Planning for a Successful Charity Event
Holding a charity event is not only a great way to fundraise and raise awareness for your cause, but if done properly it can also be a fantastic way to widen your support base and reach new audiences.
The first step in planning your charity event is always to define the purpose- this will allow you to work backwards from there. Also vital is to have a budget, and a goal that you would like to raise. Remember that your target $ needs to be after you have deducted your expenses…
Following are some other things you might like to consider when planning your event.
• Take into account the timing of your event. Depending on the type of crowd you are trying to attract, the time of day will have to be considered. Is your event during work hours? Is it too late for children to attend? Are there other major events on around the same time that may clash with your event date?
• Another factor to consider is location. Ensure that if your event is outdoors, that you have a contingency plan in the case of bad weather. Also remember to approach places early in the piece who may be interested in providing a venue in exchange for promotion. If you can achieve this, it will greatly reduce your costs.
You may also like to choose a theme for your event to make it fun- maybe something which has popular appeal at the time. You can carry this theme from invitations to promotion, and the set-up of your event and activities.
• Once you have the details of your event set and you have set up your event page, now is the time to apply for your rebate, before your event goes live. Sticky Tickets offers a charity rebate of 20% of all booking fees from your event to registered charities, to assist with fundraising.
• Promotion of your event to your target market is vital, and should be planned carefully. Social media is by far the best way to get the greatest reach for very little cost. Set up an event page on Facebook, and get everyone to spread the word by sharing, retweeting etc. Post some pictures from previous events for potential ticket purchasers to get excited about, and want to be involved in.
• You might also like to set up an early bird ticket to encourage early sales. You can provide the link to your event page on social media and all promotional material, and also display the cost of the full price ticket, so people know they are getting a good deal by purchasing tickets early. You can also set up a ticket for people to make a donation to your charity so they can still contribute if they are unable to make it to your event.
It’s important to remember to let potential attendees know where their money will go, and what it will achieve. Having fun while also supporting a good cause is always more appealing. And finally, remember to thank all ticket purchasers, donors and supporters. Letting them know they are appreciated and what they have helped achieve will make them more likely to want to play a part in your next event.
This ebook has seven of our favourite tried and tested methods for increasing ticket sales, and most of them don’t require a lot of work or expense on your part.
