SUCCESSFUL EVENTS
SIX KEYS: To having a successful event:
Put thought and consideration into who your bartenders will be (Seven Key Personality Traits)
Do not recruit bartenders in person or over the phone- Use the Bartender Recruitment Communication
Continuously follow up with your bartenders with the weekly communications, contests, and the day before and the day of your event
Conduct a silent auction and, at a minimum, have bartenders sell raffle tickets to the Basket of Cheer prior to the event
Make sure at least one significant other (spouse/family member/sibling/friend/co-worker) of each bartender is promoting the event as well
Approach 'Angels' for sponsorships and matching donations
History has shown that the organizations that actively and continuously promote their event and follow up with their bartenders to make sure they are forwarding their communications and status updates will raise more money and awareness than those that don't or those who rely only on cash tips the night of the event.
FOUR IMPRESSIONS: It is important for each of your bartenders to forward and share their communications and make their social media update postings consistently leading up to the event. It takes four contacts before most potential donors will heed your request for a contribution. Therefore:
There is generally a direct correlation between the amount of money raised and the vigilance with which an event organizer and your bartenders are forwarding the pre-written communications and posting them on social media.
The amount of people who turn out to an event is less important than how many people see multiple emails and social media requests to make a contribution through the Guest Bartender Program online donation portal.
There are only so many drinks that can be made in the three hours during an event, thus there are only so many cash tips that can be raised during the event.
Most of the money raised at successful events is raised from angels, sponsors, raffles, silent auctions and online donations raised prior to the event, not cash in the tip jars the night of the event. Moreover, most of the online tip donations come after the third and fourth communication and social media postings.
Why? You know how you see the same commercials on tv and you hear the same commercials over and over on the radio? That's because those national advertisers know that it takes at least eight impressions on the brain from a broadcast source (such as radio and television) before a potential consumer will heed that advertiser's call to action.
But - It only takes four impressions on the brain from a warm source, such as a communication from a friend, or a social media post from a family member, before a potential donor will heed that charitable organization's request for a contribution.