May 2005

Featured Event Idea - Father's Day Live and Lounge

Real Stories - Case Study:"Coffee House Comedy Night"

Performer Profile - Cory Edwards

Special Promotions - American Express Gift Cards

Effective Resources - Event Planning Guide

Event Planning Tip of the Month - Effective Visitor Follow-Up

News & Updates - Team & Performer News

Joke of the Month - "Foreign Country " Featuring Cory Edwards

Father's Day Live and Lounge

Father's Day is a holiday we recognize each year in the United States and like Christmas, we wonder how we will celebrate the day a little differently. Some families have created a tradition, others are re-inventing the day as their families change and grow. For a handful of new ideas on how to spend this Father's Day, please read on...

Father's Day is Sunday, June 19th this year and below are a few ideas for that cool guy you call "Dad". Whether you decide to "live it up" or just "lounge", below are a few quick ideas to help get that creative ball rolling:

Ideas

Baseball Bash:
If the word sports and your dad usually come out in the same sentence, this idea might be a great way to ease your dad's sports craving. Take dad to lunch at a local sports bar in your area for his favorite tasty burger. Before he receives his food, meet up with your server in private and have them bring out an envelope with the tickets inside. Have the manager capture the moment with your camera as dad opens up an envelope with tickets to go see his favorite baseball team play. For those on a budget, take dad to a local park and play a game of baseball. Top it off with your own BBQ cuisine!

Wash, Wax and Video:
Dad typically is trying to save money when and where he can. Have someone in the family offer to take his ride to the car wash or hand wash it for him while mom or siblings make him breakfast. Video tape the experience and give him the tape when he needs something to brighten up his day!

Concert Crave:
For the father who is a die-hard rock fan, book concert tickets in advance to see his favorite band play. Go out to dinner before the concert and then surprise him with tickets at the end of the meal. If funds are slim, find out what bands are playing in your local coffee shops and wrap the evening up with a warm cappuccino.

Sunday Stroll:
Whether your dad is the low-key type or simply has a health condition, an easy activity to get him out and about is a nice Sunday Scenic Drive to a location he's never been. Stop for lunch on the way and make sure to bring a camera so dad can take pictures of his favorite places. Stop in at a Farmer's Market and have dad pick out some cool items for his home. On the way home, give dad a letter telling him how much you appreciate him as a dad, then have someone capture his expression after he finishes reading.

Case Study:

"Coffee House Comedy Night "

Event Basics

Customer Interviewed: Tina Svanda

Organization Name: Antioch Bible Baptist Church

Event Name: Coffee House Comedy Night

Event Type: Outreach Event for Church Family

Event Dates & Time: Saturday, March 12, 2005 at 7:30pm.

Event Location: Church auditorium in Gladstone, MO.

Attendee Type:
Primarily for church family, including friends of church members and those who are not currently attending church anywhere.

Price per Attendee: $8 for a regular ticket.

Total Attendees: 400

Behind the Scenes Efforts

Publicity Tools Used:

• Door Hangers: The Door Hangers were used in two ways: for publicity and also as a ticket.
• Post Cards: After the event post cards were sent out to current church members and new attendees inviting them to come to and Easter Service celebration.
• Newsletter: A church newsletter was sent out prior
• Sunday Service: Six-weeks prior, the event was announced in each Sunday service bulletin.

Tickets:
Team Efforts Included: Approximately 12 volunteers assisted.

About the Event

Event Purpose:
The event was designed for the church family. This church is very service-oriented and wanted to provide something for their current church members to show their appreciation. It was an evening designed to have fun, laugh and reconnect with the church body in a relaxed environment.

Event Content Included:
The MC opened the evening with improvisation, getting the church guests comfortable and warmed up. Comedian Kerry Pomarolli opened for Michael Joiner with a singles act.

Decorations:
The lighting was dimmed and the chairs were set up in a theatre in the round style, similiar to a comedy club. Banners provided by Outreach, Inc. were placed strategically near the stage and by the main entrance to the event.

Capturing Visitor Information:
Drawings were held for dinner for two gift certificates and comedy for two at a local comedy club. After the event, visitors received a thank you and invitation in the mail for an upcoming Easter service.

 About the Comedy Performance

Performer: Michael Joiner

Type: 70 minute stand-up performance.

Response to Performer:
"A roar of clapping and laughter filled the room. We thought he was excellent both professionally and personally."

Results

Total Visitors: 400

Overall Response to the Entire Event:
"Excellent! It was above and beyond what we expected."

Additional Comments

Biggest Concerns Heading into the Event:
"That the content would be embarassing or off-color."

How These Concerns Were Addressed & Resolved:
"The Event Coordinators were insightful of our needs and reassuring with their client's history."

How This Compares with Past Events:
"We've never had one like this before. We had faith and it worked!"

Would You Do This Event Again?
"Yes!"

What Would You Do Differently Next Time?
"More promotion with Outreach, Inc.! We would have planned for the MC to warm up longer. There was only one coffee station for 400 people, so it cut into the event time."

What Would You Say to People Planning a Similar Event?
"I would highly recommend it because of the professionalism and the service was amazing. Our staff was put at ease and the marketing tools were wonderful."

Cory Edwards

Where are you from, and what was it like growing up there?
I was born in Indiana, but did most of my growing up in Columbus, Ohio. My brother, sister and I had a tremendously creative childhood. On any given afternoon, we would be dressing up in costumes, staging a puppet show, or making up a radio show on a tape recorder. We made a lot of things with paper mache. We were paper mache titans, especially around Halloween. We started our costumes in August!

When and how did you become interested in being a comedian?
I've been performing and writing all forms of comedy since high school. Then, I directed a college variety show, joined a sketch comedy troupe after college and an improv group. It allowed me to stretch a lot of different comedy muscles and stand-up comedy has been threaded through all of those experiences. My first time to take the stage as a stand-up comic was in college and it went very well for a first-timer. This encouraged me to spend many years getting on many stages before I started getting paid for it.

How did you become a Christian?
My family has always had a very strong Christian foundation, so the moment in time that I chose to make it my own is what I would consider my "becoming". It was a youth camp in seventh grade where I decided to basically take responsibility for my own relationship with God and seal the deal with him. I was never far from Him, but that marked a special time when I knew I was a Christian by my own choices from them on.

How do you see the Lord impacting your comedy?
I'm a comedian who's a Christian, not a Christian Comedian.Does that make sense? I worked in Christian television and music for many years, enough to know that it is not where I am called. I am called to the larger, sometimes scarier, arena of mainstream entertainment. But, the Lord impacts everything I do. This includes how I spend money, do business, and express my art and comedy. So if God is "in my bloodstream," he comes through in all endeavors.

My act is straight-up mainstream stuff, without any "churchy" humor. Anyone can see my show and get it, and I do the same material in a church that I would do in a comedy club. I think the Lord works through me most after the show, when the entertainment has drawn people to me to have conversation.

My mantra is one that some Christian performers might not agree with, and it's this: "Entertainment first, message second." Whether it's film, television or a live performance, if your priorities are more on the message than entertaining, you come out with something preachy. If you focus on truly entertaining an audience first, God will naturally come into that and take care of the rest.

What's your favorite thing about being a comedian?
I'm a bit of a control-freak, and stand-up is the one creative outlet where I control the entire show. I am the writer, the performer, the set, everything! That's scary and exhilarating all at once. The other great thing is hearing people laugh and knowing that you made that happen. It's the best sound in the world, and it's contagious.

What are some of your current career struggles and triumphs?
The greatest challenge lately has been balancing my "split personality" as a comedian and as a filmmaker. And the balance has shifted a lot this year, with the completion of my first film. But being a comedian has also helped me to be a good director, boost morale and get the best out of actors.

Are you where you thought you would be both professionally and personally five years ago?
I don't think anyone ever is. But I place very high expectations on myself. I could not be happier with the places I have traveled to do comedy. But I am hungry to be further up the ladder in the entertainment industry. Because power creates freedom, and that's when things get good-when you really start doing the things you want! My wife and I are also overdue to have kids, a home, and a more "normal" existence as a family. But that same freedom is hopefully giving us a chance to do that soon.

Are there any new artistic ventures you are on at the moment in your career?
My first feature film comes out this year! It's an animated comic crime story called "Hoodwinked! The True Story of Red Riding Hood." I wrote and directed it, and do a few voices. It's very funny and the biggest thing I've ever done in my whole life.
The other great thing that happened this year as a comedian was the completion my live concert DVD, something I'm very proud of.

What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," Philippians 4:13. This is literally the first verse I ever memorized in Sunday School. And it is very appropriate for the risks I feel creative people need to take in life. With God, any risk taking is in his hands, so go for it and don't sweat it.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Free time... Free time... I recognize the words but the meaning escapes me...I love to draw cartoons, mountain bike and I've started getting into playing pool. And if I get really bored I grow a beard.

What's you're all-time favorite gig?
That would be one of the many I did for the Salvation Army. Love those guys. They have had me perform for many large events, and the audiences are always the warmest and joyful. And one night I had a huge stage that still had sets from some high school stage play on it. I played with the sets in-between
jokes, running around. The crowd was jammed up to the foot of the stage, and the energy in the room was unbelievable. It's that place you get to that every comic understands, that place where you have a crowd in the palm of your hand and they love everything you do! Magic.

Monthly Website Promotion

When you schedule an Outreach Comedy Event* through June 30th, 2005 ask to receive your American Express® Gift Card. Instead of one place, they’re good all over the place:

• Accepted in over a million different restaurants and retailers that accept American Express
• Funds never expire
• Funds are replaceable if Card is lost or stolen

$50-dollar American Express® Gift Cards will be issued for events booked up to $1,999-dollars. A $100-dollar American Express® Gift Cards for booked events over $2,000-dollars.

*Booking minimum $1,000 required. Offer good on new Events only. Offer good through June 30th, 2005. Not valid with any other offer. Must mention offer to Event Coordinator at time of first contact. Promotion and prizes sponsored by Outreach Comedy.

Event Planning Guide!

Features:

-3 Ring Binder. 96 pages.

-1 CD ROM with worksheets and forms.

The Event Planning Guide gives your everything you need to organize an effective Outreach Event. Based on the 3 P's of Event planning: Pray, Plan and Promote, the 96-page guide features planning schedules, discussion guides, budget and fundraising ideas, preparation checklists, follow-up guidelines and more! If you find this eNewsletter helpful, you'll LOVE the Event Planning Guide!

Yours FREE* when you book an Outreach Event, or $24.99 from the Outreach Catalog. Call 800-991-6011 to order it directly!

*Limit one per customer.

Effective Visitor Follow-Up

Use your registrations, contact cards or door prize entries to follow-up with your guests within 2 weeks of your Event. Personally mail, email, call or visit your guests. The personal touch is what counts here - guests look for personal connections in a church they'll eventually call home. Recruit volunteers to lighten the volume, or match cards up with appropriate ministries for personal follow-up.

• Welcome: Let your guests know that you're glad they could come. Make a personal connection if possible. If calling or visiting, ask if they were able to meet anyone from the church.
• Information: Inform them of ministries, Events, or other information they might find interesting. If calling of visiting, ask if they have any questions about the church.
• Invitation: Invite guests to attend your next Event, normal church services, small group or ministry that might interest them. Call to follow-up any written notes.
• Personal Significance: Keep your tone warm, genuine, and welcoming instead of repetitive or monotonous. Space calls out if that will help you, and handwrite any notes. Keep your contact as personal as possible. LISTEN (if calling or visiting), and focus on their needs. These are small ways you can affirm your guest is wanted, special and significant (not just another number to call or letter to mail).

Note: If team members or volunteers assisted in visitor follow-up, check in on these activities 2 weeks after the Event, and again one month later.

Adapted from the Outreach Event Planning Guide, pg. 90.

"Foreign Country"

Featuring Cory Edwards

My wife always says she wants our kids to be raised in a foreign country. And I always say, "Wouldn't they miss us?"