Use the instructions in your welcome letter to log into your Women Grow email account so you can set up your email signature.

1. Go to Settings (gear wheel in top left) > General > Signature
2. Copy & Paste the example signature below

YOUR NAME
Women Grow: Your Market | womengrow.com | @womengrow | attend a meeting | join the list

3. Update your title.

4. Save Changes

5. Send an email to [email protected] with your new signature for approval.

Use #womengrow when out and about on social media so you can engage the Women Grow network.

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Women Grow Facebook Group Instructions

Women Grow’s headquarters maintains a Facebook page that promotes our national brand, engages with an international audience, and provides monthly promotion of market meetings and all international events.

Women Grow’s headquarters will create a closed Facebook group for each Market, and the designated Market Leader will be added as an admin. Market Leaders are encouraged to monitor these closed Facebook groups to cultivate their own communities. Closed Facebook groups keep conversations private to members of the group–which is especially important in prohibition or medical-only states.  Even in fully legal states, many people in our network have not “come out of the cannabis closet” we don’t want to force them to do so just to interact with their local peers online. With closed groups, they will be listed as a member of the group, but non-members will not see stories of group content in their newsfeeds.  Anyone can ask to join the group, but they must be approved by an admin. A chart outlining the differences between Public, Closed, and Secret Groups is available at the end of this document.

Additionally, please adhere to the following policy regarding posts on the Market Facebook Group:

Market leaders are encouraged to promote their events on their personal Facebook profiles, but freestanding market pages & websites are not permitted.

Promoting Your Group

1. Promote your group at your events:
   1. Welcome
      1. Join us on Facebook to share stories, photos, ask questions, and to connect with other local industry experts.
   2. At event sign in table

** Download Facebook Group Logo by visiting Google.com and searching for Facebook Group Logo

1. Promote your group on your personal Facebook page.
   1. Involved in the Cannabis Movement? Join our  Facebook Group to share photos, stories, ask questions, and interact with other cannabis industry leaders. 

Insert Group Link:

**Be sure to tag @womengrow and your local group in your post.  

1. Add personal Facebook friends and email contacts by following the steps below.

Encourage Participation

You’ve started the conversation, now keep it going!

1. Like and comment on posts by others to encourage participation.
2. Share updates relevant to your local community, including local news stories and legal developments. Include plenty of visual content and post new material regularly to keep it fresh.
3. In advance of your events, post updates, bios, and pictures of your upcoming speakers. Be sure to tag their businesses so they can gain followers as a result.
4. At meetings, remind attendees that they can connect with their peers through the closed Facebook group. Encourage them to share resources, job openings, and other news relevant to the local network.
5. Share an album of photos to the group after each event.
6. If resources were mentioned at an event, follow up by posting it to the group.
7. Feel free to experiment with items beyond group news — a picture,  a question for the group, an event, a poll, a useful link or file, an anecdote, etc. Try to get members to engage and respond. Ideally, they will be inspired to add their own content to the page.

You can use the Market Leader Facebook group to communicate with your fellow Market Leaders and ask for advice. Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/womengrowchapters/ and click the “Join Group” button.

Note: Only active Market Leaders and their supporting teams that have been submitted on this form will be approved.

Market Leader

The Market Leader sets the tone and content of each meeting for the benefit of all attendees.

Key Responsibilities

• Main point of contact with Women Grow HQ – must be able to respond within one business day to communications.
• Responsible for your market’s @womengrow.com email address and responding within one business day.
• Receives market proceeds monthly & distributes them as agreed upon. Responsible for all income & expense reporting on her personal taxes.
• Signs the Market Leader Agreement & adheres to the Brand Guide. The Market Leader takes ultimate responsibility for her market following these guidelines.
• Recruits speakers for events and coaches them on what to present.
• Publishes the ImpactFlow listing for each event.
• Leads Signature Networking Events (calling attendees to attention, introducing Women Grow to attendees, leading icebreaker, introducing speakers, running Q&A).

Event Coordinator (Optional)

The Event Coordinator is a logistics maven with great instincts on how to create the most effective environment. She uses her previous experience planning events to create a great environment within a modest budget.

Key Responsibilities

• Finds, vets, and secures venues for events.
• Coordinates all event logistics (parking, room set-up, food & beverage).
• Runs event technology (projector, screen, sound system, presentation deck).

Membership Coordinator (Optional)

The Membership Coordinator leads two programs to support the chapter. First, she works with local businesses to sponsor each event. Second, she leads the membership program for the chapter. She has experience in sales and uses those skills to build our network of supporters.

Key Responsibilities

• Finds sponsors for each event to offset costs and collects payment via check, cash, or ImpactFlow. Having the event sponsor pay vendors directly is usually easiest. If you collect via ImpactFlow you will not receive the payment until 2 weeks after the event.
• Promotes Women Grow membership program.
• Reviews & prints attendee lists for each event.
• Provides email signup form for walk-ins and makes sure all collected emails are added to Women Grow email list.
• Greets attendees as they arrive at Signature Networking events and connects attendees.
• Trains & supervises event registration volunteer(s).
• Counts and reconciles all payments received at event. Fills out event payout summary and gives it to Market Leader to report to HQ.

Public Relations Coordinator (Optional)

The Public Relations Coordinator uses her public relations and marketing skills to increase attendance at events and raise awareness of Women Grow locally. She has experience with traditional PR as well as social media. PR is a nuanced, strategic practice. In an industry so often in the public eye, there can be as many potential opportunities as there are pitfalls. She must be able to respond to all press inquiries on the same day.

Key Responsibilities

• Builds & maintains a list of local press.
• Drafts & distributes press releases for launch and then as needed.
• Secures and coordinates media attendance at events.
• Acts as your chapter’s local spokesperson, utilizing talking points and strategies.
• Coordinates all media activity including press outreach, media requests, and local coverage with HQ in advance for approval.
• Takes pictures of each meeting and sends them to [email protected].
• [Optional] Live tweets or instagrams important take-aways from each meeting using her personal account and tagging #womengrow
• [Optional] Creates monthly newsletter to local attendees in ImpactFlow.

Leadership Responsibilities for ALL team members

All team members are expected to:

• Attend all Signature Networking Events while active in the market.
• Adhere to the Women Grow Brand Guide and Women Grow License Agreement.
• Attend leadership team meetings as needed.
• Read all Women Grow materials as released
  • Weekly newsletter
  • Webinars & Video education series
• Keep abreast of general cannabis industry news & local events starting with these resources 

We recommend holding three meetings with your leadership team to prepare your chapter for launch. We love getting together in person at a local coffee shop or living room. Or you can do these by conference call. (Try UberConference if you need a free conference line.)
Reserve 120 minutes to work through the Leadership Meeting agendas and anticipate 2-8 hours of additional work per team member between meetings to accomplish tasks.

Meeting Goals & Roles

The goal of the first leadership meeting is to learn about Women Grow and assign each woman responsibilities.

1. Elect one woman to chair the meeting according to this agenda = Market Leader (for just the meeting today).
2. Elect another person to record notes & action items = Recorder (this responsibility should be moved to a new person each meeting). Record all notes and lists in Google Docs or Spreadsheet and share them with all attendees.

Introductions

Go around the table and say…

• Name
• Why you are interested in the cannabis industry and any experience so far
• Any past experience that is applicable to running professional networking events
• What you want to get out of Women Grow
• What you would like to give to others through Women Grow
• Where you want to be in the cannabis industry in 12 months

Women Grow Overview Presentation

Watch the Women Grow Overview video. [LINK TBD]. You may also print this and give a copy to each chair.

Leadership Team Roles

Read over the leadership team roles and discuss who would like to fulfill each position. If you are missing a required skill set or no one desires one of the roles, discuss who you can contact to fulfill that role and assign one woman to follow up.

ACTION ITEM: Follow up to fill missing leadership team responsibilities. The leadership team should not be larger than 6 members unless the chapter has 100+ monthly attendees. Leadership team information should be promptly submitted via this form.

Brainstorm Venues

One of the more challenging aspects of the Signature Networking events is to find appropriate and free venues. Review the advice on “Choosing a Venue” and then make a list of possible locations.

ACTION ITEM for Event Coordinator: Follow up with venues to find an appropriate fit. Ideally she schedules the third leadership meeting to happen at the venue so the entire team will be familiar with the space.

Attendee Build

Discuss what existing organizations or events you can find potential attendees through. Create a list of important people & organizations to reach out to and assign for follow up. Examples might include:

• Local Drug Policy Organizations: NORML, SSDP, DPA, ASA, MPP
• Meetup Groups on drug policy, social justice, entrepreneurship, women in business, alternative health, medical, etc.
• Searching LinkedIn with keywords like cannabis, medical marijuana, plant medicine, etc.
• Using your personal facebook, twitter, or instagram account to find people interested in these topics and ask them for their email address to invite to a meeting. (Starting a chapter-specific twitter or instagram account is not allowed.)
• Cannabis industry events & organizations
• Cannabis businesses
• Entrepreneurship events & education
• Related industry events (alternative health, medical, agricultural)
• Women’s groups

ACTION ITEM for Market Leader: Reach out to existing organizations, introduce Women Grow, and ask them how to connect with their network.

Feel free to use these examples:

Sample Attendee Invite Sample Kickoff Email

Next you’ll pull from your personal network to recruit attendees to events.

ACTION ITEM for ALL: Come to the next meeting with the names & email addresses of at least 20 people that you can personally invite to attend your first event.

Public Relations

The Public Relations Coordinator will ask for any information they need to draft the first press release.

ACTION ITEM for Public Relations Coordinator: Using the template provided draft the first press release to review at the next leadership meeting.

Account Setup

ACTION ITEM for ALL: Each person should complete the following instructions:

• “Follow Women Grow Online”
• “Join the Chapter Chair Facebook Group”
• [Optional] “How to Order Your Business Cards”
• Watch all the free Women Grow videos 
• Start watching the paid Women Grow content series. Refer to your Welcome Letter to obtain the code for free access.

Meeting Goals & Roles

The goal of the second leadership meeting is to plan the first Signature Networking Event and assign all tasks to launch.

1. Elect one woman to chair the meeting according to this agenda = Market Leader (for the meeting).
2. Elect another person to record notes & action items = Recorder (this responsibility should be moved to a new person each meeting). Record all notes and lists in Google Docs or Spreadsheet and share them with all attendees.

Introductions

If you have any new chairs, please have them introduce themselves with the following:

• Name
• Why you are interested in the cannabis industry and any experience so far
• Any past experience that is applicable to running great events
• What you hope to get out of Women Grow
• What you hope to give to others through Women Grow
• Where you hope to be in the cannabis industry in 12 months

For everyone else, go around the room and start with a “trinity”.

1. A Brag: Something you did or created that you’re proud of (could be as large as landing a major speaker or as small as getting to this meeting during a hectic week).
2. A Gratitude: Something you are grateful for.
3. A Desire: Something you wish to make happen.

Brainstorm Speakers

Who are the top experts in the cannabis movement or industry that you can recruit to speak at your first three meetings? At least 2/3rds of your speakers should be women or people of color. Here are some suggestions of where to start:

• Peruse the Women Grow Speaker’s Bureau to see if any speakers are in your area, and request an introduction. You’ll see the types of experts we encourage you to find there.
• List the mentors and role models you’ve found so far in the cannabis industry.
• List any female cannabis entrepreneurs you know.
• List subject-matter experts that are working with cannabis clients: lawyers, medical professionals, marketers, or accountants.
• List anyone you know working in the cannabis industry that like to share their knowledge.
• Local elected officials.

Keep in mind that although we encourage you to discuss policy at the meetings, we are not a political action group. Please work very closely with HQ if you’d like to invite a lobbyist or political activist to speak at your event. Rank the speakers you have listed into A, B, & C groups:

1. These are your A-list prospects. They are sought after speakers with an expertise that will drive attendees.
2. These are speakers who have an expertise that will draw a crowd, but are not well-known.
3. Backup of speakers that are not high priority or could be added to a panel of speakers, but not as a stand-alone topic. (This is often where speakers with a very specific expertise end up like Trademark Law. Trademark law is important in cannabis but it isn’t the most important so you’d probably have a dozen speakers with more prominent issues before you schedule this one.)

ACTION ITEM for Market Leader: Selects the top 10 speakers you would like to schedule for the first three months of meetings and submits a request. HQ will vet your list and offer suggestions. Afterwards the Market Leader should reach out to the approved speakers to schedule.

Brainstorm Sponsors

The Membership Coordinator leads a brainstorming of companies they should ask to sponsor meetings. Create a list of potential sponsors who can make a warm introduction between the business owner and the Membership Coordinator.

ACTION ITEM for Membership Coordinator: Reaches out to the top prospects and secures sponsors for the first 1-3 meetings.

What to Do With Revenue Discussion

The Market Leader receives half of all ticket sales (when at least 10 tickets are sold). Review the “What To Do With Revenue” section with the leadership team and make a plan for what you’d like to do for the first 6 months.

Brainstorm Press

The Public Relations Coordinator leads a brainstorming of local press & bloggers that they can engage to promote or attend the event.

ACTION ITEM for Public Relations Coordinator: Send list of possible press members to [email protected] for approval & advice.

Finalize Venue

Finalize the venue you will use for your first event. The event coordinator should share the logistics of the space:

• Parking & arrival instructions (how to get into building, do we need signage to direct attendees?)
• What A/V will be available (mic?, projector?, computer?)
• How to control the A/C or heat (many buildings turn off their A/C after hours, check how you can control it now)
• How the room will be set up: ideally you have a space for networking and another space with chairs for sitting. Once you make chairs available people will sit instead of network so you want to do whatever you can to prevent them from sitting before the speaker starts.
• Who is responsible for bringing each piece of the “Required Meeting Supplies”

Public Relations

Review the drafted press release and make any changes.

ACTION ITEM for Public Relations Coordinator: Sends press release to [email protected] for approval.

Send Your Signature Networking Event Details

ACTION ITEM for Market Leader: Fill out the First Signature Event Form so that HQ can create your first ImpactFlow landing page. Leadership team information should be promptly submitted via this form.

Meeting Goals & Roles

The goal of the third leadership meeting is for the Market Leader to lead the rehearsal of the first Signature Networking Event.

Elect another person to record notes & action items = Recorder (this responsibility should be moved to a new person each meeting). Record all notes and lists in Google Docs or Spreadsheet and share them with all attendees.

Introductions

If you have any new attendees, please have them introduce themselves with the following:

• Name
• Why you are interested in the cannabis industry and any experience so far
• Any past experience that is applicable to running great events
• What you hope to get out of Women Grow
• What you hope to give to others through Women Grow
• Where you hope to be in the cannabis industry in 12 months

Meeting Rehearsal

The Market Leader verbally walks through the logistics of the first meeting and rehearses everything that will be said to attendees.

1. Review “Day of Event” steps and clarify who will do each task.
2. Walk through where attendees will park and how they will enter the building (check if directional signage is needed).
3. Decide how attendees will be greeted and registered. Document what the registration volunteer(s) should say:
   1. “Welcome to the Women Grow Signature Networking Event. Have you registered for tonight’s event yet?”
      1. If yes: “What name should I look for?” Check-off name
      2. If no: “No problem, please write down your name & email address here and the cost of the meeting is $30 cash.”
   2. “Please go ahead and fill out a name tag, we’re asking for your name, something you offer to other attendees and something you’re looking for.”
   3. It’s open networking now and then the speaker will start around #:##PM. The bathrooms are _____________. Refreshments are _______________. Let me know if you have any questions.
4. Market Leader practices bringing the attendees to attention (this is a great time to practice with the sound system if possible).
5. Market Leader introduces herself, her leadership team, and previews who the speaker will be.
6. Market Leader leads the Women Grow presentation.
7. Market Leader introduces meeting sponsor.
8. [Pretend sponsors speaks for a few minutes]
9. Market Leader leads icebreaker activity (chairs should act as participants).
10. Market Leader introduces speaker.
11. [Pretend speaker has spoken]
12. Market Leader leads Q&A
13. Market Leader encourages attendees to network for the next hour with something like “We will have only been successful in our jobs of creating a networking event if YOU follow-up with someone you meet here tonight. I’ve received a ton of business cards in my life and less than 5% of people I meet actually follow-up. Your net worth is determined by your network so take this time to grow both!”

Review ImpactFlow

The Market Leader will review the ImpactFlow for the event with the team. She should share with the team how to access ImpactFlow, check sales, and print attendee lists.

Review Public Relations Talking Points

The Public Relations Coordinator reviews common Q&A about Women Grow with the team so they can answer any questions that may come their way.

Invite Attendees

Action Item for ALL: Send a personal email to the 20+ contacts you each submitted after the first Leadership Event. Include the ImpactFlow link and ask them to purchase tickets.
ACTION ITEM for Market Leader: Follow-up with any organizations that were open to promoting your event to their network with the registration link & details. Leadership team information should be promptly submitted via this form.

The Market Leader will receive 50% of event associated revenue (adjusted for cash collected at the door.) All payments will be issued to a single social security number or Tax ID but may be distributed however you wish. Expect your early meetings to be small; there won’t be much revenue to worry about. As your attendance builds you may want to spend some revenue on:

• Meeting supplies (name tags, clip boards, paper, ink)
• Promotional postcards or event fliers
• Meeting materials (table runner or banner)
• A/V Equipment
• Food & Beverage for the meeting
• Taking the leadership team to the spa, outing, dinner, or a development day
• Paying to attend or sponsor other cannabis events
• Lining your own pockets! (seriously)

The Market Leader is responsible for all taxes on the revenue she receives. 

If you haven’t been an independent contractor before and are unfamiliar with 1099 procedures, please read about them here.

TIP

Some Market Leaders have drastically overestimated how much revenue they expect events to bring in and spent thousands on their first few events. Let your event build organically and improve over time. You don’t need to have every bell and whistle for the first meeting. You can always upgrade your event with food or a better location but it’s much harder to downgrade if you create an environment you can’t pay for.

If possible, invite your sponsors to pay vendors directly, e.g. sponsor pay $500 to the event establishment for venue, vendors pays caterer $100 directly, etc.

Consider using a software program like Expensify for tracking Market finances. Additionally, download a sample Balance Sheet template here, and learn what these are used for!

Your primary qualifier for your early meeting spaces is FREE. Work your and leadership team connections to find someone with a space that will give it to you.

Tip: Schedule your final Leadership Team Meeting at the venue so the team is familiar with the space. If not available, schedule a walk-through with as many team members as possible.

Your Venue Budget:

Hopefully you can find a free venue for your first events, especially as these early events tend to be small. Venues must be publicly accessible locations, not private residences. Once your events exceed 40 people, you’€™ll need spaces with A/V (microphone & speakers) and then you can start spending small amounts for venue. You can also sell a local sponsorship to cover the cost of your venue or a beverage minimum.

Tip: Have the sponsor pay the venue directly so you don’€™t have to handle those payments at all. (Otherwise you can create a sponsorship ticket on Eventbrite and you’ll receive the funds 21 days after the event in your payout.)

A message about cannabis consumption:

Signature Networking Events are professional networking events. You must follow your local cannabis consumption laws. Illegal consumption is in violation of your chapter affiliate agreement. Indoor use of combustibles is strictly discouraged, look for venues with outdoor access when possible.

Small Spaces (6-49 Participants & Free)

• Libraries & Community Centers
• Offices of Companies in the Cannabis Industry or Supporters of the Industry (Law Offices, Accounting Firms, App Developers, Manufacturers, Dispensaries)
• Restaurants & Bars with Private Rooms

Medium Spaces (50-99 Participants & Less Than $250)

Look for spaces with built-in A/V (mic & speakers) and seating for your guests. The best spaces have separate rooms for mingling and sitting & listening to speakers.

• Yoga or Fitness Class Studios
• Meeting & Office Room Rentals
• Co-Working Spaces
• Community Spaces
• Offices of Companies in the Cannabis Industry or Supporters of the Industry (Law Offices, Accounting Firms, App Developers, Manufacturers, Dispensaries)
• Restaurants & Bars with Private Rooms
• Art Galleries & Lounges

Large Spaces (100+ Participants & $250+)

You’ll need a stage and directed lighting for events of this size.

• Wedding & Party Hall Rentals
• Theatre & Seminar Venues
• College & School Hall Rentals
• Restaurants & Bars with Private Rooms

Cash box/change/ImpactFlow card reader

Email signup with clipboard and pen for walk-in attendees (If you have a way of collecting this information on a tablet or laptop computer, feel free to do so.)

Event Summary Form

Name tags

Signage

A great event is an easy event! Keep your food & beverage simple for your events. In our experience, events that serve primarily women need less food & alcoholic drinks than events with more men.

Beverages

• As your events get larger, venues with cash bars will keep your costs low.
• We recommend making water available for free at all events.
• We encourage creative non-alcoholic drinks. You may want to find a drink sponsor to provide beverages in kind.

Tip: Have the sponsor pay the venue directly so you don’€™t have to handle those payments at all. (Otherwise you can use the sponsorship tickets on ImpactFlow and you’ll receive the funds in your event payout.)

Food

• Do NOT serve cannabis-infused food.
• Offer a larger quantity of a smaller number of food options. People tend to go down the line and try one serving of each food option. The less options, the less food will be consumed.
• Label food whenever possible. Note Vegan, Vegetarian, and Nut or Gluten Free options.

Your goal is to schedule your speakers and topics three months out.

START SIMPLE: 1 Role Model Speaking About Her Journey

THEN TRY EDUCATION: What Do Newcomers Need to Know Right Now?

• Current or upcoming cannabis laws in your area.
• How to apply for a cannabis business license in your state.
• How to hire or how to get hired.
• Medical or scientific information about cannabis.

The difference between educating and selling…

TRY A PANEL: Draws a Crowd

• Draws a larger audience when panel members invite their friends or have local credibility.
• Allows you to feature more role models for your chapter.
• Encourages diverse perspectives on a topic (don’t choose speakers that all agree with each other!)
• Makes nervous speakers more comfortable to not be alone on stage.

• Takes much longer than a single speaker, you’ll want to budget about 10 minutes per panelist.
• Requires an energetic & informed moderator.
• Requires multiple microphones. We don’t recommend having more than 4 panelists plus a moderator.
• Harder to control multiple speakers.
• Requires more work on the Chairwoman’s part to coordinate with multiple speakers.

1. Choose panelists with different perspectives and expertise.
2. Write ~5 questions that you will ask the panelists. Give them to the panelists to prepare answers about 2 weeks in advance.
3. Make sure to posts each panelist’s bio & headshot on the event page. It will help you draw a larger crowd.

1. Have each panelist introduce themselves at the beginning of the panel. No one wants to hear a moderator read long bios.
2. Keep your energy high and the mood light. Small jokes help.
3. Refer to the panelists and their businesses by name frequently. Unless you have signage that labels each speaker, the audience will need reminders of who is who.

The password to access the Vimeo is “womengrow”

Training Tuesday – Selecting Strategic Topics & Moderating Expert Speakers from Women Grow on Vimeo.

Use the password “womengrow” to watch this training. Start at 8 minutes and 30 seconds to jump right into the content.

0:00 Welcome and Local Event Brags

7:30 Team Introductions

8:00 Grounded Breathes

8:30 Training Start

9:00 How to Select Speakers

16:00 Educational Vs. Sponsor/Promotional Speakers

20:00 How to Ask Speakers to Appear

25:00 Event Format 1: Female Role Model

28:00 Event Format 2: Education

30:00 Event Format 3: Panel

34:00 Panel Moderation Structure & Deep Dive with Q&A

45:00 How to Describe Your Events to Increase Attendance

51:00 Mixer Activities for Signature Networking Events

1:10:00 Q&A

Ticket payments are collected via ImpactFlow, as are Sponsorships not paid directly to venues, caterers, etc. Once ImpactFlow ticket sales are complete, you may collect ticket payments (cash or via ImpactFlow card reader) at the door. At the end of your event, or by the following morning, please submit your Event Summary. By submitting at the end of your event or the next morning, the information will be fresh in your mind, and your payment will be prompt. Payments will be issued at the end of the month, provided your form submission is on time.

Submitting your Event Summary late will roll your payment into the following month and delay our Accounting procedures.

Chairwoman

• Check your @womengrow.com email address and respond to any last minute attendee questions.
• Remind speakers of arrival times, directions, parking, agenda, etc.
• Read Chapter Announcements sent from [email protected]. You should print them or put them on your smartphone to read them at your event.
• Practice with the mic bringing attendees to attention and introducing your team & the speakers. Practicing what you’€™re going to say will help your speaking go more smoothly and allow you to make adjustments for sound.
• Keep an eye on the time to ensure the event follows the agenda.

Event Chair

• Arrive at least 1 hour before the event.
• Take control of the A/C or heat if possible. The room should be on the colder side before filling with warm bodies.
• Set up event signage (check Graphics & Logo section well in advance for event signage options).
• Set up event technology (projector, screen, sound system, presentation deck). Load the Women Grow Presentation Deck if there is a projector available. You can add slides with your local sponsors & event details (ex. WiFi password.)
• Set up the room furniture for networking & speaking. Ideally, you have a space for networking and another space with chairs for sitting. Once you make chairs available people will sit instead of network so you want to do whatever you can to prevent them from sitting before the speaker starts.
• Set up or coordinate food & beverage.
• Make sure trash cans are available. Check that restrooms are clean & stocked. Post signs to direct participants to restrooms if needed.
• Collect Lost & Found items at the end of the event.

Membership Chair

• Print attendee lists for check-in. (If you’€™re unable to check for new purchases at the event you can stop online ticket sales after you print the guest lists and offer cash only tickets at the door.)
• AND/OR Log into your ImpactFlow account on the app to use it for checking in attendees. You can log in multiple devices under your ImpactFlow account in the app.
• Print attendee name tag templates (download it ahead of time from the Graphics & Logo section).
• Print an email signup form (download it ahead of time from the Graphics & Logo section) for attendees who walk in with cash.
• Bring change for cash payments and something to store the cash.
• Greet event registration volunteers and train them to check in attendees.

Public Relations Chair

• Greet media attendees at events.
• Take pictures of each meeting for social media. Send the best pics to [email protected]
• Get ready to live tweet or Instagram important take-aways from each event using your personal account & tagging #womengrow
• Coordinate to broadcast speakers live using Periscope with a personal twitter account. Tag #womengrow to be mentioned by National.

After your event has completed, take the time to promptly enter your attendee information into this form.

Doing so in a timely manner will ensure that you get paid quickly, and Women Grow can keep accurate records.

Signature Networking Events are professional networking events and consumption is not permitted.

For social events, indoor use of combustibles is not permitted.

You must follow your local cannabis consumption laws. Illegal consumption is in violation of your chapter affiliate agreement.

*If capacity and event time permits, there can be more than 1 of each sponsor level.

Download our Become a Sponsor PDF to print or send to sponsorship leads.

Use this handy checklist to ensure that your networking event ImpactFlow page is fully updated each month to reflect venue, speaker, agenda, and sponsors.

Adding in a Sponsor’s information is very similar to adding in a Speaker (see above module).

Please keep Sponsor logos small in the Description.

Hyperlink the name of the company to their website:

Images can also be hyperlinks if you select EDIT while hovering over the image and enter the information as follows:

These pricing guidelines are intended to get you started, and you are only limited by your creativity. Tickets should not be priced lower than $15 for members, and $25 for non-members. Sponsorship packages that involve Headquarters fulfilment must be approved a minimum of two weeks in advance of your event. All sponsorship packages require a sponsorship agreement.

*If capacity and event time permits, there can be more than 1 of each sponsor level.

Tickets for Women Grow events are non-refundable, although they may be eligible for transfer to a different individual or subsequent month’s event.

Use password “womengrow” to watch the PR Training.

PR Best Practices from Women Grow on Vimeo.

The National PR Director is your primary resource for media relations support and guidance. Capabilities include:

• Drafting and distribution of press releases & media advisories
• Requests from media for comment on behalf of Women Grow
• Requests from media for additional information on Women Grow
• Interview support including best practices and talking points
• Fact checking requests

If you have an event you would like to promote, please contact the National PR Director as soon as event details are finalized to determine the best plan of action.

The Women Grow message is most impactful when we coordinate our verbiage, messaging, and strategies. To maximize chapters’ PR efforts and provide appropriate support, Women Grow requires all related media outreach and inquiry responses to be vetted and approved by the national office, through the PR Director. Please submit all information for review to [email protected] and copy [email protected]. Items should be submitted to National for approval by or before the deadlines listed here. We will make every effort to respond with edits and/or approval within 2 business days of your initial request.

• Chapter launch press release: submit 5 weeks in advance of distribution
• Additional written media materials including releases, advisories, and advertising copy: 2 weeks in advance of distribution
• Inbound requests from media for information, interviews, or event attendance (credentials): ASAP within 24 hours of initial request

Chapter Chairs are required to draft and distribute a chapter launch release in advance of the chapter’s first event. To get started on crafting your chapter press release, please refer to this Media Sample. Replace the bracketed information in the sample release to reflect the particulars of your meeting, and update as needed. Once your press release has been approved by Women Grow National you may distribute it to your local media contacts.

To maximize impact, please plan your launch release around the following timeline:

6 weeks in advance of event

– Finalize event details & draft release

5 weeks in advance of event

– Submit release to National for approval

4 weeks in advance of event (after event goes live on Eventbrite)

– Distribute release to media

2 weeks in advance of event

– Follow up on release to remind media of event

– Distribute event invitations as needed

1 week – 3 days in advance of event

– Finalize media attendance

All materials should follow the press release and media advisory templates provided, and must be approved by the national office before being distributed to local media. The boilerplate at the bottom of the release and national media contact information should not be altered and should be included at the end of all media outreach. Please consult with the National PR Director to determine when and how to promote subsequent events based on your goals.

Your first outreach to a media contact should be an individual email that opens with an introduction and information about your role and a brief overview of Women Grow and a link to our website. Individual outreach is always preferable, but to save time, you may consider blasting press releases to established contacts with all addresses BCC’ed (blind copied). Never blast press releases with your contacts in the CC field. Also, do not add media to your mailing list without express permission.

In-person interactions add dimension to your existing media relationships. Once you have established rapport with a member of the local media, politely request a brief “deskside” where you go to their office to meet, or offer to meet them for a coffee or lunch. Make sure to bring ideas and information that you feel would be of interest based on their prior coverage, and ask questions about their interests and upcoming storylines. Be prepared to make a compelling pitch about why they should cover Women Grow. Respect your contact’s time and schedule. In-person meetings will be quick, and you should always be prepared to offer a compelling news item. Meeting media in person can be intimidating, but it is an excellent opportunity to refine your pitching skills and better learn the media landscape in your market.

Following up is key to successful media relations. If you haven’t heard from your contacts, follow up individually with key details or compelling new info about the event. Possible areas to highlight include: number of attendees (if significant or sold out), topics for discussion at the meeting, additional info on speakers, notable attendees, and anything else that might be interesting or newsworthy. Limit your follow up email to three key points that were not detailed in your initial email.

Follow up to thank media who attended or covered your event within 24 hours to keep the dialogue open. Offer to answer additional questions and keep the door open for future correspondence. Handwritten thank you notes are a nice and rarely seen touch that will help ensure media remember you. Always enclose your business card.

Be relentless (but not annoying). Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get coverage. Be friendly but persistent and respect deadlines. If your contact declines an opportunity, move on to someone else. Keep in mind that you may not receive a reply at all–it happens all the time.

Even if it’s not directly related to your Women Grow events, consider sharing newsworthy developments and tips with your media contacts. They’ll appreciate you effort to engage them beyond your own pitch. Offer yourself and the Women Grow network as a resource for future cannabis industry coverage.

Media may ask to attend your event or interview you and other chapter leaders and members for cannabis industry stories. We also encourage you to invite media to attend your signature networking events, especially if they have helped you publicize the meeting or are planning coverage of the event or of Women Grow. Please ensure that complimentary access is granted only to credible media. Credible contacts should be on your radar already, or it should be easy to locate recently published work on Google.

Perform a search on all media who request to attend your events; not only will you be able to determine if their coverage is likely to be favorable based on past coverage of the politics and business of cannabis, but you will be better prepared to engage with this person and share relevant information.

Be cautious of self-described industry “bloggers.” Though there are many well-regarded online news resources, there are many more that are poorly written, biased, and published without fact checking or editing. Review all bloggers’ websites to understand their perspective and their impact. To determine the unique monthly views a website receives, go to www.compete.com or reference the number of comments and level of social media engagement. If you have any uncertainties about a media contact, please connect with National Chapter Development or PR for guidance.

All inbound requests for media credentials (complimentary access) should be shared with National before they are approved to ensure that credentials will be utilized for balanced coverage in reputable outlets. All media attendance should be confirmed by the morning of the event and must be reported to National in advance of or immediately after the event to ensure appropriate follow-up.

Once you have determined you have a legitimate media person you would like in attendance at your meeting, please manually enter them as an attendee in Eventbrite and note them on your Chapter Payout Summary.

When you confirm media attendance, establish yourself as your contact’s point person on-site and ask them to find you when they arrive so you can answer questions and facilitate introductions. To respect the privacy and interests of attendees, media attendance should be openly disclosed by chapter leadership or the journalist herself.

Out of consideration for deadlines, please respond to media inquiries as soon as possible (within 24 hours). Timing is critical to media relations–journalists are often on tight deadlines and will quickly find another source or move on to another story. Positioning yourself as a responsive, reliable source often results in further opportunities. If your chapter has a dedicated PR resource, please establish them as your point of contact for media. After initial outreach, immediately contact the National office to assess the opportunity and collaborate on an appropriate response and next steps.

To ensure the quickest response from the National office, submit relevant details about media inquiries via the Women Grow Contact form, selecting “Media Inquiry” from the dropdown.

Please also notify Women Grow of any anticipated or new coverage for your chapter. Before sharing any stories or mentions on your Chapter Facebook Group or other public platform, please provide Women Grow National with a link or PDF scan of the coverage. Email press clips to [email protected] and copy [email protected]. We will help amplify and celebrate positive PR or determine a best response in the unlikely event of unfavorable media attention. Please check with National before requesting corrections or changes to determine the appropriate response.

Media Contact:

Susannah Grossman

[email protected]

832.771.8240

Women Grow Press Kit

Media requests to photograph or capture film/audio of your event should be confirmed in advance and disclosed to attendees. Out of respect for those attending the event, we respect the right of individuals not to be included in publicly distributed images. Photographers and broadcast teams must provide a release upon check-in or seek the permission of those prominently featured in the image.

For image requests of your event, select a clear, high-resolution (at least 300 dpi) photograph that you own or are permitted to distribute, that best represents the event. Some outlets will not accept photos taken on smart phones. For more topical images, please refer all requests to National. We have ownership of a wide selection of media-ready images that we can provide.

Use Canva.com for your event flyers and materials below.

Signature Networking Event Flyer

Social Media Promo – Facebook/Instagram Post

Facebook  Group/Event Cover

Thank You Card

Letterhead

Partnership Opportunities Deck

Women Grow Brand Style Guide for Canva

Women Grow Logo Master JPG for online use (click below, logo file will open in a new window for download)

JPEG LOGO MASTER WHITE 

JPEG LOGO MASTER RED

Women Grow Logo Master PNG for online use (Transparent Backgrounds)

 PNG LOGO COLOR- TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND

 PNG LOGO WHITE- TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND

Women Grow Logo with Tagline Master PDF Vector for Print

PDF COLOR VECTOR FILE

PDF WHITE VECTOR FILE

Women Grow Signature Networking Events Logo Master PNG for online use

(click below, logo file will open in a new window for download)

PNG LOGO COLOR – TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND

PNG LOGO WHITE – TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND

Signature Networking Events Wordmark Logo Master

 PNG LOGO COLOR- TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND

 PNG LOGO WHITE- TRANSPARENT BACKGROUND

Name Badge Template for Inkjet Printing on Avery Labels – 8 labels per page

You can purchase blank Avery labels at most office supply stores or from the following links to Staples:

Avery Labels Eco-friendly White

Avery Labels White

Name Tags Example

Email Signup Sheet  (click button below, logo file will open in a new window for download)

3″ Round Sticker Together We Have More Power

Vendor – StandOutStickers.com

2″ x 2″ Custom Glitter Temporary Tattoos

Order from this vendor

Tattoo Front 2″ x 2″

Tattoo Back 2″ x 2″

If you have a projector at your meetings you can use the following presentation to talk about Women Grow. Usually about half of your attendees are new to meetings and this will help let them know what resources are available to help them.

Women Grow Overview Presentation Deck PDF

Women Grow Overview Presentation Deck PowerPoint

,

Women Grow Overview Presentation Deck Keynote

Women Grow Keynote Theme For Mac Zip File Keynote

The master art files are specific to the requirements of the vendors below. Please do not alter master art files or use with other vendors without approval.

Women Grow Table Runner 30″ x 72″

Approx $74 Order from this vendor HERE.

Women Grow Premium Table Runner 34″ x 84″

Approx $125 Order from this vendor HERE.

Cornerstone Membership Table Runner 30″ x 72″

Approx $74 Order from this vendor HERE.

The master art files are specific to the requirements of the vendors below. Please do not alter master art files or use with other vendors without approval.

NEW 24″ x 80″ Retractable Standup Networking Event Banner (Slimmer, Tighter, More Portable, Easier To Manage)

Approx $165 – Order from this vendor HERE.

Horizontal Rally/Picnic/Parade Banner 24″ x 72″

$36 With Grommets & Sewing from this Vendor HERE

the-lanyard-factory.com

4″ x 6″ Thank You Cards for Print use

Order from this vendor HERE.

Thank You Card FRONT

Thank You Card BACK

Thank You Card FRONT SPOT GLOSS (optional)

Password is womengrow

With the password “womengrow” (all lower-case) please see the following video tutorial on how to use Canva:

CanvaTraining from Women Grow on Vimeo.