Personal follow-up with [N] high-value attendees
- [ ] Announce next event date

Frameworks & Best Practices

**Event formats that work for startups:** | Format | Best For | Typical Size | Effort | |--------|----------|-------------|--------| | Fireside chat | Thought leadership, intimate discussion | 20-50 | Low | | Panel | Diverse perspectives, networking draw | 30-100 | Medium | | Workshop | Teaching, product education, lead gen | 15-30 | Medium | | Demo night | Showcasing products, community building | 30-80 | Medium | | Hackathon | Developer community, product feedback | 20-100 | High | | Dinner / small gathering | Investor/executive networking | 8-15 | Low (but high cost) |

**Luma-specific tips:**

• Use the "Require Approval" feature to curate attendees (quality > quantity)
• Enable "Ask a Question" during registration to qualify attendees
• Set up co-hosts so speakers can also invite their networks
• Use Luma's calendar subscription feature for recurring events
• Luma's built-in reminder emails have high open rates — don't duplicate with external email

**The 40% rule:** Expect 40-60% of RSVPs to actually attend for free events. For paid events, expect 80-90%. Overbook accordingly.

**Making events a growth channel:**

• Host monthly, not "whenever" — consistency builds an audience that returns
• Each event should have a natural next step (join our community, try the product, attend the next event)
• Record everything — one event becomes 5-10 pieces of content
• The best events are conversations, not presentations — leave 30%+ of time unstructured

**Common mistakes:**

• Making it about your product instead of your audience's interests
• Inviting everyone instead of curating for quality
• No follow-up after the event (the event is the beginning, not the end)
• Over-programming — leave room for serendipity and networking
• Not starting the series until everything is "perfect" — first