STEP ONE: Subscribe to your HighSchoolAlums.com reunion Web site
Whether your high school reunion is weeks, months or years away, getting started as early as possible is essential. Like now. Not tomorrow. Not after dinner. Right NOW. And when it comes to staying in touch, nothing is more convenient than the World Wide Web. So this should be your number one tool for planning your high school reunion.

STEP TWO: Delegate high school reunion planning roles
The best way to keep anyone’s head from exploding while planning your high school reunion is to find people willing to help. In many cases, class officers are willing to be a part of the process, but if you’re lacking help, then try contacting classmates who still live in the area. Once you have enough help assembled, delegate individual tasks (invitations and RSVPs, budget, finding a venue, choosing your music, etc.,) and keep communicating.

Step THREE: Start finding classmates
Gather names and addresses every way possible: call and e-mail friends (and friends of friends), search online phonebooks, contact your high school to see if they have any information available, and so on. Look at it like a scavenger hunt … and be prepared to have to do a little digging. Be sure to promote the link to your HighSchoolAlums.com reunion site to everyone you talk to, so you can get as many people signed up as possible.

Step FOUR: Come up with a list of events
Stop and think about what works best for your class ó is it large or small? Is that local hangout still the perfect place to go? Or do you need a banquet hall that could feed an entire army? Does your class like to play golf? Visit the art museum? Go to the homecoming game? Your HighSchoolAlums.com message board will be useful for getting early feedback on your event ideas.

Step FIVE: Break down your budget
Once you start to get an idea of the types of events people are interested in, figure out your budget. Plan to schedule a professional photographer to take your class photo. Call around to different caterers to see how much they charge for a group of your size. Tally up organizational expenses such as venue rental, printing costs for invitations, postage, decorations, etc.. Start deciding on a registration fee to cover these costs. If you plan to provide nametags, t-shirts, memorabilitia, etc., be sure to add on a little more. Your HighSchoolAlums.com reunion site will allow you to collect payment from your classmates online, so you can limit the amount of their own money the reunion organizers will have to pay upfront.

Step SIX: Get the word out
Once the format for your high school reunion has been decided (Barbecue bash? Cocktail party? Weekend getaway?) and a date is chosen, use every means possible to publicize the event. Printed invitations and phone calls might be helpful in reaching classmates who have not yet signed up for your HighSchoolAlums.com reunion site.

Encourage them to sign up for their own account and start updating their profile and LifeEvents timeline. Itís the perfect way to gather info for those classic reunion prizes like “Wildest Job,” “Most Kids” and more. Just be sure to do your best to get the word out early — people need time to make travel arrangements or plan vacation days, after all.

Step SEVEN: Encourage your classmates to RSVP online
Your HighSchoolAlums.com reunion site allows you to RSVP for your high school reunion events online, so make sure your classmates take the time to do so. This allows the reunion committee to see at a glance what sort of turnout you’re looking at, and make last minute decisions accordingly.