How to Run an Open Mic (7 Steps)

Choose an appropriate venue. Location is key. So is atmosphere. If the place is large enough to warrant the use of microphones, make sure the venue is properly equipped.
Prepare the venue. Make sure the stage is set up properly and that the mics are checked ahead of time. Get to know the sound mixer, so that you can adjust volume on-the-fly during a performance.
Establish your authority. If you have a powerful stage presence, you're in luck. The key is make sure everyone knows who's the boss of this show, in a friendly way. Don't be afraid to make tough decisions. If there are too many people who want to perform, you are simply going to have to say no to someone. Introduce yourself. Smile. Be actively involved in signing people up, placing them in the order you feel works best, and so on.
Determine the sign-up method. If there is a piece of paper for people to put their name and talent on, make sure everyone knows where it is, and do not lose track of it. You will need it when introducing performers to the stage.
Keep the vibe of the open mic live and electric. Quickly and smoothly follow one act with another. Don't let the mood go wildly up and down. Keep a steady curve to the mood of the night. You can do this by stalling for time as the host when necessary, or by shooing off someone who is trying to monopolize the mic. Engage the audience by encouraging applause, but don't try to bully them into clapping long and loud for a performer who just wasn't all that exciting.
Make sure all performers know when they are supposed to go up to the open mic. If they know which act they are to follow, that's even better. It gives them prep time so they can get onstage and start performing when their time slot opens up.
Keep things balanced between loose and tight. Too loose, you've got yourself some anarchy. The night will end before all scheduled performers have gone up, or worse yet, the night will drag on until there is no one left in the audience. Too tight, and the 'open' in open mic will seem like fraud. Keep things jovial and good-natured. Just don't let anyone step on you.
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How to Start a Sewing Business on the Web (7 Steps)

Choose your website name and register your domain name. Your domain name, which will be your website address, will likely be your business name followed by a .com.
Choose a web hosting service. Find a company that combines domain registration and web hosting.
Design your website. Many companies have design services. Clients either select from a pre-designed template or a professionally designed site. Using a pre-designed template will save time and money. Many domain registration and web hosting companies offer website designs as well.
Make it easy for people to pay you. You will need a shopping cart for your website that accepts payments from customers. Online services such as Paypal and credit card collection services will help you collect money. These services take a small portion of your profits for providing a shopping cart.
Set up a system for shipping products. Though orders may not come in immediately, you need to be prepared to mail your merchandise. Go to the post office to get estimates for how much shipping costs for your products. Make sure you list shipping costs on your site and figure that into your prices.
Make extra items. Having an inventory of items to replace sold items will save time.
Get the word out. Write articles for websites and magazines. Start a blog. Writing on a regular basis gets your name out on the web. Visit forums where people are discussing sewing and use your website's name in signatures. Don't forget word of mouth as well. Tell everybody you know or meet about your online sewing business.
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How to Organize a Craft Show for Fundraising (6 Steps)

Scout out a location and decide on a time. Research churches, community centers and schools. If you are expecting a large turnout, consider renting out a local fairground. The location should be able to hold all the vendors and buyers comfortably without overcrowding. Make sure there is also ample parking. Keep in mind that you might be more successful if you plan your show before a major gift-giving holiday.
Create a vendor application. Ask the vendors to note what items they will be selling. List the fees and how much space the vendors will be able to use. Consider allowing people to sell food to increase the amount of money you will raise. Allow community organizations to attend to let people know about other various events in your area.
Decide on a theme for your fair. If you are planning a more upscale atmosphere, allow only fine arts, such as tasteful photography and paintings. You can also choose a homemade craft fair where vendors must sell original creations such as soap, pottery or candles.
Start talking about your craft fair. Word of mouth spreads, so place an ad in your local newspaper. Provide contact information where vendors can get in touch with you. Approach local craft stores and invite them to participate. Make sure you mention the date and time of the fair, as well as the application and fees.
Advertise. Print and distribute fliers to post in libraries, coffee shops or other stores. If you are educated about website design, create a site with information and directions. Your local television station may also list activities on its site.
Send a letter to the vendors. Confirm the date and time. Instruct vendors where to go when they arrive and remind them of the size of their stand. On the day of the fair, enlist the help of a friend or family member to help direct the vendors and assist them in setting up.
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How to Become a Web Hosting Reseller (5 Steps)

Shop around for the best prices. Many well known web hosting companies offer wholesale space to resellers.
Choose a web hosting package. If it is a 'whole' package, you will need to decide how you want to split it up. (A 'whole' package comes in one big block of space, instead of several pre-split mini packages.) Once your package, set your prices.
Design your own website to sell the packages. You want people to know that you are a reliable web hosting seller and a professional looking website will send that message. If you can't design the site yourself, hire a professional designer.
Market your website anywhere you can. Forum signatures and link exchanges are great and affordable places to begin. This is an important step because there is a lot of competition in web hosting reselling and ads are the only way to bring in new customers. You can also use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, so that your website will rank higher with major search engines.
Put 25 percent of your profit back into your business to buy more space, advertise and update your website.
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How to Organize Events for Singles (9 Steps)

Plan for the event to occur in the middle of the week. This way, if some singles connect at your party, they will have the weekend free to plan a date.
Invite an equal number of single men and women. Whether you send invitations online or on paper, encourage everyone to R.S.V.P. Invite additional people as necessary.
Play upbeat music at a low volume to keep spirits up without drowning out conversation.
Decorate the party venue with lots of conversation pieces, e.g. artwork, fun toys and picture books.
Strategically lay out paper and pens around the party room so that singles will be able to exchange contact information.
Write name tags for each of your guests and have them wear the tags during the party.
Greet each guest as he/she arrives, and introduce him/her to a few people you think he/she would like.
Set up a few games that facilitate intellectual and/or physical interaction, such as Risk, Twister, Monopoly and Scrabble. Avoid video games, since players will stare at a screen rather than look at other players.
Set up some interactive food, such as make-your-own tacos, sundaes, and so on. In addition, place trays of food all around the room. This will provide conversation fodder for your guests.
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How to Host a Video Game Tournament

Pick you game. If you are a serious video game player, you probably have a system of choice and will prefer to stick to one game. But if you are just looking for a fun way to spend some time with your friends, an 8-bit Nintendo tournament with a whole host of games could be the way to go. There are few guidelines here, so go with what you and your friends like.
Choose a format. You can base your tournament on several different formats, such as round-robin or double elimination. Base your decision on the number of people involved and how serious you want to get. Another option is to have a winner/challenger format where one person is the expert, and the goal is to beat her at her game of choice.
Set up stations. If you have more than one television and gaming system, having several stations will allow you to keep more people involved at one time and keep the tournament on schedule. You may be able to borrow from friends, and people playing in the tournament might be able to contribute supplies.
Create an information center. Whether it is a white board, poster or a traditional chalkboard, have a place where tournament standings can be updated and information is accessible to everyone. As the host, be sure to keep the information as up-to-date as possible, or designate someone else to do it.
Provide food and drinks. If your tournament is an all-day or an all-weekend event, you will need to have food on hand to keep your guests happy. Buffalo wings, nachos, burgers, hot dogs, chips and beverages of choice are good things to start with.
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How to Build a Spiritual Website

Think of a name for your website. Have it reflect your spiritual or religious beliefs. For instance, if your site will be about Catholic spirituality, use the word 'Catholic' in your website's name. If, on the other hand, your beliefs are nondenominational, or multi-encompassing, consider using the word 'spirit' or synonyms of the word.
Purchase your domain name (see link in 'Resources,' below). Your domain name is the name of your site, and is basically your address in Internet real estate. This is where your site will reside, and what your visitors will type into their address bars when they want to visit your site.
Buy a hosting plan. When you purchase a hosting plan, you are paying a hosting company for space on their servers. By saving your sites on their servers, your website will become available to people all over the world. One of the highest-ranked hosting companies is Host Gator (see link in 'Resources' below).
Build your website. To do this, use your own knowledge of html, xml, and/or xhtml. If you don't know any of these programming languages, you can use a website template software, such as Coffee Cup, which will allow you to build a website quickly, without the need to know programming languages. Alternately, you could use Wordpress (a free blogging application), and purchase a Wordpress theme (see link in Resources) to give your site a professional look within seconds.
Generate revenue after you build a spiritual website by registering with affiliate networks, and finding products or services that are a good fit with your website's topic. In other words, you can link to books about your religion or beliefs, and if your visitors purchase the items, you will receive commission. See Resources below for a link to dozens of free affiliate networks.
Create pages for your site. This will depend entirely on what your beliefs are. Some examples of pages you can create are: history (of the religion or set of beliefs), beliefs, traditions, rules, prayers, songs. If your site is nondenominational, you should include pages about various religions (if any) that contribute to your beliefs. Add pages for spiritual poetry, articles about spiritual people in history (such as Gandhi, Martin Luther, Rumi, etc.). You might also have a page of links to other sites that share your beliefs.
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