Charity events are all about maximising revenues while minimising costs, all in order to make sure your chosen charity receives the maximum amount of donations possible. Whether you are a charity event planning newbie or an expert in the field, there are always a few new tricks you can try in order to fundraise more than ever for your chosen charity. Here is a primer on how to maximise your revenues using both ingenuity and common sense, helping ensure that your charity will receive the biggest cheque possible.
1. Create Entertainment with a High Profit Margin
Entertainment can be costly for any charity event, so the trick here is to find those who are willing to donate their time for free (or a reduced fee). For example, college bands are often looking for a chance to practice in front of an audience and get some exposure, and so are often willing to work for free (and the promise of free food). Try to think outside the box when it comes to entertainment, as while crucial, it should not eat up too much of your budget.
2. Auction things Worth Paying for
Almost every charity event has an auction of some kind, simply because they work: people bid on things out of a sense of duty. However, you don’t just want people bidding because they feel they have to, you want them to bid because they genuinely want what is being offered. So auction things worth pay for! Hit up all your contacts to find good bottles of wine or gift baskets that can be donated for free to auction off, even contacts companies to see if they are interested. If you can get quality items up on the auction block, you’ll make more money.
3. Quality is Sometimes Worth the Cost
Planning a charity event will involve some outlay of money—there is no way of getting around that. Yet many try to limit this outlay as much as possible because they are frightening that they will not make back the cost. This often results in poorly planned and obviously cheap events that do not always befit the kind of function a classy charity event should aspire to be. Just like in business, sometimes you have to spend money to make money. If you create a quality charity event by spending extra on entertainment and food for example, you will attracted a different kind of clientele with deeper pockets.
4. Go Corporate
The great thing about businesses in this day and age is that they are keen to showcase their ‘corporate social responsibility’, and many want to do this through philanthropy. Big businesses often have an equally big philanthropic budget, so why not tap into that resource? Ring up businesses, send off letters and try sell them on why sponsoring your event will be good for them. Mention the good PR involved: if your charity event is likely to make a local newspaper, make sure you drop that into your sell. The weakness of most businesses is that they want to look good, so manipulate that weakness to your advantage.
5. Keep an Eye on the Guest List
Any great party planner knows that keeping control of your guest list is one of the most important tasks involved in planning an event. Chasing down RSVPs, getting ‘VIP’ guests on board and no small degree of arm-twisting and hand-holding are all necessary to make sure enough of the right people turn up to your event. In order to keep your guest list brimming to capacity, don’t be afraid to advertise. Posters, banners and all manner of loud advertising materials are sometimes needed to max out your event. Empty seats are a waste, and look bad to boot. So ensure everyone who RSVPs actually turns up, and that all your tickets are sold. Then just let your event unfold!