What exactly do you need tips for? I can help you with an free unofficial Missionday.info subdomain (like yourCity.missionday.info), a Swag shop and some more information. 😉
My tips, based on hosting Mission Day last year, in Olympia, Washington:
Before you submit the request or anything, have 18-24 missions outlined, with mission names and portal names/links.
Before you submit the request or anything, already have talked to your local tourism board and get permission to use the logo, make sure you have copies of any waivers that need to be signed and ready to go
Before you submit the request, have the badge icons made (including taking the pictures for them).
Get it all organized into a Google Drive folder
Have your xfac contacts picked out before submitting the MD request, as well.
Get a Google MyMaps ready with information including all the mission start points, bus options, hotels/motels, start point/group photo location, and check out.
What I said about having 18-24? Have a few missions ready as backup. On the Mission Day I hosted last year, I waited until the deadline to submit the missions. Hours before I had to submit them, I found out there was a large gun-rights rally being held in the middle of 3 of the missions I had planned, and I had to swap them out. I had already made all the artwork and had them ready to go, though, so it wasn't a big pain. (Some of the missions still took people through the outskirts of it, and agents had some interesting talks as they tried to get around it.)
As the organizers, don't worry about trying to get all 12-18 missions done, just get your 6 done, then camp out at the designated checkout point. Be available to accommodate people who need to check out early for whatever reason (I was checking some people out before we even had the group photo taken that morning. Missions start going live after midnight local time.)
Keep all the missions free-form, and don't stack them with tons of portals. Don't try to hit every single portal in a town, keep it to 6 portals per mission.
Don't use Field Trip points if you can avoid it.
Passwords: If you MUST use them, make the passwords SUPER SIMPLE and easy to figure out, and be quick to give them to anyone in the MD's chat.
If you go for a venue to host for checkout, do something that's all ages. People will have their kids, and some people don't want to be anywhere near alcohol.
If come across anyone while you're doing your own missions, walk along with them and chat for a bit, even if it's going in the wrong direction for your own progress. If they're sitting down and taking a break, sit with them and chat for a few minutes.
Have 18-24 missions ready with names, badges a list of portals before you submit. I had a gun-rights rally happen on the same day, and had waited to the last minute to submit the missions. The extra 6 I had as a fall back let me swap some out to avoid most of the rally.
Go to the tourism board before you submit the MD request and get permission to use any logos first. Talk with them, tell them you could be bringing in a few hundred people, and might need hotel reservations, etc. People will be visiting shops and hitting up local eateries.
Get a MyMaps worked out with all of the mission start points, useful bus stops, hotels, group photo location, and check out.
If you go for a restaurant or pub for check out, make sure it's an all ages place. People are going to have kids, or just don't want to be near alcohol in the first place.
As the organizer, don't worry about getting all the missions done, get your 6 and then camp out at the check out location. Be available for people who need to leave/check out early.
Walk and chat with people who came from out of town to attend, thank them. If they're sitting and taking a break, sit with them too.
Comments
Mission Day organizers are invited to a separate Slack channel by their Niantic contact.
What exactly do you need tips for? I can help you with an free unofficial Missionday.info subdomain (like yourCity.missionday.info), a Swag shop and some more information. 😉
The most important and official information, guidelines and registration forms are collected here: https://www.missionday.info/your-mission-day/?lang=en
@TerenceKill How to pitch this to your local tourist board? What marketing items can be useful to show to cities?
My tips, based on hosting Mission Day last year, in Olympia, Washington:
Wow. Site just ate the list I typed up.
Have 18-24 missions ready with names, badges a list of portals before you submit. I had a gun-rights rally happen on the same day, and had waited to the last minute to submit the missions. The extra 6 I had as a fall back let me swap some out to avoid most of the rally.
Go to the tourism board before you submit the MD request and get permission to use any logos first. Talk with them, tell them you could be bringing in a few hundred people, and might need hotel reservations, etc. People will be visiting shops and hitting up local eateries.
Get a MyMaps worked out with all of the mission start points, useful bus stops, hotels, group photo location, and check out.
If you go for a restaurant or pub for check out, make sure it's an all ages place. People are going to have kids, or just don't want to be near alcohol in the first place.
As the organizer, don't worry about getting all the missions done, get your 6 and then camp out at the check out location. Be available for people who need to leave/check out early.
Walk and chat with people who came from out of town to attend, thank them. If they're sitting and taking a break, sit with them too.
There's a Mission Day support telegram channel for North America here if you are interested: https://t.me/joinchat/BnHH_UyNhLXboPidqJV00g