According to his website, robertmac.com, “Robert Mac is a comedy creator, collaborator, connoisseur, and critic,” as well as “the thinking man’s non-thinking man.” A rare breed, he is a stand-up comedian who doesn’t resort to profanity, misogyny, or chest-beating, and still made the Entertainment Business Journal’s list of top one hundred comedians. How does he define his act? That’s “the hardest part of the job,” he says. “How can I tell you what my act is when I can only see it through me-colored glasses? Other people say it’s smart, clever, silly, cerebral.”

Robert Mac performs at Laff's Comedy Cafe, Tucson, AZ. Photo courtesy of Alan J Fullmer and Wikimedia Commons

Daily, he battles the dichotomy of the life of an intelligent stand-up performer. “I put a lot of thought into my material,” he says. One the one hand, while “it’s easy to make people laugh…it’s much more rewarding to make them think and keep them guessing.” On the other hand, his experience is that his job involves, “mostly performing for drunks.” The club scene seems to be about “free comedy and expensive drinks, which devalues the comedy. It’s really backward in many ways. The club owners make their money on booze, so they offer cheap or free comedy to get drinkers into the clubs.”

But Mac is committed to this life, and has been for some time. He remembers, as a child, listening to a Steve Martin routine and thinking, “Do people do that as a job?” His first foray into stand-up took place around 1992. He provided some written material for a friend to perform at a local club’s open mic night. “When he did my material on stage, and got laughs, I felt betrayed in a way,” Mac remembers. “I wanted those laughs. After much cajoling, he finally pushed me onstage and my first set was a hit. I was hooked.”

Almost twenty years later, he performs regularly, an iconoclast in an industry where many performers are seeking to reach an audience that is “there to do shots and whoop it up.” By contrast, Mac plays well to a “bright and attentive” audience. Where is his base? He reports, “I do well with people with glasses,” and that he can judge how successful his set has been by how well he feels when he’s done. “If I’m having fun,” he says, “they’re having fun.” His favorite shows, naturally, are “the ones where they are in the palm of my hand the whole time and they let me run the show.”

What else could a comedian ask for? Reportedly, “a few more television appearances.” But he’d settle for the ability to “make a comfortable living as a comedian . . . and I’m making my way toward that.”

Mac uses social networks to share the news about upcoming performances, including Facebook to direct his fans to hyperlinks where they can purchase tickets or make reservations for upcoming shows. Fans can watch clips of his performances on his YouTube channel. He sells CDs and digital downloads online (and hopes to offer more merchandise in the near future), and even writes an occasional blog called Comedy DNA, discussing humor. In terms of weird publicity stunts, however, he rates this article as “probably the unusualest,” thing he has ever done.

Humor, of course, is subjective. “There’s funny in everything,” Mac says, “but it takes a lot to make me laugh. I think I need to be caught off-guard. Today I laughed out loud, literally, watching my friend Myq Kaplan perform on Letterman—funny, smart stuff.”

Dry Humor: Robert Mac Explains the Stand-Up Racket is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

What do you know about QR codes?

You’ve probably seen these distinctive, randomly-checkered, black and white squares on advertisements in magazines and other print publicity. Anyone with a smart phone can scan them in an instant, and be transported to a sponsor’s web page for more information.

How does that help your raise more money for your school?

What if that QR code sent students, parents, and other potential donors to a website where they could instantly purchase tickets to an upcoming dance, theatrical performance, fundraising event. What if that site allowed them to make an instant online donation? What if you could do it all at an affordable price?

By combining the power of QR codes with the convenience of our TicketRiver online box office, we’ve created a reliable tool for your school. TicketRiver helps you collect money, whether you’re selling tickets or just asking for charitable donations to support the arts, athletics, the building fund, or any other program that requires cash.

It’s Elementary

We know you’re busy, and that’s why we’ve made the process as streamlined as possible. You can start with a call to our friendly customer support staff at 888.771.0809 and tell them you’d like some QR Code Posters. While you’re setting up your page on TicketRiver (totally free, really easy), they’ll help get your Posters started. You can send our designers any image you’d like to use, have a custom design created just for you, or even choose a combination, like a custom design that incorporates your school logo.

We won’t print or ship your posters until you’re satisfied with the proof, so there’s no risk. When you receive them, the unique QR code will feature prominently in the image, letting everyone know that they can instantly buy tickets or send money with their smart phones.

Time to Shine

Just hang your Posters around the school or wherever you suspect your supporters may lurk. Wherever you go, whatever you do, those QR codes keep working for you, so you can sell tickets or collect donations literally any time, utilizing zero human resources. No one has to sell tickets, collect money, count change, or answer questions. Your TicketRiver page does it all for you!

If you’re looking for a way to move your fundraising campaign into the twenty-first century, capitalize on your students’ love of technology, or raise more money while committing fewer resources to the cause, QR Code Posters are smart way to achieve your goals!

Isn’t It Time Your School Fundraiser Went High-Tech? is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

The ticket legitimizes our event; it makes it look special with a specific date and time and the incorporation of our photos & logos on the ticket as well.

~Paul Komorowski, Seaway Window

Custom printed tickets can mean so much more than “Admit One!” Take, for example, the case of Seaway Window, a  replacement window company in Northwest Pennsylvania.  In the business for over 50 years, Seaway is always looking for new and interesting ways to expose its products to customers.

To show off its process and products to its customers, Seaway Window invites them onto the factory floor. “Our Event is an Open House. We open our factory for tours of one of our production lines showing how a double hung window is made. The purpose is to get people to come to the factory and see how our windows are made, thus making them confident in choosing our company for their replacement window project,” Paul told me.

For the factory tour, Seaway uses the General Concert Ticket. This ticket can be printed in several flashy colors. It has space for event information as well as custom images.

For the factory tour that took place on October 8^th, the Seaway team chose orange as a background color and included images of the factory and the company logo. Besides featuring a detachable stub and individual numbering, the ticket has discount information printed on its opposite side, which can be a handy reference for customers attending the event.

“We do not charge people to come to our event; it is free. We use the tickets to legitimize the event. Plus if they go through the factory tour, the tour guide will sign the back of the ticket for a discount applied to their project.”

For Seaway the ticket serves as a valuable form of advertising. It gets customers through the door and helps to incentivize customers to purchase replacement windows through them.

How does Seaway keep the public informed about its factory tours? “We use a multi-media approach. We use TV, radio, signage, print, direct mail, newspaper, and we use the ‘Open House’ ticket that I order from TicketPrinting.com to promote this event.” Seaway uses an all avenues approach. Rather than settling for one form of advertising, it utilizes a number of different outlets to build a buzz around its factory tours.

Paul urges others to, “Use a multi-media approach to drive people to your event.”

Those who attend the factory tour at Seagate have a good time, no matter how they learned about the event. “The best part of the event is the actual factory tour; people love to go though it,” Paul said.

Event of the Week: Seaway Window Factory Tour is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

TicketPrinting.com gave us the ability to be professional, and offered us the tools we needed to make our event into a great one! Thank you for making our event a success!

~Charlotte Dunn, Co-Founder and President of Fighting For Damion

Just five months old, Damion Antonio Carbello has already touched countless lives. Born in May 2011, Damion was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), “a genetic disorder that is carried by 1 in 90 people and affects 1 in 2000. SMA is the number one genetic killer of toddlers and infants in the world.”

“Fighting For Damion is completely not for profit, and our sole goal is to help this little family with medical bills, and Damion’s needs, to make things just a little easier,” Charlotte Dunn, Co-founder and President of Fighting for Damion explained to me. She founded the organization with Vice President and Co-Founder Rachel Kessleski when they learned their dear friend’s son had been diagnosed with the disorder.

The organization’s most recent event was a benefit get together sponsored by Scale’s Grill and Deck Bar to raise money for Damion and also raise awareness of SMA. The group “held a Chinese auction, a 50/50 raffle, featured live entertainment and a dinner buffet. One hundred percent of the proceeds went to a secure account strictly for baby Damion.”

For the event, the organization chose the Blue and White General Admission Ticket, a simple but professional ticket with plenty of room for event information. The event ticket featured the details of the event on the front, as well as a logo and slogan on the back. The tickets were individually numbered and featured a detachable stub, which can be used to track attendees and keep account of the raffle.

“Because we are just starting out, we have set our goal very small and I am pleased to say we greatly exceeded it.” Charlotte told me.

To get the word out, Charlotte and her team relied heavily on Internet and radio advertising, “We advertised greatly on all social networks, and local radio stations. We also pre-sold the tickets that your company printed, which [were] a big hit! We also list every event and detail on our website, www.fightingfordamion.com.”

Some event planners choose to focus only on one method of advertising, which means they may reach only one audience. By using more than one channel of communication and reaching out to an online audience, as well as one that might hear about the event from a more traditional route, the team maximized its message and reached more potential attendees.

Another effective method that helped with ticket sales is offering a presale discount.  “We offered our tickets to anyone who would listen for $10 presale or $15 at the door. We advertised them the same way we advertised our event,” Charlotte said. “It worked very well in my opinion. If you can get the word out there on as many sources as you can, your event will sell itself.”

Though the weather didn’t cooperate, the event was still a success. “For me, the best part of the event was seeing everyone who came out having a good time for a great cause. Most of these people have no idea who this family is that they are helping, and yet they still come out to support and donate. It is truly amazing to see people put aside their busy life and help someone in need. ”

When you’re planning a fundraising event, a strong advertising and sales strategy will bring out many people who were unaware of your cause. You may find allies who come to believe just as passionately in your message as you do.

For those planning a similar event, Charlotte has this advice, “Plan ahead! Make sure all loose ends are tied a week prior to your event; it saves a lot of time and money. And remember to have lots of helping hands to help set up and break down!! That is truly the hardest part of any event.”

To donate to Fight For Damion visit FightingforDamion.com.

Event of the Week: Fighting for Damion is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

“The tickets always show up promptly and add a touch of professionalism to the event. For most people maybe just a detail, but for me indicates a little added effort.”

~ David Reynolds, Blue Heron Productions

On September 16, The Crooked Still performed at the Hotel Colorado. The team behind this event was Blue Heron Productions, Inc. “a small company dedicated to the promotion of bluegrass, folk and other forms of acoustic music. Intimate concerts with outstanding artists,” Dave Reynolds explained to me. “This is not main stream music you hear much on TV or radio, and I have always felt it is underserved in the media and especially in the concert format. The Company really is just me. My wife handles the door, and I usually bribe my friends to become roadies and help. It is not a one person job. This is a sideline pursuit, as I am CPA in my real life.”

Blue Heron Productions, Inc. is dedicated to producing intimate concerts with outstanding artists. While it is not affiliated with the Hotel Colorado, many of the concerts take place at this beautiful venue. For the Crooked Still Event, “I used a room at the venue I have never used for the concert. It wonderfully small and intimate, but acoustically challenging. I went for audience sight line and gave up a little in the sound department, but it went very well all things considered. I prefer the high ceilings and ambiance of the Ballroom. The Hotel Colorado is on the National Historical Register.”

For Dave, “The sound quality is job number one, followed by a comfortable venue. I want the band to sound as good as it can, and I am very particular about it. These musicians are very talented and deserve being treated like the aspiring pros they are or will become.” You can visit YouTube for a taste of Crooked Still’s music.

For this event, Dave chose the All Purpose General Admission ticket, a simple but professional ticket that prominently features the band’s name as well as event information. The ticket is individually numbered and features a detachable stub, which allows organizers to keep track of attendees.

“To market the event,” Dave says, “I use posters, newspaper, radio, social media and email contacts, and anything else that I can think, given a limited budget. I am always looking for a more targeted approach. The younger bands see the benefit of Internet marketing and are generally better at it themselves too, which helps.” Bands are featured on the Blue Heron Productions, Inc. Website. They are also touted on the Facebook page for the venue. The bands themselves do their own promotion work as well.

Event of the Week: The Crooked Still at the Hotel Colorado is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Ticketprinting.com “gave us a quality ticket with our logo on the back making it look really official. People buying the tickets really seemed to like that.”

~ Michael Cooper, FBCYRA

On August 6^th, the Fort Bend County Youth Rodeo Association (FBCYRA) held its Summer Series Raffle. Cash prizes were handed out to participants. First Prize was three hundred dollars. Second Prize was two hundred dollars and Third prize was one hundred dollars.

The organization chose the All Purpose Raffle Ticket design. The ticket is printed on high quality stock in black and white. It features the essential raffle information and number on the front side, and the FBCYRA logo on its reverse. The ticket has a corresponding detachable stub for participants to write down their contact information.

“We are a youth rodeo organization,” Michael shared with me. The organization’s website further describes FBCRYA’s purpose, as “a Junior Rodeo Association for kids up to 19 years of age. We provide a safe place for Fort Bend County’s Youth to have fun and experience the great sport of Rodeo.” The FBCYRA is dedicated to helping young people. As well as providing a rodeo experience for youths and young adults, the organization is committed to supporting scholarship by providing awards for those young people who compete in the Junior Rodeo.

“We have a raffle each year in conjunction with our summer rodeo series and end of the summer rodeo to help pay for the over $30,000 in prizes we give away.” Michael explained to me. The Summer Series Raffle is a fundraiser for the organization.

How does FBCYRA promote its raffle and sell its tickets? The young people who participate in the Summer Series and wish to participate in the autumn rodeo are required to sell raffle tickets. “Each contestant is required to sale $75.  We target local businesses, family members and other within the community.” If FBCYRA members don’t sell the required amount of raffle tickets, they must secure an equal amount of outside sponsoring in order to be eligible for rodeo competition prizes.

Raffle sales are not only required but also competitive, which brings a spirit of fun to the process. The member who sells the most tickets wins a belt buckle at the end of the sales cycle.

Information about the raffle and the summer series was also available on the organization’s site and its Facebook page.

For Michael, the highlight of the Summer Series Raffle goes far beyond that one event. “The best part is just seeing how the kids grow through the summer and how their riding skills improve. It is neat to watch them compete however great to see the sportsmanship they show in helping one another out and cheer each other on.”

Event of the Week: Fort Bend Country Youth Rodeo Association Summer Series is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

When Stacey Scott of Harper Monroe, a mobile spa service based in New York, wanted to host an Elegant Affair for Wellness and Beauty benefit to raise awareness of her business and funds for the Humane Society of New York, she chose the Red Rose design from TicketPrinting.com for her flyers and tickets.

The design features a close up of a red rose in full bloom with room for custom text and information. It provides the perfect backdrop for a beautiful event.

I had the opportunity to catch up with Stacey Scott to learn more about the event she hosted and some of the strategies she used to get her team engaged and sell tickets.

“We deliver spa services directly to the doorstep of our clients and host spa party events.” Stacey explained to me. “The purpose of this event was to help raise money for the Humane Society of New York and to bring more awareness about our business.” The event was held at the Royalton Hotel in Manhattan on Saturday July 23^rd. Participants were treated to two spa services and a wellness consultation. Appetizers, desserts, and cocktails were provided, and take home gifts were given to attendees as well.

When a business hosts an event, a strategy for selling tickets is essential. Stacey’s team had to analyze what they would need for the event to be successful. “First, we set a profit goal and worked up a break even analysis and decided how many tickets we needed to sell.” Making sure team members are motivated to get the word out and sell tickets is also important. “Then the tickets were split equally between team members who were given “gift” incentives to reach their goal.”

How did Stacey’s team market the event? They used several methods, from reaching out to current clients to turning to social media. “We dug into our current client base (which is relatively small…we are a start-up) and reached out to them by cold calling. We sent messages on Twitter and Facebook and used our Constant Contact account to try and reach a larger audience.

“We were able to pull off a very lovely event and our guests seemed very happy. Highlights were the luxurious services provided by my staff…mani/pedis, facials, and conditioning hair treatments and cuts. The venue was top notch and the food and wine was awesome. ”

What advice would Stacey share with those planning a similar event? “I’d say that unless you already have experience throwing profit making events, you should plan several months ahead…work out a detailed financial analysis and set a contingency plan for what to do if ticket sales are less than what is expected.”

How did TicketPrinting.com help to enhance Stacey’s event? She was pleased that a variety of payment options were available and the professional air the tickets lent the event. “It gave a different option than buying through PayPal. It provided a very professional looking alternative than just receiving tickets in the mail.”

Event of the Week: An Elegant Affair for the Humane Society is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Ready to add an extra professional look to pretty much anything you undertake? Event large and small benefit from the production of beautiful, custom made Event Brochures, printed to your specifications and customized with your own text and images. Whether your event is large enough to require a guide with schedules and maps, complex enough to need detailed descriptions, or special enough to require a souvenir, printing your own booklets is a great way to solve your informational needs.

Where can you use a printed book?

Conferences and Conventions: Include vendor hall and venue maps, schedules for speaker and panels, and descriptions of events to create a complete guide to your event. Honor special guests and include highlights of the event and the organization’s accomplishments

Theater and Music: Playbills and programs let your fans know all about the show. Artist biographies, play synopses, band lineups and more all provide a stunning souvenir that helps your guests navigate performing arts endeavors large and small.

Food and Art Festivals: Publish a diagram showing who’s in which booth and where your patrons can find their favorite artists or flavors. Honor sponsors with ads large and small, and offer special deals.

Weddings and Family Reunions: Create a memorable souvenir for group gatherings of any size. Lay out the schedule or let everyone provide their own updates. Print photos old and new for a unique touch.

Fundraising: Print your own ad book, selling ads to local businesses or group members to make more money. Or, describe your organization’s work in detail, so potential donors can see exactly where their money is going.

New Member Information: A stock booklet is a great idea for any organization. Include names, phone numbers, and email addresses, and any other information that remains the same from year to year, which might be of use to those who have recently joined an existing group.

Annual Updates: Every year, there’s something new. Share your accomplishments with a large group when you write all your exciting information down into a fun narrative, complete with photos and illustrations.

In fact, there are thousands of ways pamphlets and event programs can be used. The possibilities are really only limited by your imagination. Whatever information you need to share with any size group, you can have it professionally printed in a booklet made to your specifications.

7 Suggestions: Who Needs a Printer? is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

His first week of college in the big city (Grand Forks, North Dakota), rural kid Isaac “Ike” Turner attended his first punk show, “and the game was totally over. Honestly,” he says, “it changed my life.” A year later he was officially a drummer in his first band, and fifteen years and a few bands later, he’s still on the scene. Today, the thirty-something musician plays guitar and drums in a “straightforward, economical punk rock” band called Minutes, “the most satisfying music-related experience” of his life.

Punk rockers at work: Minutes is Chafe Hensley, Mark Larmee, Ryan Nelson, and Isaac Turner.

Minutes formed in 2008, counting Wire, Mission of Burma, Fugazi, and Neil Young among their influences. Turner counts his band mates, all experienced musicians, as his best friends and counts his blessings as a musician. Starting with no expectations, including never really expecting to play a single gig, the band has toured across the Midwest and produced an eponymous seven-inch EP (distributed by Dischord Records), which, to their great surprise, sold out, and has since been made available as a high-quality free download on the website Bandcamp. Currently, they’re working on a full-length album, as well as collaborating with Seattle indie-rock group The Bismarck on another album.

In regard to giving away free music, Turner is “actually very proud,” about being able to share the EP. “Totally free,” he says. “You can put it on your iPod or burn a hundred copies and give them away. I’m really in support of that type of porous border in music.” Using Bandcamp provided a surprising metric of success for the group, allowing it to reach “a lot of folks that it wouldn’t have otherwise.” Although it’s possible to sell music through the site, as well as merchandise, Minutes has not taken this route.

The cover of Minutes' 7-inch EP, which is available as a free download on Bandcamp.com.

Does giving away free music help sell concert tickets? Turner is skeptical. “At our level, which is very small in comparison to, say, Beach House or Weezer or Danzig, it doesn’t really make much of a dent at all in how many people show up to see us play.” Minutes isn’t working on creating a buzz. Rather, the guys in the band are “hard-hat and lunch box dudes, and have always been very workman-like…lots of touring, lots of recording, no financial success or accolades on any grand scale at all.” They’re making music for their own enjoyment, and they’re happy if their work provides others with the same enjoyment.

If giving away free albums doesn’t get fans to your gig, then, what does? According to Turner, it’s Facebook updates. The post that takes thirty seconds to write is “like a neat little reminder for your entire social group, and sometimes that makes a difference in the folks that come out.” The members of the band make an effort to update their fan page on Facebook a couple of times a month. They also maintain a MySpace profile, which, admittedly, has not been updated in some time, although they do try to respond to all comments left by the five hundred or so fans they have on that site.

For now, leaving messages in online forums for those prepared to seek out their messages works for the band. Turner wouldn’t change their methods: “I don’t think we’re too annoying with our current approach. I certainly do not want to be invading anyone’s inbox.” It’s enough for him “to provide a venue for our information to be available (we’re not recluses, after all, although we like Pynchon and Salinger a lot). I like the balance we’ve struck so far.”

In the real world, Minutes relies on flyers, screen-printed by two members of the band, to announce upcoming shows. What else does a punk rocker need to know about marketing? Not much, according to Turner, who believes “the most important aspect of being in a successful band is to never, ever think about selling yourself at all.” For Minutes, it truly is all about the music: “We happen to make music that we love, and we are lucky to play shows.” They don’t need outside help, and are pleased the band can function “without any intermediaries at all—not one person outside of our band makes decisions for us. Not one. We have no managers or screwballs or anything like that. So, as far as marketing, we really, honestly, can let the music speak for itself.”

True to their punk roots, Minutes keep their expectations low. Asked about his goals for the band, he says, “I hope we can keep practicing once a week or so, write songs, record songs, play shows, ad infinitum.” He’d love to tour again, for a week or two, “not necessarily a marathon one like we used to do” but mostly he’s happy playing great shows with great musicians and creating great experiences. He “would say having no goals is a great goal for us, because then we feel absolutely zero pressure whatsoever.” After a moment’s consideration, he adds, “Wait, let me take that back.  I want to finish our album before May. There. That’s my goal.”

Ike Turner Plays Punk: One Band Redefines Success on Their Own Terms is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

1)   Your school’s financial future depends, in some part, on distributing tickets to your upcoming fund raising event.

2)   You’ve got plenty of other things to do in the front office besides distributing tickets.

Do you put the burden of selling Event Tickets on parents and teachers and then deal with the hassle of tracking sales from multiple sources, collecting and verifying money, hounding an unwilling sales team to work harder? Do you depend on the kids to start selling, and deal with the same problems on a grand scale?

How about an option that requires five minutes of commitment on your part, and does all the rest of the work for you?

If you’ve got tickets to sell, we’ve got an app for that.

It’s called Ticket River, and it’s literally the easiest, most reliable, and least expensive way to sell tickets to any school event. Even if you’re not selling tickets, it’s a great way to encourage people to check in to events they plan on attending, so you can get a head count in advance. It even lets you collect donations for your non-profit school!

All you’ve got to do is log on and create a page for your event. It takes about five minutes, and there’s help to help you get started if computers aren’t your thing. You’ll just enter the event information into a template: what kind of event you’re holding, how much tickets cost. You can upload some photographs to liven up the page, and choose a background, as well. And that’s it!

Once you’ve created a page with all your details, all you need to do is direct your students, their parents, and other guests to the URL where they can buy tickets. Ticket River will process credit card or PayPal payments, generate virtual tickets that can be printed out at home, and even track your sales for you. If you’d rather issue your own paper tickets, you can order them from Ticket River’s sister company, TicketPrinting.com, and hold them for attendees as they arrive at the event. The service is completely free: there’s only a small surcharge for each ticket sold (3%—the lowest in the industry), which you can pay yourself, pass on to your customers, or split between the two.

Now, doesn’t that sound a lot easier than waiting for kids to count out their pennies as a line forms around your desk and the phone rings off the hook?

Simplified Success: Your Online Educational Box Office is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

While I appreciate my employees every day and make a concerted effort to offer positive feedback whenever I witness good performance, I find that the company party is the best way to help my staff form cohesive bonds and cultivate the attitude that TicketPrinting.com is, in fact, a great place to work.

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, happy employees create happy customers, who in turn create a business that thrives. That’s why I like to plan two parties a year to reward everyone in the company for making our organization the best that it can possibly be. Our annual holiday party in December is a grand affair, with dedicated party-goers celebrating the season until the early hours of the morning.

Summertime, of course, is the season for another much-appreciated celebration: the company picnic. It’s a great way to encourage folks to let their hair down, help individuals working in different locations to mix and mingle, and to assure everyone that the company is indeed prospering, thanks to their hard work.

If there’s interest among your employees, it’s not too late to start planning your own company picnic. It’s pretty much the simplest type of party you can host. You’ll need:

• Location:
  • Public park
  • Nature preserve
  • State forest
  • The beach

• Food:
  • Hamburgers
  • Hotdogs
  • Veggie burgers
  • Buns
  • Portabella mushrooms and grilled vegetables
  • Condiments
  • Salads
  • Side dishes
  • Watermelon
  • Other desserts
  • Plates, cups, cutlery, napkins

• Drink:
  • Ice water
  • Iced tea
  • Sodas (regular and decaffeinated)
  • Plenty of ice cold beer (if your employees imbibe)

• Activities:
  • Intramural sports
  • Field day games
  • Nature hike
  • Sing-along
  • Trivia contest
  • Water balloons

• Sundries
  • First aid kit
  • Sunscreen
  • Mosquito repellant
  • Wet naps
  • Tablecloths
  • Barbecue tools

Plan well in advance. Double check on the venue’s rules about alcohol, campfires, dogs, music, and barbecuing. You may very well require a permit or a reservation to have a picnic in your chosen location, particularly if you expect a large number of people to attend. Speaking of guests, as with any company gathering, an honest examination of your current finances should dictate whether this party is employees-only or if people may bring their families. More people will attend and they will stay longer if they’re accompanied by spouses and children.

Spread the word and remind everyone in the weeks leading up to the picnic. Set up a website site or social network page for the event, where you can post reminders beforehand and pictures and discussions afterwards. Hang flyers around the office, send emails to help people plan for the event, and hang sign-up sheets for those who wish to participate in the sports competition or bring extra dishes to share. You can even send postcards to remind everyone about the big day.

Appoint a knowledgeable person to be in charge of food preparation. The last thing you want at your company picnic is to disable some part of your staff with food poisoning. Make sure all meat is property thawed before it hits the grill, and that the person working the grill is aware of food safety standards. Foods that spoil easily, like potato salad, should be transported in coolers full of ice, served out of the sun, and cleared away before they have a chance to turn.

Make sure you have all the necessary accoutrements, too. Will you bring paper or plastic plates, cups, and utensils? For smaller groups, you can use real dishes and cutlery, provided someone is willing to wash them. Biodegradable and environmentally responsibly silverware and plates are available, and your employees may appreciate your commitment to a green party. Doing as much prep work as possible in advance, in a real kitchen, will improve the experience for everyone.

If you’ll be serving alcoholic beverages, make sure that your guests drink responsibly. You may want to ask a non-drinker to be in charge of helping others make safe decisions. No one should drink to impairment, and no one should drive while intoxicated. Make arrangements for shared rides, taxis, or overnight accommodations if you suspect that libations will flow freely. Remember, a little tipsiness can really spice up the picnic and promote better relations among employees, but it only takes one incident of extreme belligerence, sexual harassment, or reckless driving to permanently spoil the experience for everyone.

Depending on the facilities available at your venue, you may like to set up a game of softball or volleyball. Choosing teams beforehand can create a nice atmosphere of expectation before the picnic. Sack races, scavenger hunts, or even nature walks (with a well-informed guide) can add to the fun. If families are invited, you may want to provide separate activities for children: crafts projects and their own sports events will keep them busy and allow the adults to relax.

You can really plan an entire days’ worth of events. One memorable year, a few of the women from our business office organized our own company Olympics. We divided everyone up into teams and created events that allowed everyone a chance to participate. Since families were in attendance, we tried to think of activities that would be fun for kids and adults: trivia, jumping rope, throwing highlighters at a target, carrying water by the teaspoon to fill a cup to a certain level, and incredibly short sprint races, like a 10 foot dash! Each team was informed of the next event and allowed to choose a member to compete.

One of our IT guys brought a computer and played the Olympic Song for our opening ceremonies, along with the national anthem as we awarded medals. Our medals were old CDs that we didn’t need anymore, affixed with printed labels denoting “gold,” “silver,” and “bronze,” with ribbons tied through them so they could be worn around the neck. Everyone was really pleased with the results. One little boy, about 8 or 9 years old, was thrilled to win the 10-foot dash. He competed against adults, but took the lead with a fast start. No one could catch up with him. Another fun surprise was watching a woman who tended to be very quiet and shy winning the trivia contest. No one knew about her extensive expertise in music and film.

Whatever you plan, if you offer up the events of your picnic in good spirits and with the expectation that everyone should be having fun, you can expect that you’ll create lasting memories and motivate your employees to become even more loyal.

You’ll want to document the festivities with pictures and videos.  Light-hearted and consensual group photos early in the picnic can help cement the good memories, as can short videos of amusing events. Use the pictures on your company’s social networks, inter-office newsletters, and to promote next year’s picnic.

When the party’s over, make sure that everyone gets home safely. Clean up the space, being certain to remove all trash and food from the site. If you’ve lit any campfires, they should be completely extinguished before you leave the site. The same goes for charcoal grills, especially if you live in a dry, windy area.

I look forward to my company picnic every year, and I know my employees do too. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the summertime while celebrating the business.

Sun, Fun, and a Refreshing Beverage: The Best Company Picnic Ever (Until Next Year) is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

With expenses going up and revenue going down, the last thing you can afford is gatecrashers at your upcoming conference, convention, or expo. It’s unfair to your paying customers, and it compromises everyone’s safety and ability to enjoy themselves. Allowing uninvited guests to sneak in without paying is tantamount to giving your product away for free, and you need to guard against this type of theft of services in the same way that you’d guard a retail location from shoplifters. Event badges can help.

Use event badges for:

• Comic book, SF, anime, and other fun conventions
• Business expos
• Scientific conferences
• Large sporting tournaments
• Multi-day music festivals
• Auctions
• Any big event that takes place over multiple days or locations

Issuing event badges to legitimate guests is a surefire way to even the odds against unlawful entry, even for small gatherings. Unless you and your security staff are certain of your ability to identify every single person in the convention hall by sight, a discreet event badge is your best bet for maintaining the integrity of the event.

For added security, divide those involved into categories that make sense to you and print slightly different badges, distributed depending on where the holder is allowed to go. This might include one set of badges for regular convention-goers, another set for vendors, another for speakers, performers, or VIPs, one for staff and volunteers, and so on. Unique badges make perfect sense if certain areas of the conference are to be restricted. Private parties or privileges available only to those who have paid an additional fee are safer when all attending wear the correct ID badge.

In the first hour or so of your gathering, distributing the event badges makes sense for everyone. Guests should be checking in and picking up any orientation materials anyway, so issuing the badges at this time provides a moment for them to transition into your event. Organizers have an extra moment to double-check their information and an extra opportunity to begin learning people’s names. Guests themselves will appreciate event badges that double as name tags.

But it’s your security detail that will benefit the most from these security badges. At a glance, they’ll be able to determine whether or not someone belongs in a specific area. In addition, if a registered guest does cause any trouble, the information on his or her event badge will make it easier to handle.

Anonymity works in some situation, but not when you’ve invested a lot of time and money into planning this event. Keep track of everyone in the room with a stack of well-designed, custom event badges!

Hanging by a Lanyard is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Ready to add an extra layer of security to your large, multi-day event, or to any worksite that could use some added identification for the many people passing through on any given day? Creating Event Badges or ID Badges for everyone who belongs is a fast and easy way to provide visual markers indicating who belongs. The process is simple and the badges themselves are inexpensive.

Begin by determining whether paper badges (printed on heavy card stock and displayed in sturdy vinyl sleeves) will suffice, or if you will choose to spend a little more money for the much more durable hard plastic cards. The question is basically one of longevity. For a three-day event, paper is more than sufficient. Your paper Event Badges will survive even the roughest weekend, and live to serve as a souvenir of the experience. For long-term use, the plastic badges, which can tolerate the occasional accidental trip through the washing machine, are a good choice.

Next, choose your design. If you’ve already spent time and money creating a unique logo, you’ll want to get some more mileage out of that. You can just send the design file along with your order (most standard file formats: TIFF, JPEG, PDF, GIF) and it will be faithfully reproduced onto you ID Badges. If you haven’t got an image in mind, you can find one in a large online design gallery. TicketPrinting.com offers all their designs for free, and you can use the image from any product as the background for your badge. Or, work with an artist and get the custom design that you really want produced just for you and your event or company.

Now, determine what information you want printed on the badge. The name of the company or event is a good place to start. Dates, mottos, or other unique indicators can be helpful. You may choose different badges for different people. Perhaps executives will be denoted by different colors or phrases. If identification is your purpose, you’ll need to compile a file containing all the names you’ll need printed on the badges. It doesn’t cost that much extra to personalize each one with the right name. And data that can be stored in a CSV file can be used to customize each badge.

Remember, you can print the back of the badge as well! This is a good place to add a sponsor logo or other information unique to your event or mission.

Finally, decide how to display the badge. A bulldog clip is a simple option. For those who prefer not to muss up the front of their shirts, a lanyard allows your guests or employees to wear their IDs like necklaces. You can choose a plain lanyard, or spend a little more money to customize the lanyard as well. Lanyards come in your choice of five colors—red, royal blue, navy blue, black, and white, and can be imprinted with any text you choose.

And you’re done! Just place your order and you’ll receive a digital proof in twenty-four hours. Your Event Badges will be printed in a few days (most orders will ship in 3 to 6 days, depending on the size and complexity of the order; large orders of custom lanyards will take a little longer).

Just plan ahead and you can enjoy the safety and security of custom Event Badges.

Identity on the Fly is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Maybe you have been an event planner for years or maybe this is your first time planning a big event. From choosing the venue, to getting the appropriate permits, lining up vendors, volunteers, staff and service people, from finding entertainment to advertising and managing the crowds of people who will show up, you’ve got a lot to think about. Lighten the load when you use Tyvek wristbands to manage your attendees.

All the Colors in the Rainbow

Color code with custom wristbands to organize your big event. Veteran and new party planners alike can appreciate the importance of keeping things organized. This applies to all aspects of your event, especially your crowd. On event day, you want to be able to distinguish your guests from your vendors, staff and volunteers.

Colorful Tyvek wristbands let you do this, by allowing you to quickly and efficiently separate your attendees. Simply place the appropriate event wristband on each attendee as he or she arrives at the gate and their roles at the event will be revealed.

Selling alcohol at your event? Choose a highly visible and unmistakable colored wristband to mark your underage drinkers. Your concession staff will thank you when they are able to move guests through the line with ease.

Brand it

You’ve put a huge amount of planning into the details of your event. Don’t let your guests forget who made it possible. Tyvek wristbands can be customized with your logo and information. Choose a memorable design that will stick with your attendees far into the future.

As if they could forget! The design will be stuck on them for the duration of the big day. Waterproof, durable and non-transferable, event wristbands allow you to make sure your brand will never be out of your guests’ sight.

When you customize wristbands with your own unique design, you help to ensure guests identify your brand, but you also increase the security of your event.  Not any old wristband will do. Guests need to be wearing your event wristbands. A quick glance at their wrists can tell you whether they are meant to be there or not.

For Added Security

Custom wristbands can be individually numbered. They can also be printed with a unique holographic foil label that is very difficult to duplicate. In addition to choosing unique colors and a branded design, these features make it quick and easy to spot the genuine article anywhere in the crowd.

The Most Important Color

Green! DuPont Tyvek wristbands are recyclable, so no matter which colors you decide to print them in, you will lesson your impact on the environment. Guests can turn in their event wristbands at the end of the event and leave knowing that they have done something to reduce their footprint.

Make Event Wristbands a Part of your Plans

Choose custom printed wristbands as part of your event and make your crowd management simple.

The Secret to Success is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

When summer is on its way, it’s time for festival season. With the sun shining down and the weather warming up, folks are ready to get out and gather.  Planning your own Woodstock? How about a street food fair? Do you have a renaissance faire in the works? Or, do you plan on inviting a group of artists to take over your community for a few days. Any multiday event can benefit from wristbands.

Tickets and Event Wristbands

Whether you are welcoming a gaggle of modern day lords and ladies or your guests are navigating a thoroughfare of taco trucks full of street food and slow food, event tickets and wristbands will help you manage the crowd.

When an event spans several days, admission tickets can get lost or dog-eared, causing anxiety for both guests and staff. When you sell tickets in advance and exchange them for Tyvek wristbands at the gate, crowd management becomes much easier.

These custom printed wristbands are made of Tyvek, a material that is somewhere between paper and plastic.  DuPont Tyvek wristbands are strong, waterproof, and non-transferable. Once staff members place them around guests’ wrists, they will remain in place until they are cut off at the end of the event.

Because they are durable, event wristbands can be worn for the several days spanning the events relieving worries about lost or damaged tickets. Guests need only present their wrists as the gate to be let inside.

Custom event wristbands allow guests a great freedom of movement, so they can wander through the festival grounds or get out and dance with the crowd once the band gets started.

Who’s Who?

At a multi-day event folks will quickly need to be able to distinguish between attendees, volunteers and staff members. By choosing colored wristbands for individuals who have different roles at your big event, you make your venue friendlier and safer. When guests are lost or in need of help, they can easily identify the folks who can help them.

Tyvek wristbands also allow you to manage special events within your multi-day affair. Do you have guests you want to invite back stage or to a party within the party. Colored wristbands allow you to keep sort out your VIPs from the rest of the crowd.

If you are serving alcohol at your festival, wristbands of different colors can make your barkeep’s jobs much easier.

Reduce the Impact

Big events, especially ones that span several days, can have a big impact on the environment. When you’re planning your affair, you want to find ways to reduce the footprint of your event as much as possible. You will feel great about it. Your guests will appreciate it and so will the planet. You can start by choosing recyclable materials for your event collateral.

Tyvek wristbands are functional, and they are also recyclable. Your guests can wear them throughout the multi-day event and then turn them in for recycling when it is over.

Three Days of Anything You Like! is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

You’re not sure what your classroom budget is going to be this year, but you are sure it won’t be enough. As you look out over the faces of your young students sounding out words and carefully calculating math problems, you wish you could give them something more to reinforce their education.  Whether you want to raise the money for extra books, school supplies or creative materials, holding a fundraising event using custom printed wristbands can be key to bringing cash into your classroom.

A School Carnival

Paper bracelets or Tyvek Wristbands go hand in hand with your fundraising plans, especially if you’re planning a school carnival. A carnival is a traditional choice for a school fundraiser. It is the type of event that opens the doors of the school to the community. Individuals get to see the cause they are donating to, and faculty and students get a chance to show off their place of learning to the public. As an added bonus, school carnivals are just plain fun!

Security and Safety

Making sure that an event on school grounds is secure and safe should be a top priority of any planning committee. Tyvek wristbands can help you reach this goal. Somewhere between paper and plastic, these wristbands fit snugly around your attendees wrists. They cannot be transferred or removed without being cut off, so you can rest assured that the right folks are at your event.

Event wristbands are available in several colors. You can set aside ones for faculty and staff, parents, students and friends of the school. When individuals see the colored wristbands, they can easily identify the type of relationship an individual has to the school.

Raffles

Your school carnival will likely have games, food, student performances and displays. Another big draw might be door prizes or raffles, based on wristband numbering. In order to save additional money, you may want to solicit a local vendor or merchant sponsor the event by donating a prize. Prizes can be big or small. What counts is the spirit behind them and the enthusiasm with which your attendees participate.

Because event wristbands can be securely numbered, they can serve a dual purpose at your event.  They will help to keep your event secure, but they will also double as a raffle ticket. Each guest with an event wristband gets a chance at the prize.  And, they won’t run the risk of losing their chance at the raffle.

Guests can feel safe participating in carnival games and rides. The Tyvek wristbands will stay securely around their wrists no matter how many rounds of skee ball they play. They can even take a few rounds in the dunk tank because these event wristbands are waterproof!

Your Students are Worth It

It’s easy and cost effective to design and print custom wristbands. Event wristbands can be customized with your school’s logo making them unique and memorable.  Not only will members of your school’s community have a fun time, you’ll be earning money so that you can buy the much needed extras the budget may not cover this year.

Your Kids Are Worth a Million! is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Whether you are managing the activities at a megachurch or one with a smaller congregation, you know that your attendees will be more open to the message if they feel comfortable in their surroundings. If you are sponsoring a Christian concert, faith based seminar or convention, or hosting a vacation Bible school or Bible study retreat, you are sure to attract a crowd. No matter how many folks show up, you will want to make sure to manage your event properly. Choosing the right collateral, from invitations to flyers and posters that announce your big event to making sure the attendees are in the right place with event tickets and DuPont Tyvek wristbands, is the first step in a well-run and successful event.

Christian Concerts

Maybe your church is putting on a faith based battle of the bands or you have one of the hottest new Christian acts cruising through for a show. You want attendees to have a great time and to benefit spiritually from your church’s musical ministry. For crowd management consider choosing durable event wristbands. These custom wristbands can be printed with your church’s logo, as well as a memorable bible verse or special message of fellowship.

Colored wristbands can help you distinguish the different roles of folks at the event, ministers, volunteers, members of the crew and guests, helping you to keep track of folks and helping folks keep track of each other.  After the show your attendees can keep the event wristbands as a keepsake of a fun and faith filled evening, and your church’s logo or a carefully chosen Bible verse printed on that wristband is another great way to spread your message!

Faith Based Conventions and Seminars

Hosting a convention or seminar? Maybe you are bringing together an interfaith group of ministers to discuss issues central to faith or your hosting a faith based seminar for couples who are about to be married. Big or small your event can benefit from event wristbands.

At your Christian convention, keep track of your vendors and attendees with a variety of paper wristbands. Easily identify guest ministers and speakers with colored wristbands. If you want to add a little fun to the big event, consider a raffle using securely numbered wristbands. You can give away gift certificates to the local bookstore or next big faith centered event.

Vacation Bible School and Retreats

If you host a vacation Bible school or retreats at your church, you know there are always ways to make the event go more smoothly. For this purpose, event wristbands are a great help.

Strong, Tyvek wristbands are an excellent choice. Placed on the wrists of your vacation bible school kids, these wristbands help you keep track of your little guests. Whether you plan on staying on church grounds or taking a field trip to a park across town, you’ll be able to identify attendees quickly, leaving less time to worry about where the children are and more time to focus on your message.

Event wristbands are also perfect for retreat weekends and can remain a reminder of a special time for years to come.

A Crowd at Your Church? No Problem! is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Whether you’ve just left the sunny days of summer behind or the season is just around the corner, any time of year is a great time to put your picnic planning hat on! Family reunions, neighborhood get-to-know-yous, and big fundraisers for your favorite causes go perfectly against the backdrop of sunshine and comfort food.

With a little preparation and dedication, your picnic party will be a success. From picking the right venue, choosing a catering company, auditioning entertainment, managing transportation and crowd control, you’ve got some big decisions to make. Consider using event wristbands to help keep things simple.

Event Organizers Just Wanna Have Fun!

When you’re hosting a summer time affair, you want to enjoy it, too. Party wristbands can allow you to lighten up and have a good time along with your guests.

If you’re expecting a large number of folks, charging for food or serving alcoholic drinks, you should consider managing your guests with Dupont Tyvek wristbands. These helpful accessories are great for single or multiple day events and make it easy for anyone working or volunteering to help manage the crowd. Instead of worrying whether the young guy by the concession booth should really be drinking that beer or if that unfamiliar looking group of folks chowing down on potato salad under the food tent really paid the admission fee, you can relax, knowing that everyone is right where they belong.

With event wristbands, you’ll be able to maintain the integrity of the event, ensuring everyone has fun in the sun! If you’re hosting a company picnic or family reunion, wristbands can help you easily identify members of your party when you throw your event at a venue open to the general public.

Get Active and Enjoy the Weather

Are you planning some activities at your picnic event? Perhaps a little three-legged race or game of volleyball? Everyone wants to join in on the fun. With event wristbands, guests can have a great time without worrying they’ll lose their proof of admission.

Tyvek wristbands fit snuggly around attendees’ wrists. They are made of a durable material that feels a little like paper and a little like plastic. They’re waterproof as well, so if you’re planning a beach or poolside picnic, wristbands are an excellent choice.

Whether you’re having an egg relay, a game of four-square or playing some softball after lunch, encourage your guests to join in! Their event wristbands will stay put, until they decide to take them off at the end of the day.

That is, if your guests decide to take them off. Printed custom wristbands bearing your event logo make a great fashion accessory!

Don’t Let Summer Pass You By

Summer is a wonderful time to host and outdoor event. Take advantage of sunny days and warm weather to plan a gathering that really shines!

Summertime and the Livin’ Is Easy is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Last night I got to see my favorite band play at the beautiful Fox Theater in Oakland, Ca. It had been a while since I’d been to a fairly big show. As I strolled down the street with my fellow concert goers toward the glowing marquee with a sense of happy anticipation, I knew I was in for a great time!

What pleasantly surprised me was the friendliness and efficiency of the theater staff, the easy and unobtrusive flow and management of the crowd.  After having my ticket scanned at the door, I presented my I.D., and a DuPont Tyvek wristband was quickly affixed to my wrist, clearly identifying me as “old enough to drink.”

The venue had an easy going vibe. Rather than fishing my identification from my wallet each time I wanted to buy a drink, I needed only flash my event wristband when I approached the theater bar. Around me other attendees enjoyed themselves regardless of their age. Behind the counter, the bartenders were relaxed, taking orders from guests after just a quick glance at their wrists.

As I sat back in the low lit bar, sipping my drink, casually conversing with friends while I waited for the opening act to begin, I looked down at the paper wristband I wore. I thought about how uncomplicated and stress free it had been to gain entry into the venue and how much a part of the experience of a show that can be.

The last concert I had been to was held at a much larger venue. Though the space was outfitted to handle big crowds, the staff was clearly inexperienced. Beyond the tickets we printed to get through the gate, there were no other direct attempts at crowd management, not even hand stamps or event wristbands for in and out privileges.

The lines were long and slow. After being patted down and having everything on my person rifled through, I felt stressed out.  I wasn’t even in sight of the stage yet!  And without drink wristbands to distinguish who could or couldn’t belly up to the bar, attendees were forced to dig through their purses and wallets to produce an id each time they wanted to purchase a drink.

Crowd control consisted of a few attendants forcing people to produce their tickets once again in order to get into certain restricted parts of the venue.

Sitting in my comfy chair, drink in hand, in Fox’s bar, I thought about how all of that could have been avoided if those event promoters had outfitted guests with colored wristbands that clearly identified where they belonged.

This experience was much different.  I knew the flow of attendees was being expertly managed, but I just felt like I was having a great time. The most artfully done crowd control allows you to feel like you’re not just part of a crowd. I took one last look at the custom wristband I wore, smiled, took another sip of my drink and waited to hear the first strains of the opening band to call me out onto the floor.

A Tale of Two Concerts is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Lately, researchers are revisiting the science of happiness, with surprising results.  They’re learning, it’s not about the things we buy but the experiences we purchase. It turns out, happiness can be bought, if we spend our money in the right way.

Splurging on a new dress is ultimately less satisfying than putting the same cash down on a pair of theater tickets. A new MP3 player is nice for listening to your favorite band on, but can it really represent the same memories as the event wristband you received when you actually saw your favorite music group in concert?  You get the idea. It’s something to think about when you plan your next event.

Side with the Science

The economy may be in the doldrums, but if you’re in the event business, according to the research, you’re in a better position than your retail counterparts to give your audience members more satisfaction for their dollars. Take heart! With every ticket and Tyvek wristband you print and sell, you begin the process of creating something lasting. And each successful event is an investment in repeat business.

Give Them Something for Their Money

Not only are you planning and promoting an event, you’re selling experiences and memories to your attendees.

Human beings are nostalgic by nature. Your promotional materials can quickly become souvenirs, eliciting the good times had long after the show is over. Flyers and posters may grace your attendees’ wall. A ticket may find its way into a scrapbook. A custom wristband, worn for the duration of the event, may grace your guests’ arms in the days to come.

Make those Memories Last

When the show is over, and the venue is quiet, its lights dim, the band and crowd long gone, make sure the memories aren’t.

Quality, customized collateral can continue to do its job even after your super group has flown the coop.

Take Tyvek wristbands for instance. Manufactured by DuPont™, they’re flexible, durable, practical and decorative.  Somewhere between paper and plastic, event wristbands made from this material are waterproof and strong, so they’ll last the length of the show and beyond.

They’re also perfect for printing on. This is essential when you’re in the business of memories. Make sure to choose a logo or text that’s sure to stick out in your attendees’ minds. Whether you take this space to promote the entertainment, your sponsors or your organization, remember it will be attached to your guests’ bodies for the duration of the show.

These event wristbands become as much a part of their memories as that awesome drum solo halfway in or when the guitarist broke a string and kept rocking out anyway! By branding your wristbands and placing them so prominently, you’re putting yourself in position to become tied to all the great memories made during your event.

Everybody Wins

When guests purchase tickets and wristbands to get into your venue, they’re purchasing memories. When you customize event wristbands with your own branding, you’re purchasing a cherished place within those memories.

You Can Buy Happiness is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Big events can have real, noticeable impacts on their immediate environment. From tramped down foliage, to left over litter and tons of waste left behind once the fun it over, it’s often easy to see the real consequences that occur when a large group of folks shares a small space together.

These days, it’s hip to be green! Not only does it benefit the planet to make your events more sustainable, it may benefit your attendance. By taking small steps, like using recyclable DuPont Tyvek to print Tyvek wristbands that help you manage guests or larger ones, like booking an eco-conscious venue for your next event, you can build a strong cache with your environmentally aware attendees.

When you’re ready to make an impact by making less of an impact, you can take some easy steps to green your venue and event.

Offset Ticket and Wristband Printing

Tickets and event wristbands are necessary for crowd management. They allow you to keep your event secure and make it easy to account for your attendees. Consider offsetting the perceived environmental costs of ticket printing by donating a small portion of your sales to an environmentally conscious cause. You can continue to use these essential event management tools, and your guests will feel great knowing that the event wristbands they wear are contributing to a movement they believe in.

Support Green Transportation

Encourage attendees to go carless. Give clear instructions on using public transportation. Help arrange carpools and shuttles. Consider a bike valet service. Guests can drop off their bikes with attendants at the entrance to the venue in exchange for a ticket or paper wristband that allows them to claim their non-carbon emitting chariots at the end of the show.

Green Crowd Management

Have folks register for the event online and pick up ticket and event wristbands at the gate. Tyvek wristbands are great for crowd control, allowing you to easily identify groups of guests from the outset. They’re simple to print on, so you can share your message or logo in bright bold colors. Best of all Tyvek wristbands are recyclable. Guests can wear these wristbands through the show and send them off for recycling and reuse once it’s over.

Contain your Containers

Concession waste from paper plates, to plastic ware and cups is visually displeasing in the short-term and leads to long term sustainability issues. For your green event, use compostable or biodegradable plates and cutlery.

Better yet, encourage guests to bring their own!  Give out special event wristbands to folks that enter the venue with reusable mugs and cups. Flashing the wristband can entitle them to discounts at concessions or enter them in a green giveaway raffle.

Go Greener!

Small changes to your event planning strategy allow you go greener and raise your event’s esteem in the eyes of your attendees. From effective use of paper tickets and plastic wristbands to fun promotions, you can easily put on a more sustainable event.

Easy Being Green is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Anyone who has been to a concert has encountered souvenir stands where clothing, posters, buttons, stickers, and more are sold to eager fans. These stands and kiosks are ubiquitous at every event venue. We all know concert and festival goers aren’t just there for the show. They want to take the experience with them. From T-shirts emblazoned with the logos of their favorite bands, to the event wristbands slipped on their arms as they passed through the gates of the venue, guests prize paraphernalia that proves they’ve been there.

Tyvek and vinyl wristbands allow you to manage your guests and reward them at the same time. Used in conjunction with event tickets or on their own, these handy crowd management tools allow you to keep track of guests’ coming and going, monitor appropriate alcohol consumption, keep an eye on concessions, and manage the flow of attendees into and out of special events and back stage. Perfect for multi-day events, wristbands can free guests from having to hold onto paper tickets, which might be damaged or lost after their initial use.

Wristbands serve another important function for your guests. Durable, secure and easy to customize, event wristbands make a fun fashion statement. Adorned with your custom design, they look great at the venue and can double as bracelets once the show is over.  Today’s concert wristband is tomorrow’s trendy accessory!

Of course, you’ll want to help guests preserve the integrity of their event wristbands, so they can continue to wear them in the days following your event. Here are a few tips to help maximize this collateral:

• Tyvek wristbands are strong! The material, manufactured by DuPont™, is resilient like plastic, yet comfortable like fabric.
• Wristbands should be loose enough to be comfortably worn, but not so loose they can slip off and be lost or transferred.
• Feel free to move! These event wristbands are waterproof, so guests can work up a sweat on the dance floor or in the mosh pit. And they’re perfect for outdoor events, rain or shine.
• Guests want to make a bold fashion statement, and you want your event to be remembered for a long time. Choose a highly visible logo that wearers will be proud to sport.
• Got environmentally minded guests? No problem! They can make their own statement by recycling Tyvek wristbands at the end of the show.

Your next event is sure to be the source of great memories for all of your attendees. Help get them started making those memories the moment they step through the turnstiles. A colorful, custom wristband might become the most cherished souvenir of the moment and serve as a cool body ornament later on.

Tyvek Wristbands: Breakout Fashion is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Tyvek® wristbands used to mean pretty much one thing, as far as I was concerned. You know those paper-plastic bracelets they stick on your wrist, which don’t come off unless you cut them off. It wasn’t so long ago that I thought they were meant exclusively to keep kids away from the bar at large events. At big festivals, we’d often flash our I.D.s to get one, which was usually printed with the logo of some large beer company. Event Wristbands meant beer.

That was before I became involved in events from the other side: the planning aspect. No doubt, from a liability standpoint, over-21 wristbands are still a great asset. They keep me and my bartenders safe from teenagers (you’d be surprised at the number of teens sporting a few gray hairs, or even a bald spot) but they do a lot more. What do I use them for?

• VIP Passes—if there are private rooms or side events, I can keep them exclusive by creating unique wristbands available only to those who pay for the VIP Pass
• Backstage Security—when I’ve booked a popular band, it’s important to keep that backstage area secure, so distinctive wristbands are issued to musicians and those authorized to be back stage
• Staff and Volunteers—my guests and I can easily identify official representatives of the event if I choose a vivid color for their wristbands; a lost child knows who to ask for help, and I can identify my people at a glance
• Event Passes—sometimes I don’t issue tickets in advance, so what’s the point of offering them at the gate? A wristband serves as proof of payment, so we can determine with ease if someone has jumped a fence

This last use surprises some people, who consider these recyclable wristbands something of a luxury. First of all, when I buy them in bulk, I usually get a nice discount from the manufacturer. They’re not expensive at all. In fact, they’re really cheap: substantially cheaper than printing event tickets: we’re talking in the realm of 8 or 9 cents a piece, for a wristband custom printed with the name of my event and my sponsor’s logo. They’re also harder to counterfeit, since they’re made from DuPont’s™ unique Tyvek® material. And I still imprint them with the name and logo of my event, or of my sponsor, for greater visibility.

My favorite thing about party wristbands? I know I’ve hosted a really successful event when I see someone proudly sporting my event wristband a few days after the festival’s ended!

There’s More Than One Reason to Wear a Paper Bracelet is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Even with hundreds of ticket templates to choose from, you’ve got your heart set on that special image or unique layout. Printing your own tickets online can help you make your dream a reality. You’re not limited by the whims of a printer or by someone else’s designs: just create the perfect event ticket with a do-it-yourself online ticket maker: a DYO tool.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• All the event details
• Your background image
• Logos or thumbnails
• A vision
• A DYO tool like the one at TicketPrinting.com

Have all the elements in order? You’re ready to go. The website can provide all the information you need to create and print the event tickets you want, with digital help available whenever you find yourself stuck.

DYO Event Ticket Printing allows you to choose the perfect colors and the perfect layout. Further, it lets you add special details that can make your life easier, like multiple perforations or numbering in several places on the ticket. Whatever’s in your mind, that’s what you’ll see printed on your ticket.

When you lay out your ticket, determine which details you’ll need to include. This will help you figure out how many lines of text you’ll need to add. Common bits of information would be:

• The event name
• The hosting organization’s name
• The sponsor’s name
• The location of the event
• The time of the event
• The cost of the event ticket

Additional details that may be of use:

• Activities, speakers, or music
• The name of the group that will benefit from any fundraising
• Seat number (if there is to be reserved seating)
• Dress code
• Dinner menu
• Open or cash bar
• URL of a website where more details are available
• Contact person’s phone number

Basically, if it’s information that might be useful or of interest to your guests, and you can fit it on the event ticket while maintaining your vision for the ticket’s overall look, consider adding it. Be sure to duplicate important information, such as reserved seating and ticket number, on the stub as well as the body of the ticket.

Now, put it all together. Upload your visual background, use the DYO tool to add the boxes where you will upload your logo, and the lines where you will enter your text. Position the perforation and the ticket numbers. When you’ve got it all together, preview your proof.

The proof preview is a really important part of printing event tickets. If you don’t proofread, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself! Plus, the proof will alert you if your text isn’t fitting correctly into the available space.

On the plus side, digital proofs really speed the process along. Once you approve your proof and submit billing and shipping details, your event tickets will start printing almost immediately! Within twenty-four hours, they should be created in all their full-color glory and shipped off via UPS straight to your home or office.

Simple enough, right?

Well, if this all seems overwhelming, fear not! There’s another option. You can still get the exact tickets your heart desires without mucking about with all these layout options. For just a little more money, you can order custom tickets. Yes, this is still an online service, and the rates are still quite reasonable. The only difference is that you can tell a design professional what you want and let them worry about how to make it happen.

Either way, your perfect event deserves a perfect event ticket. Whether you do it yourself or hire a dedicated artist to do it for you, online event ticket printing has never been easier!

Do It Yourself: Print Event Tickets Online is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

In the present, I’ve learned that the best ticket printing is done online. Online ticket printing is:

• Convenient: set it up any time, day or night, from the comfort of your own desk
• Fast: easy-to-use ticket templates, online checkout, and multiple delivery options speed the process along
• Affordable: a streamlined process means a pared down pricetag

Besides that, I can still get exactly what I want, whether I’m just searching for general admission event tickets, or need an entire event kit, complete with all my event collateral, like posters, raffle tickets, and VIP passes. Most people don’t realize all the options available when they print their own tickets online:

• Free ticket templates—hundreds to choose from mean you’re more likely to find the perfect design for your event
• Personalization—customize each template with all your event details; some templates even let you upload one or more custom images
• Custom Tickets—using a DYO tool or spending a little extra for a professional designer, you can create unique tickets to suit your needs

Of course, I still get all the necessary features like individual, security numbering and perforated, detachable ticket stubs. I can even choose extras like booklet stapling, reserved seating, or thermal security paper, for just a small additional fee.

Undoubtedly, my favorite feature is the custom image upload. I can take any image file from my computer and add to a ticket template. If my organization wants to brand the event with their own logo, it’s a cinch. Or, if we’d rather provide our sponsors with some extra publicity, we can ask them for a high-quality, high-resolution copy of that image. Or, I might choose to add another photograph, such as a head shot of a popular speaker whose presence will help boost ticket sales. Whatever image I choose to add, image upload is a great way to turn a free ticket template into a unique event ticket.

After image upload, my next favorite feature is the matching event kits I can purchase along with my event tickets, in particular, the matching raffle tickets. An allied prize draw is simply the best way to turn an event into a successful fundraiser. Printing raffle tickets and having them shipped well in advance let me start making money even before I start selling event tickets.

Finally, I know some people worry about the loss of human contact. They don’t trust computers and they worry that they won’t be able to talk to a human being if there’s a problem. Not with my ticket printing company! In addition to extensive FAQs, answering practically any question I’ve ever had, they also offer toll-free customer support, so I know that I can talk to a qualified service representative if I need to.

That’s why I’ve decided that, whenever I need to print up some event tickets for my organization, I’ll save time, money, and frustration by choosing an online event ticket printer!

The Perfect Event Ticket is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Increasingly, we live in a twenty-four hour society, and increasingly, our patrons find that they’d rather deal with a computer on their own terms than have to go out and wait in line, or even on the telephone, to speak to a real human being. If I can spend two minutes on the Internet and save twenty minutes of my life, I’ll chose ecommerce every time.

There are a few options for those who want to help their guests and supporters purchase tickets on their own schedules, at their own convenience, online.

• Hire a web designer to build the perfect checkout for your website, allowing customers to purchase tickets to your event right from your homepage. You’ll get exactly what you want, and make it easy for your guests to check out, but this is an expensive option, and may take some time to develop.
• Build a virtual store using a site such as Shopify.com, Flyingcart.com, or Highwire.com. These sites allow you to add events, collect payment, and track sales. However, you will have to spend some time setting them up, and maintaining them can be costly. There may be monthly fees, or a cost for adding new items for purchase.
• Use an online ticket sales site, such as Ticket River, where you can create a page for your event in a minute or two and start selling event tickets immediately. You’ll be able to accept all major credit cards, plus PayPal payments, and it won’t cost you anything!

The online ticket sales site is really your best value. You don’t have to host anything, or pay for anything. You’ll never lose money if sales are down. At Ticket River, the only cost is a 3% service charge added to each transaction, pretty much the lowest surcharge in the industry. Compare that to a markup that could exceed 58% from a company like TicketMaster! Most customers don’t mind paying a tiny fee for the convenience of doing business on their own terms (e.g. at 3 a.m. in pajamas and bunny slippers).

Creating a page for your event helps you sell more tickets, since it’s easy to paste the URL wherever you think people might be interested to know about your event. Customize your event page with a photograph and all the details about your event and your organization and put that page to work for you.

Once you start selling event tickets, a good online ticket sales site, such as Ticket River, will collect names and addresses for your mailing list and even help you track sales by generating charts and graphs! You’ll be able to sell e-tickets, which can be printed out at home, or you can send paper tickets out through the mail, or hold tickets at will call. Whatever makes sense to you: selling tickets through an online ticket sales website is a flexible way to create the sales you want.

How to Sell Event Tickets is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Sure, it’s easy to rip the stub off a perforated general admission ticket and drop one half into a bin, while your guests jam the other half into the pocket of their jeans, where it is destined to take an all-expenses paid trip through the washing machine. Or, you could start to look at the tickets to your upcoming event in an entirely different way.

Your event’s tickets can take on a life of their own when you breath new purpose into them. Printing tickets can open doors for your organization. Those tickets are pretty versatile!

Print your event tickets with an eye for creativity, and they will serve you well.

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With an eye-catching design and your organization’s logo printed right on the body of the ticket, your tickets can serve you well from the moment they leave the box office or the sales teams’ hands. Handsome, well-designed general admission tickets have a tendency to hang around on corkboards or refrigerators, where they help generate interest in your event and your mission.

• Souvenir

Event Tickets don’t have to be ticket-sized. Think differently. If you find an image you love, one that really represents you, why not make it a little bigger? A larger format VIP Pass, Invitation, or a Poster or a Flyer, can work as a ticket, and such a ticket can live on after the event as a frameable souvenir. You can even create inexpensive frames to pass out to your guests.

• Raffle Ticket

High quality Event Tickets should be printed with sequential numbering on the body and the stub, and what more do you need to hold a prize draw? A Raffle Ticket that comes with the price of admission is a value-added reward for your guests, and helps to boost ticket sales. Just remind your guests to hold on to their ticket stubs. You can drop the body of the ticket into a hat, from which you’ll draw the winning number.

• Game Piece

Print a few different designs, and let each Event Ticket stand as a game piece for some activity at your event. You might use them to divide guests into groups, or to lead them to other parts of the event. The image might be a clue in a game, or a picture of an item in a scavenger hunt. Uploading your own image to a ticket with a space for that purpose really allows you to customize the event. Make it whatever you want.

• Security

Don’t worry about gatecrashers. Using Event Tickets, or even Event Badges, helps you keep the venue secure. You can restrict access to certain areas, or quickly double check if someone has paid for a ticket. Printing different tickets, or adding VIP Passes, lets you scale your security: certain tickets provide certain levels of mobility. No ticket, no access.

You’ve got to have tickets for most events, just to serve as proof of purchase. And if you’re already printing your own Event Tickets online, why not spend a little extra time putting those tickets to work for you?

Event Tickets Out of the Box is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

You’ll need:

• A crew of eager volunteers
• Games of chance (call a local party supply company for rentals)
• A passel of donated prizes
• A venue of sufficient size
• Flashy print publicity
• Some event ticket printing

If your organization supports it, a cash bar will truly make the night successful. You can boost bar sales with Drink Tickets. Remember: inebriated gamblers are your most profitable gamblers.

Start by determining whether there is interest in this night among your group. Once you have enough support, you can start rounding up the volunteers. Take some time to ascertain which skills each volunteer possesses, and then dole out the tasks. Events flow more efficiently if everyone has their own job. Decide whether your volunteers will work the game tables—many party supply companies will also supply the croupiers and dealers.

Meet regularly with your team to check on progress. This will help you see, in advance, if you’ve assigned the proper tasks to the right people. Make a schedule: who will book the venue, and when? How will you distribute event tickets? If there is to be live entertainment, that must also be arranged. Of course, it wouldn’t be a casino night without fabulous prizes.

Your best bet is to start early and look for impressive donations. However, even if nobody has the courtesy to offer you a speedboat or a big screen HDTV, don’t despair. Keep asking. Ask local business owners if they would be willing to make a donation in exchange for extra publicity (you can mention them as sponsors on your event tickets, in the event program, and in other forums, wherever you promote the event). If you get a lot of great donations, amp up your fundraising ability by adding a prize draw to the event. Then you can start selling raffle tickets well in advance, and add another fun component to the night as you announce the winners.

When you print up your event tickets, you can create matching event collateral at the same time: flyers and posters, invitation and raffle tickets. Printing event tickets and matching event kits really helps you get your publicity going. Announce your casino fundraising event:

• In your print or email newsletter
• To your mailing list, using printed invitation
• On your website and allied forums
• Via a press release, sent to all local news outlets

Then, start selling event tickets!

Your Casino Fundraiser Night: Every Chance in the World is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

From small gatherings held in local parks attracting a limited number of ground pounders, to the fanciest, arena-style car show where dreams seem to roll off the assembly line and into your desires, you can make an event ticket to your automotive show the hottest ticket in town. I’ve seen small clubs forging their own way: a Buick club that held their show in conjunction with a local high school homecoming, a low rider show that took advantage of closed streets downtown during an annual cultural festival. The more exposure for your automotive club, the better.

If your show is to be small and informal, you may not want to sell tickets, and if your club is participating in a much larger event, with corporate sponsorship and a lot of organization, you may not need to sell tickets yourself. However, if you are selling tickets, make your show a success by selling the maximum number of tickets! How will you get the word out? Try advertising in some of these venues:

• Email newsletter
• Internet forum
• Car magazine
• Local entertainment paper
• Bulletin board at family-run parts shop or garage
• Word of mouth

Consider what kinds of tickets will sell. Perhaps you won’t charge for admission, but will require an event ticket to exhibit a car. Or, with a large show, you might offer varying levels of access: one event ticket gets visitors into the main exhibit, but VIP passes are required to enter certain rooms. I’ve also seen shows where entrance was free, and anyone could exhibit, but organizers sold tickets for the privilege of entering cars to be judged.

If you want to add a contest aspect to your show, how will you award prizes? You can do a “best of breed” competition, if it’s to be a large show. Or, you can open up the field. Consider these subjective categories:

• Most authentic restoration of a classic car
• Prettiest car
• Best craftsmanship
• Most originality in a custom car
• Best precision in workmanship

You can even add to your own profits by adding a prize draw to the event and selling raffle tickets. Just be sure to choose the perfect prizes for the raffle as well as for the contest.

• A year’s membership to your automotive club
• Subscription to a popular car magazine
• Cash
• Gift certificates to a parts catalog or store
• A set of new tires

Printing and selling event tickets is a great way to motivate your group to really plan out the details of the show. Once you have them in hand, the excitement level becomes palpable, and you know it’s really time to get the show on the road!

Automotive Event Tickets: Honk If You Love Wheels! is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

In many cases, you’re paying extra for special access, but the price of entry doesn’t guarantee success. Your actions and attitude when you enter the room determine how much you’re going to get out of the cost of admission.

How do you feel about the following statements?

• Networking means creating business friendships.
• Loyalty and passion lead to support in business.
• Emotional commitments generate more results than logical commitments.

Whether tickets to these events are, in fact, free, or only offered to a select few, or sold to the general public at prices excluding those who aren’t serious about their connections, private receptions tend to be more intimate events, offering greater access to VIPs. When you’re trying to build your networks, pitch ideas, or stay on top of events, the price of an event ticket for a private reception at a large conference is usually minimal compared to the payoff, if you know how to leave the right impression.

How are you going to make your mark?

You’re well-prepared with a stack of business cards in a neat carrying case, and you can speak eloquently about your project. But you don’t want to go in, throw those business cards around, and talk someone’s ear off about your big idea. Networking is about selling yourself. Don’t set yourself up for failure by starting with the attitude that it’s all business.

Consider two equally qualified candidates embarking on a job search. One prints out a hundred resumes and sends them to one hundred HR departments. The other approaches everyone he or she knows, discusses his or her skills, abilities, and objectives, and puts out the word: I’m looking for work. In most cases, the candidate who takes advantage of personal connections is going to get the greatest response. You simply get more interviews if you’ve been recommended by someone who knows you.

So, don’t buy a ticket to a private reception with the intention of dropping one hundred resumes into strangers’ laps. Drop the expectation that you will sell an idea or a product to the people you encounter. Instead, treat it like the party that it is, and use the opportunity to make real connections.

• Work the room.
• Introduce yourself to everyone; you never know who may be important to your work, or who can help you along.
• Don’t drink more than you can handle! Stay in control at all times.
• Establish yourself as an interesting and trustworthy contact.
• Help people find reasons to like and remember you.
• Remember: just because someone doesn’t have a job or an investment for you right now doesn’t mean they can’t be a valuable contact in the future.

If you give others a reason to invest in you personally, rather than your product, you don’t need to sell anything. When your colleagues know, trust, and like you, your product will sell itself. You don’t need to trumpet the merits of your ideas unless someone has a specific question. Just give people reasons to like you, and when they think of your area of expertise, they’ll think of you and recommend you to others, because they’re personally invested in you.

Coming to the Party? Make the Most of Private Reception Event Tickets is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog