Fundraising Events: Part Two

#6 – 12/19

The Grand Ball• Decide on the style or theme of your event

• Consider all the positive venues and sound out the owner of your first choice. You need to confirm availability, capacity and rough cost

• Decide what skills you need and who you want on your committee

• Plan at least 9 months ahead and start real work 6 months ahead. If the event is TOO far ahead, your committee can run out of steam

• Itemise all your areas of cost in as much detail as possible

#6 – 12/19

The Grand Ball• Set your ticket price at Total Cost x 2 divided by the number of

attendees (e.g. 10,000 euro x 2 = 20,000 euro divided by 250 guests = 80 euro per ticket)

• Make sure that you give 80 euro worth of value

• In order to give that value for money, make every aspect of the event prestigious and appealing

• It must be a Black Tie event

#6 – 12/19

The Grand Ball• Allocate every committee member one section to organise e.g.:

- Ticket sales - Venue and decoration- Bar - Catering- Flowers - Entertainment- Programme - Car parking- Tombola - Auction- Raffle - Reception- Cloakroom - Printing- VIPs - Sponsorship- Table plan - Running order timetable

#6 – 12/19

The Grand Ball• Try to sell tables not tickets

• Use every means possible to sell. Well written letters on quality paper extolling the event to whet their appetite, encouraging early commitment up to 6 month ahead of the event

• Make sure the ticket will look impressive on the mantelpiece

• Don’t skimp on the decorations, they’ve paid a lot of money and they’ve dressed up - they expect quality in everything: decorations, cutlery, china, table flowers, menu etc

#6 – 12/19

The Grand Ball• Get your committee to talk up the event at every opportunity with

friends, relatives, neighbours and colleagues - they’ll want to come

• No heavily detailed key note political speeches at a Grand Ball

• By all means have a political personality (especially if they help to sell tickets!) speaking but try to ensure that they are entertaining!

• Always look out for sponsors. In return for a credit it is amazing what people or companies might give – from the printing of the tickets, menu or programme, to the flowers on the tables

• Every sponsor increases your profit by reducing your budgeted costs

#6 – 12/19

A few thoughts on theBall Organising Committee

• All Members should be hand picked for their abilities and/or the ‘value’ of their own personal ‘Address Book’

• Organising committees are about doing, NOT talking

• Committed committee members are a great source of ticket sales

• Consider inviting couples as committee members, it eliminates any problem on the time spent on the event and doubles the contacts

• Keep the meetings moving, don’t let them descend into long discussions on trivial subjects

#6 – 12/19

A few thoughts on theBall Organising Committee

• Always look for new members, don’t just rely on the same old faces

• Invite a Chairman with influence, enthusiasm and personality - the partner of an influential businessperson or a senior executive in a supportive company

• Their family and friends will help them succeed with financial support, buying a table, or two, and bidding at the auction

• They are also likely to be able to donate a prize for the auction

#6 – 12/19

The Programme• This could be the biggest earner of the event; with advertising

and sponsorship the sky is the limit!

• Have an agreed rate card printed, so that everyone is talking the same message e.g.:

- Inside front cover: 2,500 euros- Opposite Party Leader’s message: 3,500 euros- Full page 1,500 euros- Half page 900 euros- Quarter page 600 euros

• Start selling as early as possible, businesses have annual budgets and like to plan ahead

#6 – 12/19

The Programme• Remember that some individuals will purchase advertising space

for a message of goodwill - and to be seen being supportive

• Approach as many businesses as possible by organising a team of people to call systematically on every business in the area

• Ask for advertising first, but settle for a prize that can be used in the raffle, tombola or auction. Do not go away empty handed

• Try to find a printer who will design and print the programme for free in return for a full-page advertisement

• Make sure you give credit to those who have helped with generous donations of money, goods, major prizes and services

#6 – 12/19

The Programme• Include a message of support from the Party Leader and local

Members of Parliament/Candidates with photographs

• List the Ball Organising Committee prominently

• Include the menu

• If anyone listed cannot attend, post, email or give them a copy

• Make the programme cover interesting

• Sponsor the entire publication

• Send copies to each advertiser with a letter of thanks

#6 – 12/19

The Tombola• Never buy prizes from the income you expect to generate, or from

local Party funds

• Aim for 2 prizes per person attending

• Sell tickets at 20 euros each with a “win to lose” ratio of 1 to 2

• OR: at 5 euros each with a “win to lose” ratio of 1 to 4

• The better the odds, the more they win and the more tickets they buy

• E.G.: 250 guests - 500 prizes - 1500 x 10 euro tickets = 15000 euros

• OR: 250 guests - 500 prizes - 2000 x 5 euro tickets = 10000 euros

#6 – 12/19

The Tombola• Collecting prizes requires strong organisation

• Get a team together, 20 people to collect 25 each or 10 people to collect 50 each

• Contact every pub/bar in the constituency/area

• Bars are usually good for a few bottles or a free meal

• Host a Tombola Party - light finger buffet and wine

• Instead of charging ask for 5 Tombola prizes with a minimum value each. It can be a fun occasion and it raises further awareness of the Grand Ball

#6 – 12/19

The Tombola• Avoid “cheap” items like jams and pots and pans to top up the

display. If people are paying good money, they expect good prizes

• Make the prize display attractive, it is your shop window to encourage people to buy tickets

• Set out the prizes first, then number them in sequence. This way they are easier to find and you are less likely to have a missing number

• Even so, keep a few un-numbered spares under the table just in case

• Have a waste bin for used tickets

• Have plenty of helpers to circulate around the tables, take the money, spin the drum, spot the prizes etc

#6 – 12/19

The Tombola• Folded raffle/cloakroom tickets can be boring. Why not put them in

something that is a prize in its own right?

• For example, something that will give a hotel, a business, a bar or such like, some “free” advertising as you go around selling tickets

• If you don’t have a drum, make sure the box is decorated and smart

• Any prizes left can be used at the next event, or purchased at the end of the night by departing guests or members of the Committee

#6 – 12/19

The Alternative Tombola• Assume you have 250 prizes

• Display them as usual and give each a number (1-250) using white raffle/cloakroom tickets

• Buy 750 envelopes (250 in each of three different colours – not white)

• Place a matching coloured Tombola ticket (1-250) in each envelope: red in red, green in green, yellow in yellow)

• Sell these envelopes “blind” at 10 euros each. Point out that if they buy one of each colour they are guaranteed a prize

#6 – 12/19

The Alternative Tombola• If legal - perhaps offer a discount

• One ticket = 10 euros. Three tickets = 25 euros

• When all 750 are sold, spin a wheel equally divided into the three colours of the envelopes

• The colour on which the arrow stops is the winning colour and EVERYONE with that colour envelope is a guaranteed winner

• All they have to do is collect their prize during the evening

• You’ll be amazed at how many guests will buy one of each colour to guarantee winning a prize

#6 – 12/19