Where did I go wrong and how can I fix it?

[DarrenH]

Hi folks

Next Friday I'm putting on a charity Xmas party in Daventry to raise money for the Dreamflight children's charity.

I've done just about everything I can think of to promote the event over the last 6 weeks or so. Tickets are at a great price of £4.00 and we're giving away the first drink free.

We've organised some damn good prizes thanks to the generosity of local businesses etc.

We've put posters up just about everywhere in the town and surrounding spots, we've advertised in the Xmas supliment in the local paper and had a couple of editorials published too, we've handed out leafelts in the town whereever we found people.

We're now contacting local smallish businesses to try and sell the tickets in groups with discounts for groups of more than ten people.

Out of 250 tickets, we've sold aprox 55 and we're in serious tdanger of making ourselves look flipping stupid and the whole thing being a total loss.

We've also had ads put on our two local radio stations in thw what's on slots, sorry forgot to mention that...


Other than public apathy, I can't think what else could be the problem!

Have a missed something so stupid and simple that I'd kick myself?

Any input would be really appreciated as we've got a week to sell 200 tickets :(

Cheers
Darren

[creospace]

Does the thing have a date clash with something else?

Gary

[Rob Holmes]

I would call your local radio station and local newspapers etc pretty quickly- this time not for paid adverts but as news articles - time to start using other peoples customer bases to get those tickets sold!

Rob

[DarrenH]

Hi

Thanks for the response so far.

As far as I'm aware, it doesn't clash with anythign else in the area.

The local paper, Daventry Express, have already published two news items about the event alongside our paid adverts, they won't do anything else, we had to almost bully them into giving us the space we got and then they severely cut it down to something next to useless.

I'll be calling the local radio stations today and during next week to try and get some actual on-air publicity.

It's a real shame cause we've done about everything we can think of and spent a hell of a lot of energy.

It was suggested by my g/f that our tickets were too cheap, could that be right? lol

Darren

[DuaneJackson]

It was suggested by my g/f that our tickets were too cheap, could that be right? lol


That's the first thing that occured to me too.

[MorethanWords]

That could be a reason - people wonder why things are so cheap sometimes.

Try contacting the station to see if you can get them to give away two pairs of tickets as that will generate interest, then they can say "sorry if you've missed out but you can still get tickets here..."

Also contact the local businesses who have donated prizes to see if you can get support from them to go too.

Also, try local children's wards to put up posters or circulate flyers and contact your local footie/rugby club to see if they'll give you a shout at saturday's match. Might be worth a crack and if you're there too you can sell the tickets.

If you want more ideas just pm me - i'm full of them!!

Good luck

Luisa x

[DarrenH]

Hi

Wow, I didn't think that being too cheap would stop folks bothering, lol.

All we wanted to do was offer folks a good night out for those that can't, or don't want to afford the kind of prices that local hotels charge for their Xmas parties.

A lesson learned me thinks. I won't be organising another of these in a hurry, it's caused to many arguments between me and my g/f.

The actual idea was to cover our costs with the ticket prices and sales and raise the money for Dreamflight on the night with collections and raffles etc.

Live and learn.

Darren

[ebonybailey]

Dreamlight will also have people they can approach to sell tickets to, suggest you raise it to a tenner as well. Any charity should try to help if your raising money for them.

[Rob Holmes]

Hmm - just wondering if you can arrange a celeb there at short notice?

Rob

[Top Hat]

Are you selling tickets on the door.

People may well be waiting for a better offer (not from you, but invite to another party etc) , and if they don't get one turn up and buy a ticket on the door.

You could price it more expensive on the door; £4 per ticket, £6 on the door, tickets are limited.

You got to make them make the decision now

[Steve Roberts]

If there's a party going on somewhere, I'll never buy a ticket in advance. I usually think "I'll see how I feel on the night"

[Amber]

If there's a party going on somewhere, I'll never buy a ticket in advance. I usually think "I'll see how I feel on the night"

Me too. I think that unless your PR and advertising has been geared towards convincing people that it's important to buy a ticket in advance (e.g. by suggesting that if they don't they may miss out, that there are only a few tickets left, etc) they may well be intending to just pay on the door, especially if they think it will be easier to do that.

If that's the case, then you may well get a better turnout than you're expecting, anyway :)

[DarrenH]

Hi

Thanks for the response and helpful suggestions.

Our last newspaper add said that tickets were limited availablility, don't miss out etc.

Anyone we talk to now, we say that we've only a few left and we just want to get rid to make it a packed house.

We're now selling them at a 20% discount if they're bought in groups of 10 or more.

My colleague is visiting a local school this afternoon with 200 leaflets for the kids to take home to their parents, might do the trick patly anyhow.

Thanks again, keep the suggestions coming, very useful.

Darren

[Eagle]

I'd agree with the pricing issue. Whilst it's probably a little too late to change it now, people do have a 'perceived value' when they see pricing.

Hope it goes well :)

[julles]

Darren

I know how you feel....I've been in the same position myself.

The school sounds a great idea, there’s a relevant theme. However don't just stick to one school, target as many schools as you can in your area.

Also try your local Police HQ, Fire service and council offices, leisure Centres, Health clubs... fitness first etc. Ask if they would display posters / flyers in their staff rooms, notice boards.

I always found them happy to accommodate particularly if it's in aid of a local charity.

[clairemackaness]

It seems too cheap to me, I would expect it to be about a tenner.

Why not try going round local offices and industrial estates selling tables of ten for £30.00 each.

[Hayles]

Would be interested in what the PR experts think of being honest and getting a story out based on the fact that this fantastic charity night might get cancelled if people don't buy some tickets in the next day or so...?

Hayles

[DeveloperBloke]

hi there

firstly, radio only works with continued drumming, no one listens to the radio, they only hear it, and after constant reptitive ness, they suddenly think, oo, theres something on soon!

i would agree that your tickets are too cheap. make it a shirt and tie do, people love dressing up, or even a fancy dress. a tenner should do it.


get a big big prize as the first prize in a raffle, a holiday, or something big for the ladies (they will bring the men because the men have no choice, or the men will bring the ladies to win that big thing to be in their good books!).

mention that it is a night where they will feel special for doing it, maybe, (with a james bond theme, be the bond girl, or be james bond for the night)

sure, appraoch corporates and business with deals, but the only thing that sells tickets is something where they feel either privilidged, special, or they will get something for free (a free bottle of inw maybe, i dunno)

it may be a little late to instigate this now, but if you have kept track of who has bought tickets then you shouldnt have a problem.

other wise, i suppose alot of this is for next time.

hope it goes well

j