To celebrate the construction of a new building, many business owners and developers will throw a "groundbreaking" ceremony. The groundbreaking is purely symbolic and is intended to build enthusiasm within the community about the new building. It gives the developers and business owners a chance to explain why the new building will be an asset. Invitations to a ground breaking can be sent on a mass scale by issuing a press release to a local paper, or by addressing personal groundbreaking ceremony invitations to select guests.
Creating the Invitation
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Invite Your Guest Directly
Invite your guest. The first line of your groundbreaking ceremony invitation should get right to the point, "You are invited to attend the groundbreaking of the our new building."
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Include the Specifics
Insert anything that will be unique about the ceremony. For example, "Please join us to celebrate the dawn of green building." Or, "Our new building, scheduled to open in January of 2012 will be an environmentally-efficient space." These are examples of what type of information can be included to make an invitation more appealing to those receiving it.
Specify the Date and Time
Include the place and time. Also, include any details guests should know about attending the event. For example, if they should dress casually, or wear boots, as the site may be muddy.
Sign Off and Request RSVP as Appropriate
Sign the invitation and include if a RSVP is required. If so, make sure to clearly indicate to whom and by when the response must be made.
Cite Special Instructions
Add any special instructions about the groundbreaking or event. For example, where attendees can find ample parking.
Extending the Invitation
Construct Your Guest List
Send select individuals invitations. These invitations are more expensive and should be sent to specific guests, not to the general public. Print, or hire a professional to print your invitation wording on the heavy, card stock. Select a paper color that matches your business logo or theme. Copy centers in Office Depot, Office Max and Kinko's will print your invitation and insert the specified border and graphics for you.
Place the invitation in a sturdy, perfectly-sized envelope. Print labels to stick to the address fields on the envelope. One label must include your business name and address, and the other will include the recipient's name and address.
Inviting John Q. Citizen
Invite the general public. Place an ad in a local, area or regional newspaper. The words of the ad should be your invitation. You can place the ad in the classified section or purchase ad space within the news pages or special sections of the paper.
Notify the Media
Send out a press release to all local media outlets. The purpose of the press release is to invite the media and the public to the groundbreaking. The press release should include back story on the site (e.g., the current building has been abandoned for 20 years, or we will be breaking ground and removing one of the most historic buildings in our town), the background of your company, and what the new building will offer. Also include your groundbreaking ceremony invitation on a separate page.