Event management can be exhilarating. Traditionally your client & yourself will discuss ideas, dates, themes, budgets & guests. So, does this differ if you are running a charity event? Katy Jane of Virtually Smart Ltd explores.
Event management involves a lot of organisation & being on the ball. How does this change when you are planning a charity event? Katy Jane of Virtually Smart Ltd explores.
Event management can be exhilarating. Traditionally your client & yourself will discuss ideas, dates, themes, budgets & guests. Once you have an idea of what your client’s needs are, it is up to you to ensure whatever the event is, from corporate lunch, to a 200 guest wedding; is a resounding success.
So, does this differ if you are running a charity event? Katy Jane of Virtually Smart Ltd works alongside Helena Parrott at Virtually Smart Ltd & with her partner in life at their motorcycle business. She explains below the processes she has gone through to put together a Christmas Charity event for a national charity.
“My passions in life are many, but my biggest love is speed. If it has two wheels or four wheels & goes fast, it has my interest! As an associate VA at Virtually Smart Ltd with Helena Parrott – Director & Virtual Assistant, has given me an opportunity me to enhance my event management skills. This has come in to it’s own recently when I decided I wanted to put on a charity event for the mono motorcycles chosen charity SERV Blood Runners. But where to begin? I had an idea, I knew the kind of evening I wanted to offer, a quiz/raffle/food & drink event, but it’s for charity, so how does a budget work in this case? Where can I hold it? When?
Great idea!
I had the idea, I wanted to run a charity quiz night, with a raffle, food & a bar. However, I needed a venue & a date before I could even think about advertising. I do believe that creating networks around your business is vital, as you simply do not know what people might be able to offer, until you do so.
Therefore, a chance visit from two gentlemen from the local diocese one afternoon, proved to have a fruitful outcome. It transpired that these motorcycling visitors, managed the local Church buildings, one of while was a public hall; The Pallant Centre! As the conversation flowed, my mind started to tick over. ‘I wonder if…?’ I pondered.
Later that day, an email formulated & worded with care, was sent to the Pallant Centre, with a proposal for a charity event to be held at their premises. Following some negotiation on my behalf, the hall & date were secured.
Phase one complete. Now I had to generate the interest.
Asking those around you.
When formulating a charity event, it is very helpful to speak to as many people as you can. For example, if you need food preparing, perhaps approach local companies & ask if they can donate anything for your event. If they are not in a position to donate, then maybe negotiate a reduced rate. If you are knocked back by one company, you will need to keep asking elsewhere with care & consideration. Not all companies have charity budgets available to them, but approaching & communicating can reap great results.
Consider the skills & talents of those around you. In the case of this event, I needed to be able to offer ‘festive treats’ as part of the ticket price. Therefore, having contacted the baker in my family & keen bakers in my network, I now already have numerous items promised. Tapping in to those networks, can prove very fruitful & you might be surprised at the generosity of those around you.
Communication & collaboration when hosting a charity event, can give such a boost to the event & really make it a great success, whilst also recognising the generosity of companies, family & friends, who help & assist.
Charity event advertising.
When you are preparing for a charity event, you must, in my opinion, keep in mind the end goal; raising money for charity. Therefore, being mindful of all monies raised going to the charity & keeping the business expenditure to an absolute minimum, utilising social media is of course a prime way to get the message out there. The focus for the charity event I was preparing for is the motorcycle community, local community & beyond. Being mindful of where most people ‘hang out’ through social media, I have been able to create a series of advertising postcards & videos to advertise to those who would be interested. In addition, a series of physical posters advertising the event were produced & are, through asking the right questions, being displayed in the local community. The Pallant Centre, as co-hosts, are also advertising.
Raffle prizes.
Running a charity event means making the maximum impact on the funds raised. One way to generate additional funding, is through a traditional raffle. Approaching potential companies for raffle prizes, has to be done with sensitivity. Ensuring you are polite, to the point & reassure that the companies you approach will be recognised for their generosity; is essential & good business. Before I could post the advertising I had created, I wanted to ensure I was able to link the donations to the companies websites.
Ticket sales.
When preparing ticket sales for a charity event, you must take in to account where people can purchase them from. Having a base for attendees to physically purchase tickets from, gives people the option of a face to face purchase. Creating an Ebay advert or Paypal option is a perfect way of allowing attendees to buy online. There are other options like Eventbrite, whereby you can set up accounts to retrieve monies. Being mindful of monetary traceability has to be a consideration, especially when running a non-profit event.
What next?
The event is now up & running. Raffle prizes have been secured from a variety of local businesses. The venue & date are secure. Adverting is scheduled to run for the next two & a half months & the support team continues to grow through conversation, collaboration & communication. Thus far the process has been exhilarating with an end goal in sight & hard work, as these types of events do not happen by themselves. There are many people who make an event work & when it is for charity, reliance on good will & genuine voluntary support can make such an event a resounding success.”
If you are considering any kind of event & need either a consultation or full event management; Helena Parrott & Katy Jane of Virtually Smart Ltd are more than happy to assist.
Written by Katy Jane on Behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd.
