Fan Club Rally (Event) Organizing Guide - Effortless English

Fan Club 

Rally (Event) Organizing Guide 

A.J. does two kinds of live events. 

One kind is a company hosted event. A company pays A.J. to come to their 

location and do a seminar. They pay A.J. a fee to do the event, and it is not cheap. 

The second kind of live event that A.J. does is a Fan Club Rally! A rally is 

organized by a non-profit (not for profit) Effortless English Fan Club. The 

Effortless English members organize the event themselves and invite A.J. to come. 

A.J. usually gives a big discount on his fees to fan clubs (mostly he just needs to 

pay for his travel expenses). 

All of A.J.’s events are like rock concerts! They are fun! They are powerful! They 

are high-energy! The people who attend learn how to use the Effortless English 

System in the most powerful way. A live Effortless English Rally is the most 

powerful English training in the world! 

These events are for intermediate or advanced level English speakers (not for 

beginners). 

You are an Effortless English member and you want to bring A.J. to your city! You 

want other people to experience the power of Effortless English. You want to 

connect people together and create a strong Effortless English Fan Club in your 

area. 

Use this guide to plan your event. This guide helps you, step by step, organize 

your first Effortless English fan event. 

Read the guide. Follow the directions. Do the work and then invite A.J. so we can 

choose a date on his schedule! 

Contact: events@EffortlessEnglishClub.com

Build Your Team 

Your first step is to build a team. You understand that organizing a big live event is 

hard work. You can’t do it alone. You need a team. 

Talk to your friends or close co-workers who are fans of Effortless English. 

Get on the Effortless English VIP Site and/or Effortless English Forums and find 

people from your area. 

General EE Forums: http://effortlessenglishforums.com/ 

Look for other Effortless English fans on the Effortless English Facebook page and 

on A.J.’s Twitter account. 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ajhoge 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/effortlessenglish 

1. Your Organizing Team 

You will probably need at least three people on your organizing team. These must 

be people who are reliable, energetic and trustworthy. 

Meet with your team regularly. Organize your communication online with your 

own private Facebook group, or Basecamp, or even just an email list. 

2. Your Volunteer Team 

You will need a team of volunteers to help at the event. You’ll need volunteers to: 

run registration, provide security, cheerlead and energize the crowd. Give them 

free tickets and lots of love and appreciation! 


Find A Location 

The first step to planning your Fan event is to find a location. 

There are several important things to look for: 

1. The Location must hold at least 150 people. 

If you plan to have more people attend, then obviously you’ll need a bigger place. 

The room will only have chairs, no tables and no desks! 

2. Your Event Location must have air-conditioning and/or heat 

The room must be comfortable when it’s filled with people! 

3. Sound System 

The room must have a good sound system that can use a wireless headset 

microphone. There must be loud speakers and the sound in every part of the room 

must be clear. All people who attend must be able to hear and understand clearly. 

4. Sound Equipment 

The sound system must be able to connect with an iPod and/or a Laptop Computer 

(Mac). Very Loud music is a necessary part of any Effortless English Event! 

5. Projector That Connects To a Mac Laptop and Big Screens 

The room must have a projector system with large screens. The projector system 

must connect to a (Mac) laptop. 

6. Light System 

The stage area must have strong bright lighting. A professional lighting system is 

even better! 


Where To Look For A Room 

Where do you find such a room 

There are a number of places to research (internet search, call, visit, etc.): 

1. Hotels 

Hotels, especially large hotels, often have large conference rooms. 

2. Community Centers 

City community centers often have large conference rooms. 

3. Convention Centers 

Convention Centers often have a variety of conference rooms of different sizes. 

4. Universities 

Many universities have conference rooms or theaters for rent. 

5. Theaters 

Some small theaters can be rented by private groups. 

You will need to find, call and visit several places. Be sure to ask about the 

requirements (sound system, lighting, etc.). 

Of course, also ask about the price. You need to know the price so you know how 

much to charge for tickets. 

Reserve A Room 

Once you make a choice, complete the Cost (Expense), Registration, and 

Marketing Sections, then contact Effortless English with all of your information. 

We can then schedule a date and you will reserve the room for that date. 


Determine The Costs (Expenses) 

Once you find a good location, you need to estimate the cost of your event. 

You need to add up all of the expenses so you know how much to charge for 

tickets. 

You Need To Know The Following Costs: 

1. Conference Room Rental 

Do they charge a snack or meal fee Any equipment fees Any other hidden fees 

2. Equipment Rental 

Wireless Headset Microphone, Projector, Extra Lights (), Extra Speakers() 

3. Marketing 

You will need to advertise the event in order to sell tickets. How much will you 

spend on fliers, posters, small newspaper ads, and other ads 

4. Banners & Room Decoration 

Will you have banners and a background on the stage How much will they cost. 

5. A.J.’s Expenses & Fee 

You will need to pay the travel expenses (flights, hotel, food) of A.J.’s team, and 

possibly a fee (this depends on the time, size, and location of your event). Submit 

Your Event Plan to Effortless English for more details: 

events@effortlessenglishclub.com 


Determine Ticket Price 

Once you know the expenses and the number of people to attend, you can choose a 

ticket price. 

Choose a ticket price that will cover all expenses, plus just a little extra in case of 

surprise problems or expenses. 

Determine Registration & Payment System 

You know the ticket price. Great! 

Now, how will people pay for their tickets and how will you confirm registration 

One easy way is to use a free online registration system such as EventBrite: 

http://eventbrite.com 

With EventBrite, people can buy their tickets directly online. 

If you want to accept cash and bank transfers too, you can accept them and then 

manually register (type them in) people in EventBrite. 

All ticket buyers receive their ticket by email. They print it and bring it to your 

Event. 

You also get a full list of registered and paid people. Print this, copy it a few times, 

and bring it to your event. 

If someone forgets their ticket, you can still check the list and find their name! 


Marketing Plan 

You have a great room. You have a registration system. 

Great! Now you are ready to sell tickets! 

How will you tell people about your event Where will you advertise Who really 

wants to learn English Where are the intermediate English speakers in your area 

Here Are Some Marketing Ideas: 

1. Contact Local Newspapers, Radio Stations, & TV Stations 

Tell them about your event and the special way that we learn with Effortless 

English. Invite them to your event. Offer to send them more information (links to 

Effortless English web pages, EE contact information, etc..). 

2. Posters and Fliers 

Create simple posters and fliers. Put them around your town, especially where 

there might be English learners. If you have a university nearby, definitely put 

posters or fliers there. 

3. Facebook & Twitter 

Find Effortless English fans in your country on Facebook. “Friend” them and tell 

them about your event. Post about the event on your Facebook page and your 

Twitter account frequently. 

4. Friends and Co-workers 

Invite your friends and co-workers. Tell them about Effortless English. Encourage 

them to join our free email course at: http://EffortlessEnglishClub.com/7rules 

5. Local Companies 

Contact local companies that might be interested in English. Tell them about your 

event and invite their employees to attend. 


6. Nearby Towns or Cities 

You can do all of the above things in other cities nearby. Many Effortless English 

fans are willing to travel 6 or more hours to attend an event. 

7. Effortless English 

Effortless English will also help. We will email members and fans in your country 

who are subscribers to our free course. 

Media Plan 

Local newspapers, radio stations and TV stations can help you sell tickets before 

your event, as we discussed above. 

It is also very important to invite the media to your event. Invite them to attend for 

free, take pictures, and learn about Effortless English. Let them know it will be a 

very different, very energetic, very powerful and “kind of crazy” way to learn 

English. 

The media will help you create your local Effortless English Fan Club during and 

after your event! Make friends with them! 

Submit These Plans To Effortless English 

After you have found a location, determined costs, determined a basic ticket price, 

chosen a registration system, and written a marketing and media plan; it’s time to 

send all of this information to Effortless English: 

events@effortlessenglishclub.com 

We will use this information to schedule your event and determine A.J.’s expenses 

and fee, and whether he can attend. We will tell you how to make the payment. 

We can then choose an exact date and officially schedule your event! 


Running Your Rally Event 

You did it! You built your team and did all of the planning. You contacted 

Effortless English and now your event is officially scheduled! Great work! 

Now it’s time to actually do your event! What needs to be done before, during and 

after your Fan Rally 

Before Your Event: Rehearsal & Check 

The day before your event, it is very important to do a complete rehearsal and 

check. This guarantees that all equipment works and that everyone knows what 

they are doing. 

Contact the location and be sure one of their technicians will attend the rehearsal-- 

in case there are questions or problems. 

We must specifically check: 

1. Sound System 

Microphone: Connect the wireless headset microphone, turn on the sound system 

and guarantee that everything is working correctly. 

Music: Connect the iPod and/or laptop and play LOUD music. Check that 

everything is working and sounds good! Also practice communicating with A.J. 

about when to play music, when to stop, when to increase volume and when to 

decrease volume. 

2. Projector & Slides 

Connect A.J.’s laptop to the projector system. Test the projector and slides. Be 

sure that everything is working correctly. 


3. Registration Rehearsal 

Talk to your registration team (volunteers). Where will the tables be How will 

they check tickets What if someone forgot to bring their ticket Will you accept 

cash payment at the door... if yes, how Who will check tickets or badges or nametags 

at the entrance doors 

4. Cheerleading Rehearsal 

An important part of an Effortless English Rally is to create high-energy before the 

event event starts! 

As people enter, VERY LOUD exciting music will already be playing. There will 

also be volunteer cheerleaders on stage and around the room... clapping, dancing, 

jumping, smiling... and encouraging everyone to dance and move with the music. 

Play some fun songs that are fun and popular in your country! Create a fun dance 

party while people are just entering the room. 

Rehearse with your cheerleaders. Which songs will you play Where will the 

cheerleaders stand What kind of dances will they do How will they encourage 

the audience to have fun and join them 

5. Rehearse The Opening 

The beginning of your event is very important. It creates powerful positive energy 

for everyone. 

It’s important to create a big, fun, loud, super-energetic beginning as A.J. comes 

onto the stage. Play his “theme song” (Joker & The Thief by Wolfmother) and he 

will get everyone jumping. 

Cheerleaders on stage and around the room will help him. The music must be very 

loud! Also, there should be some volunteer security at the front of the stage. 

Rehearse and practice all of this the day before your event! 


During Your Event 

It’s here.. the day of your event. 

Basically, we will follow the rehearsal plan! 

Sound & Projector Check Again 

Before people come in the entrance, it’s very important to once again connect all of 

the equipment and check it: wireless headset microphone, projector and laptop, 

music, etc. Then start the Loud music, start the cheerleaders, and open the doors! 

Have Backups! 

It’s very important to have the following backup equipment: 

1. Extra AA batteries for the microphone & extra microphone 

2. Extra iPod/Laptop with the Music Playlists 

3. Extra Laptop with the PowerPoint Slides 

Event Photographer 

Choose your event photographer! You can hire a professional, or choose someone 

from your team. 

During your event, this person will walk around and take pictures constantly: of 

A.J., of attendees, of your team. After your event, please send a copy of the 

pictures to Effortless English and also post these pictures to your own Facebook 

accounts to celebrate your event! 

Recording & Photographs By Attendees 

A.J. has no problem with fans who take pictures or record during your rally! They 

are free to share their pictures and recordings on the internet as they please, so long 

as they do not charge money. We love Effortless English fans! 


After The Event 

Backstage Sanctuary 

After an event A.J. is usually exhausted! He gives all of his energy to the fans and 

he needs to rest after the event! 

For this reason, it’s important to have a private backstage area where A.J. can rest 

during breaks and when the event ends. There must be security at all entrances to 

the backstage area. The backstage area must be a quiet protected area. 

Press Conference 

If members of the media wish to interview A.J. immediately after your event, this 

should be done backstage in the quiet area. A.J. is happy to talk to the media. It’s 

much easier to do in a quiet place! 

Dinner With You and Your Team 

A.J. enjoys having dinner with you and your team after your event. 

Just be aware that he will probably be very tired. Also, his voice is usually very 

weak after an event, so he tries to talk quietly after your event is over. 

A.J. will be happy to have pictures with you and your team as well. Just respect 

that he is tired and needs to rest. 

To Bed As Early As Possible 

After your event, A.J. prefers to eat with the organizing team and then get to bed 

early. He’s usually exhausted after an event. After eating, he prefers to go straight 

back to his hotel for a shower and sleep!! 

Unless he has an early flight, he usually sleeps late the next day too! 

Be aware that his voice is usually weak for a few days after an event. 


After Event Report & Improvement 

An important value of Effortless English is “Constant And Never-ending 

Improvement”. 

Your event was great and now it’s time to report the results and plan how to make 

the next one even better! 

Report To Effortless English 

Please report the following to Effortless English so we can continue working with 

you for your future great events: 

1. Number of Tickets Sold 

How many tickets did you sell How big was your event 

2. Event Successes 

In your opinion, what was successful about your event. Be specific. What worked 

great What was powerful What did the attendees love What did your team 

love 

3. Event Challenges 

There are always problems and challenges! What did not work so well What 

needs improvement 

4. Improvement Plan & Suggestions 

What’s your plan to make the next one even better What specific improvements 

does your team recommend How will you do it differently and better next time 

AJ’s Report 

A.J. will also send you a report. He will also discuss his thought about: Event 

Successes, Event Challenges, and Improvement & Suggestions. 

Together, we constantly and never-endingly improve! 


Random Optional Extras To Think About 

1. Your Fan Club’s Facebook Group 

Create a Facebook Group for your Effortless English Fan Club. Use “Fan Club” in 

your name. Tell everyone who attends about your FB Fan Club group and invite 

them to join! 

2. Twitter #Hashtag For Your Event 

Choose a specific #hashtag for twitter users to use before, during, and after the 

event. For example, a Bangkok Fan Event might use: #effengbkk 

3. Fan Club Meeting After Your Event 

A few days or weeks after your event, have a relaxed social meeting of your fan 

club. Meet at a restaurant, or coffee shop, or park and connect with each other. 

Keep your fan club strong! 

4. Start Planning Your Next Event 

Everything is fresh in your mind-- start planning the next one! Just repeat the 

process. It will be much easier and much better the second time because now you 

have experience!

Fan Club Rally (Event) Organizing Guide - Effortless English

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