HOSTING

HOSTING an OTOA Performance Technique & Training Workshop

Thank you for considering the possibility of hosting an OTOA Performance Technique & Training (PTT)™ workshop in your community.

Before reading any further, I think it’s important look at this document as talking points for beginning a CREATIVE PROCESS and a dialogue. The goal is to design a rewarding workshop with an enjoyable preparation process that it that fits within your interests, schedule, timeline, geography, climate, and resources. And we will do all this OTOA-style: One Thought and One Action [-item] at a time ~smile!

OVERVIEW

Below you’ll find an overview for things to consider when hosting an OTOA PTT Workshop in your area.

This document focuses entirely on the practical costs, scheduling, and planning of an OTOA PTT Workshop.

For information on the benefits of OTOA PTT and what to expect during a workshop, please refer to the website, www.OneThoughtOneAction.com, and follow the links to the PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUE & TRAINING page.

A FEW BASIC THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN HOSTING

One of the practical goals in bringing a workshop to your community is to have all associated costs and expenses for the workshop covered.

This total budget of expenses will be something that we will consider when setting the pricing per person for the workshop, and when determining how many participants will be needed to cover the budget.

Each community (city, town, country) has a variety of factors that will also be considered when determining the workshop pricing and number of participants.

All that said, I encourage us not to get too hung up on the numbers and dollars, and to keep our creative energy alert for possibilities.

There may be ways for us to lower costs by harnessing resources, asking favors, or barter for the things we need (such as: offering a free workshop in exchange for workshop space, or in exchange for my housing, or in exchange for assisting me during the workshop, and/or, there is the possibility that an in-kind (tax-deductible) contribution of good and services can be contributed if made through my not-for-profit company, GF&CO

BASIC EXPENSES/NEEDS INCLUDE:

· Airfare, housing (with a kitchen, a quiet, private room, with Wi-Fi, without pets), and approximately $25 a day for food

· Local transportation, to and from the airport, to and from the workshop location, and to and from grocery stores

· Space Rental (unless space is contributed gratis)

· Marketing (See NOTES ON MARKETING BELOW) *

· Workshop Materials & Xeroxing: approx. $75-$100 for a workshop of five participants.

· A stipend for the Host: Hosts also receive the workshop gratis as part of their remuneration.

· A workshop assistant. Assistants receive the workshop gratis as part of their remuneration—often this is their remuneration. If an additional fee is required, the amount can be discussed and then added to the fee for all paying participants so as to cover the assistants fee.

PRACTICAL WORKSHOP/SEMINAR NEEDS:

· Space for the workshop: a dance or yoga space, or gymnasium, large rehearsal room that is well ventilated with space enough for students to move freely.

MY RESPONSIBILITIES IN PREPARING FOR THE WORKSHOP

It will be my responsibility

* To create a dedicated webpage for the workshop on the OneThoughOneAction.com website.

* To VET all applicants (whether thru Google, FB or though the Host(s), and to have the final say on respectfully accepting/rejecting all applicants.

* To manage registration, send payment instructions, confirm payment, and send out all preparation information to each participant before the workshop.

* To provide the Host(s) with MARKETING MATERIALS such as:

A draft of an email that the host can send to their contacts (with live links to a dedicated workshop webpage)

A Brief Text with an Image and a live link to the dedicated workshop webpage), which can be used as a Phone-Text, Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Instagram, WHAT’S APP, -etc.

A PDF version of Flyer that can be printed out by the host and posted or distributed locally-- in location as the Hosts discretion (we can discuss locations if the host is unsure)

A digital version of the Flyer that can be posted as an Article on LinkedIn, etc.

THE HOST(S) RESPONSIBILITIES IN PREPARING FOR THE WORKSHOP:

It will be the responsibility of the host(s):

· To find an appropriate space for the workshop to take place, for the dates/times agreed upon

· To find/provide housing for me (see ABOVE for housing needs)

· To find an assisting who will commit to the entire workshop, plus prep, set up and strike for each day It is best if this is someone interested in the workshop who will assist me in exchange for participating in the workshop gratis. (For WORKSHOP ASSISTANT’S DUTIES the bottom of this document)

· To Promote & Market the workshop: Please see the list ABOVE for MARKETING MATERIALS that I am responsible for providing to the Host(s) AND my NOTES ON MARKING BELOW for best strategies for promotion.

· To secure a commitment from the minimum number of participants (normally between 5-10 people depending on what we determine ahead of time). A “commitment” means that your contact has sent me a Registration Email and pre-paid to secure their spot in the workshop.

NOTES ON MARKING:

After many years, it has been my experience that the best form of marketing for all OTOA Workshops is word-of-mouth in the form of personal invitations. I highly recommend that the Host(s) think about their marketing strategy in this way.

Word-of-mouth includes personal invitations by email, text, social media, LinkedIn, etc. where the Host(s) has an opportunity to share either their own experience with OTOA or, our friendship/colleagueship/relationship, or their own personal interest in this course of study.

Follow-up’s, by the Host(s) will need to be scheduled, based upon a timeline that we can establish together.

PRICING

Pricing for the workshop will be determined upon a combination of the total budget for all associated costs, plus other particular considerations unique to your community and location, as discussed ABOVE in A FEW BASIC THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN HOSTING

PLANNING A WORKSHOP:

If your workshop requires me to travel by airplane to your location, it is advised to begin planning 3-4 months in advance.

SELECTING & DESIGNING A SCHEDULE FOR A WORKSHOP or SEMINAR:

Some workshop formats include: a one, or two, or three-day workshop, or as a 5-Day Intensive, or as a 6-10 Week Master Class.

The length of a single workshop-day/weekend is usually 5-1/2 hours. However, a single introduction seminar can be from 90 minutes to 2 hours in length.

CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

The bare minimum of participants for a workshop is 5 people, creating a productive and creative group dynamic.

The class limit is 15 participants, which can be very engaging, lively, and stimulating, more financially beneficial for the budget, but, depending on workshop -length, a larger group means less individualized attention.

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS:

At this stage of OTAO CLP’s Development, I am prepared to forfeit a fee for myself if my expenses can be covered, and I am also happy to stay in the home of the host, or similar (as long as there are no pets, a private, quiet bedroom with Wi-Fi, and the use of a fully equipped kitchen).

If I am traveling a long distance by plane, I will want to arrive at a minimum of 2 days before the workshop-- and it would be lovely if I could stay at least 1-2 days afterward the workshop (or more if schedules and housing will allow).

Once again, this document is meant as a way to begin our conversation for creating the most beneficial workshop with the least stress and the most joy.

Thank you again for considering the possibility of hosting an OTOA PTT workshop in your community.

If you have any further questions or considerations, please feel free to contact me at Gia4akis@gmail.com.

With Joy & Inspiration & Grace

Gia Forakis

OTOA Founder & Master Teacher