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

```markdown
## 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 event can be 15 people in a coffee shop

## Related Skills
- `community-discovery` — find the right communities to promote your event
- `founder-thought-leadership` — events are a powerful thought leadership channel
- `content-strategy` — repurpose event content into blog posts, social, and newsletters
- `employer-brand` — hosting events signals culture and attracts talent

## Examples

**Prompt:** "Help me create a Luma event for a monthly AI founders meetup in SF."

**Good output includes:** Event page copy with a compelling title and description, run of show for a 2-hour evening event, promotion plan targeting AI-focused communities, and a follow-up template.

**Prompt:** "I want to host a virtual workshop teaching developers how to use our API."

**Good output includes:** Workshop structure with live coding segments, Luma event page optimized for developer audience, promotion through developer communities (from community-discovery), and a lead capture strategy.