Organize a Shredding Event

Organize a Shredding Event

A helpful guide provided by FileShred, LLC

Organize a Shredding Event — Help residents, clients, potential clients and constituents protect themselves against identity theft along with creating goodwill.

Step One: Get Started.

Call FileShred and other shredding companies to get their ideas. They are professionals and they will make your learning curve much shorter.

Get your employees involved or recruit volunteers.

People enjoy volunteering, it may be as simple as just asking! Talk to employees, church members, family, friends, colleagues and organizations you belong to. You may be surprised by the interest.

Have a meeting with everyone that wants to be involved and explain what you’re trying to do by offering a shredding event. Then listen to their ideas of how to let people know about the event. The more you get them involved the more you will all get out of the shredding event.

Determine role of everyone involved. One person should be the shred event coordinator. This is the person that keeps everything organized and documented so with every shredding event you host becomes easier because you have something to refer back to.

  • Roles
  • Getting more volunteers
  • Promoting the event
  • Setting up for the event
  • Greeting guests
  • Event directors – to answer questions and direct shredding event guests
  • Handout Persons – To provide guests with any information about your services, or organization. Take advantage of your captive audience.
  • Event tracker – Keep count of the number of people that come to the event and how much paper is shredded. It will be good for PR purposes and future shredding events.

Step Two – Create a Shredding Event Outline

This is a bullet point outline of the event. It should include the following;

  • Date, time and duration of the event
  • Where the event will take place
  • How you will advertise the event
  • List of responsibilities of the event and job descriptions
  • What limitations on guests such as limiting quantity to be shredded, is it for both individuals and businesses?
  • If this is for charity, how will you generate donations
  • Any sponsors and their contact information
  • What printing and handouts are used , consider Protect yourself against identity Theft Tips Sheet
  • What information your will gather about the event
  • What shredding company you will use

Step Three – Select a Shredding Service.

  • Although FileShred LLC will be your best option you should speak to number of shredding companies so you can be comfortable with your choice. Try to work with an established company with a good reputation for integrity and customer service like FileShred.
  • Ask for references because working with a shredding company with experience with shredding events will make your life easier.
  • Look at online reviews to get insight into how well local companies treat their customers.
  • Understand how the shredding company is going to charge you. It could be a flat rate for the duration of the event. If it is a charity event consider paying a percentage of the donations.
  • Most successful shredding events take about three hours.
  • Be sure to look for a company that performs on-site services rather than a company that moves documents to a warehouse and shreds them there.

Step Four – Secure a Location for the Event.

  • Check to see if permits are required.
  • Is insurance necessary
  • Be sure to find a space large enough for the shredding trucks and convenient access for guests.
  • Parking lots in churches, shopping center, office buildings, schools, parks are locations to consider.
  • Consider alerting emergency personnel about the event, let them make suggestions and be onsite for the event.

Step Five – Advertise your Shredding Event

  • Contact local media and press advertisements
  • Flyers – Hand them out, put them on cars
  • Post your event on community bulletin boards in churches, libraries, schools, coffee shops or any retail location that has a community bulletin board.
  • Internet posts – Social Media, local event web pages and online message boards.

Step Six – Final Event Preparation

  • Have a final meeting with all people involved with the shredding event to review the event from start to finish. The final event outline should be given to everyone involved.
  • Consider a dress code with a common color or t-shirts for the event so that your guests can identify the team. Choose a color that stands out.
  • Have name tags for each team member
  • Review hand-outs
  • Are tables and chairs necessary
  • Bathroom access should be considered
  • Water should be available for the event team

Step Seven the Shredding Event.

  • The team should arrive early enough to be set up and be ready for guests.
  • Make sure the event team are all in the right location to perform their roles for the event such as greeting guests, directing traffic, coordinating the guest line, helping guests and cleaning after the event is over.
  • Keep track of time for the event.
  • If possible have emergency personnel onsite.
  • Keep lines moving don’t let anyone guest take advantage

Step Eight – Brag about the Success of the Shredding Event.

  • The team should get a shredding event stat sheet ie pounds shredded and the number of people attending the event.
  • Consider press releases about the success of the event.
  • Ask for feedback from the shredding event team, it will be valuable for future shredding events.