Performing Humor and Smart Comedy on Stage

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.”

He readily admits that he’s chosen a difficult path in life, or, as he puts it, “stand-up is a tough racket.” Still, Mac has been able to find success in his chosen field, performing not only at comedy clubs around the country, but also private and corporate gigs, along with the much-coveted television appearance.

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.”

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QR Code Posters for Educational Fundraising and School Events

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!

 

 

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QR Code Posters for Fast, Easy, Online Ticket Sales

What if your publicity posters could sell theater tickets for you?

I don’t mean in a metaphorical way: of course, great PR helps you sell tickets. I mean, what if the posters literally sold the tickets, to people who saw them, while they were standing there admiring the posters? What if the moment your patrons saw your advertisement, one feature of that ad was that it would instantly allow them to buy tickets to your upcoming show?

That’s what QR Code Posters from TicketPrinting.com do.

QR codes, those little black and white squares that appear more and more often in our visual environment, allow users to connect directly to websites. Anyone with a smart phone can instantly scan the code and be taken to a page where further information awaits them.

Box Office Bliss

But our QR Code Posters go even further. They don’t just take your patrons to any website; they direct them to your performance’s actual event page at TicketRiver, our online box office. With just a few clicks, your audience can purchase tickets to the upcoming show, without having to walk away from your advertisement, without the possibility that their desire to attend will slip their minds. It’s an instant-gratification ticket sales.

Setting up your event on TicketRiver is fast and easy; the process takes about five minutes and is as simple as entering data into a webform. As long as you have a title and description for your event, along with the time, the location, and the ticket prices, you can get started. The website does the rest: sells seats and collects payments.

Getting your QR Code Posters is even simpler, because our Customer Support staff and talented designers do the work for you. All you have to do is place your order by calling 888.771.0809. You can send us any design you’d like, or let our graphic artists create a custom design for you. We’ll generate the QR code that links to your show and send you a proof for your approval before we start printing.

Waiting in the Wings?

If you’ve been toying with the idea of updating your box office, transitioning to online ticket sales, or just want to add another convenient way for your patrons to get their seats, these QR Code Posters really pull their own weight. They do all the work of your ordinary print publicity, with the powerful bonus of actually selling those seats for you.

It just doesn’t get any simpler than this. Purchase Posters. Sell tickets.

 

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QR Code Posters for Music Event Ticket Sales

Your fans love your music.

Your fans want to see you perform live.

Your fans have smart phones.

Your fans have lives.

Do you love your fans? Show them a little love by making their lives a little bit easier. How? Make it simple for them to get tickets to your upcoming show the moment they see your print publicity. You can make the experience totally hassle-free for you and your fans with QR Code Posters advertising the gig. They actually sell tickets for you, so your fans don’t need to search around for the right link, stand in line at a ticket counter, or deal with any exorbitant ticket broker fees.

It’s So Easy

We’ve streamlined the process. First, we created an online box office at TicketRiver.com. In five minutes, you can register your show and set up an event page where your fans can find all your event details and purchase tickets. You can even sell different kinds of tickets—VIP Passes, 18-over, ½ price, whatever you like—to the same event. It’s fast and easy to create your page, complete with its own unique URL.

A Little Help from Your Friends

But that’s not all we’ve done for you. We’ll get your fans to the link in no time at all with a custom QR Code Poster. Whether you’ve got a design in mind or need one of our graphic artists to create an image that suits your particular needs, all you’ve got to do it is call our customer support at 888.771.0809. They’ll help get your order going. We’ll design your posters, generate your QR code, and send out a proof for your approval. We never print until you’re satisfied you’re getting exactly the Poster or Flyer you need.

Waiting Here for You

Wherever you hang your high-resolution QR Code Posters, your fans can scan the code with their smart phones. It will take them right to your TicketRiver event page where they can buy tickets right away.

TicketRiver sends users print-at-home tickets to save you time and money, but, if you still want to use paper tickets, you can order those too (at a discount for TicketRiver users) and mail them out, or hold them at will call.

It’s that easy! QR Code Posters are there for you, selling tickets night and day, from the moment you hang them until you sell out your event.

It’s just one more way to show your love to the people who support your music.

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A Little Transparency: Creating Customer Confidence by Inviting Customers Behind the Scenes

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.

 

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Charity Dance Event to Prevent Suicide

The tickets were really professional looking. I would definitely use the service again!

~Patricia Pupek, Event Organizer

On September 17th, the Western Massachusetts Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention held a Zumbathon to raise money for their annual “Out of the Darkness” Community Walk held in early October. Zumba is a combination of Latin dance, music, and exercise. It is meant to be fun and motivational and provide a great workout. A Zumbathon is a charity event hosted by a licensed instructor or instructors.

According to Patricia Pupek, the fundraiser was a great success with,  “about 100 people, which is great, considering we put this together pretty quickly. The best part of the event was the enthusiasm of the people who attended, and the fact that we were able to get the word out about our organization to so many people.”

Raising awareness is one of the main goals of the organization. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is “the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide,” The AFSP hoped to raise $50,000 at the Community Walk event to fund a number of local initiatives. The Zumbathon helped put them on their way.

For the Zumbathon event, the AFSP chose the General Admission Concert Ticket. The colorful ticket had plenty of room for event information plus space for two logos. The images chosen included a life preserver and the Zumba emblem. This provided attendees with visual imagery to accompany the event. The ticket featured a detachable stub as well as individual numbering.

How did Patricia and her team sell tickets to their event? “We sold tickets by word of mouth, posters in our workplace, we posted our event on Facebook, and we had four Zumba instructors who all work at various gyms and health clubs in Western Mass. They promoted the event at the health clubs, put up signs everywhere.

“Also, I gave out a stack of tickets to each AFSP volunteer in our chapter and asked them to sell as many as they could.  Some people bought a ticket even though they knew they could not attend the Zumbathon, but wanted to give a donation.”

The AFSP really covered its bases with this event using every available resource. From sharing the news one on one, creating printed resources such as posters to relying on “ambassadors” to spread the word on the organizations behalf and utilizing social media, as well as professionally printing custom tickets, the AFSP was able to reach individuals in many different ways. In turn, it was able to raise the profile of the organization and the cause.

 

What advice does Patricia have for those planning a similar event?

 

“Start planning and marketing the event a couple of months ahead.  Use Facebook- it works!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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From Tragedy to Triumph: A Literacy Event in Honor of Alex Johnson

“The tickets were beautiful and added class to the event.”

~Denise Johnson, Event Coordinator, Mother of Honoree

On September 17, The Alex Johnson Memorial Concert was held to benefit the Mississippi County Literary Council.  The fundraiser included an artists’ reception, silent art auction, and a concert. It was held in memory of Alex Johnson, a student and a tutor at Northeast Arkansas College, where he volunteered for the literacy council. In 2009, Alex died in a car crash while traveling home from his college choir practice. He was 22.

Along with honoring the memory of her son, “the event was an effort to raise money for adult literacy in our county,” Denise told me.

In order to advertise the event “we used Facebook, posters, newspaper articles and ads.” The Facebook page for the event was frequently updated with information about the event. The page was a hub of information. Announcements were made when new art was donated for the auction. Information about the performers, The Reba Russell Band, Jo Jo Jefferies, and Lincoln Lane, were included. There were also links to interviews and articles that had been written in advance of the event.

Denise participated in interviews and a number of articles were posted online advertising the event.

For Denise the value of word of mouth advertising could not be overestimated. You can sell more tickets “one on one” than by advertising for patrons to go elsewhere and buy them.

For the ticket, the organizers chose the “Natural Riffs” design. This ticket features a warm color palette. An acoustic guitar and stage lights provide the backdrop for the event’s information. With sequential numbering and detachable stubs, these tickets help organizers keep track of sales and attendees.

The fundraiser was a success, ” Everything went very well.  [The] highlight of the event was song sung by a former Miss. Co. resident and sister of the honoree.” Denise said.

 

 

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Beautiful Event, Beautiful Benefit

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.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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State by State: Raffle Law in America

 

Six weeks, six posts: today we present the conclusion to our fifty-state guide to US raffle law.

Outside Assistance?

In some cases, the law specifically prohibits licenses based on past transgressions. Indiana, for instance, takes a stand against repeat offenders by denying the right to run a raffle if the “applicant is not of good moral character or reputation; or…. The organization has engaged in fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.” Kentucky warns fundraisers that, while the state “provides a regulatory framework allowing charitable gaming to thrive as a viable fundraising mechanism,” organizations must be wary of for-profit corporations offering to oversee raffle and boost profits.

Kentucky legislation, “prohibits any individuals from receiving financial gain from charitable gaming activities,” and groups employing such tactic may lose their licenses in addition to being fined. The same holds true in Massachusetts, where “a for-profit entity cannot hold a raffle for itself or a nonprofit; and an individual cannot hold a raffle.”

Our State, Our Rules

California also opposes gambling activities for personal or business gain, but provides for charitable fundraising conducted in this way. Interested organization must register their intent to hold a raffle with the state, and must ensure that “at least 90 percent of the gross receipts from these raffles go directly to beneficial or charitable purposes in California.” Pay attention to the language! The money raised in California, it seems, must stay in California. In Pennsylvania, registration is only the first step: the state requires twelve distinct pieces of information regarding the raffle, including “The maximum odds of the game,” which it then publishes in a periodical called the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Seriously, Don’t Worry

Some laws are not as tough as they could be. While Mississippi exempts raffles from its definition of gambling and allows “any nonprofit civic, educational, wildlife conservation or religious organization with all proceeds going to said organization” to run such an event, the punishment for violating this law is not too extreme: anyone violating the law for personal gain “shall, on conviction, be fined not more than Twenty Dollars ($20.00), or be imprisoned not more than one (1) month in the county jail.” Nevada, the home of legalized gambling, naturally allows raffles while reserving the right “to license, tax, regulate, prohibit and suppress all tippling houses, dramshops, public card tables, raffles, hawkers, peddlers, pawnbrokers, gambling houses, disorderly houses and houses of ill fame.”

Surprising Details

It’s important to do your own research of course, as each state has its own quirks when it comes to raffle ticket laws. In New Hampshire, for instance, it’s imperative to choose your raffle ticket printing company carefully, as the law requires that each ticket has sequential numbering printed on the body of the ticket and “the name of the charitable organization thereon, the date and place of the drawing, and the prize or prizes to be awarded and the amount of the donation.” New Hampshire is also noteworthy is allowing minors 16 years old and up to buy raffle tickets. New Mexico offers special exceptions for movie theaters, which may offer “prizes of cash or merchandise for advertising purposes…for the purpose of stimulating business” with little oversight.

More Surprises

In New York, raffle tickets can be sold for six months prior to the drawing, but no earlier. New York also specifically prohibits minors from selling tickets, as well as purchasing them. On the opposite end of the spectrum, in Washington State, however, minors are allowed to sell raffle ticket in service of a group whose “primary purpose is the development of youth.” That state also largely prohibits the awarding of any type of liquor as a prize, as well as canceling the raffle in the event that you don’t sell enough tickets. In Texas, many types of organization are allowed to hold their own raffles, but they cannot operate cash raffles, and they cannot run more than one raffle at any given time.

Of course, state lotteries are a type of cash raffle, but did you know that some states conduct their own raffles for other purposes? In South Dakota, licenses to hunt elk are distributed through a raffle. Only winners may purchase the license.

Running a raffle for cash or prizes, for personal or charitable gain can be fun and rewarding. Just make sure to do your research, fill out the right forms, and pay any fees and taxes required. Are you ready? Why not start printing your own raffle tickets online, right now?

 

 

 

 

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State by State: Raffle Law in America

Sweet and Simple

In our last installment, we discussed some of the harsher regulations regaring raffle law, but not every state takes such a minute interest in the particulars of your group’s fundraiser. In Maine, for instance, the laws are looser. For raffles with prizes in $10,000, many charitable organizations do not require licenses or oversight. In addition to those goodwill organization identified by most states, Maine includes “Any agricultural society eligible for the state stipend,” and “Any state agency that conducts or operates a raffle for a donated item to benefit fish and wildlife conservation projects” in their list of those exempt from requiring a license.

Many states require little oversight for smaller fundraising efforts. Nebraska limits profits of unregulated raffles to $5,000. Montana approves of “limited legal gambling” and includes raffles in its list of “legal live games.” While gambling is restricted to adults over the age of 18, in Montana, minors may participate in “raffles conducted by churches, schools, charitable and nonprofit organizations.”

No Big Deal

While there is oversight of raffle in South Carolina, law enforcement agencies are instructed to “not charge a charitable, religious, or eleemosynary organization conducting a raffle for the benefit of the organization where all the proceeds inure to the benefit of the organization,” but rather to issue those who run afoul of the law with written warnings. For small raffles being run in the state of Virginia, the law is fairly relaxed. In general an organization “that reasonably expects, based on prior charitable gaming annual results or any other quantifiable method, to realize gross receipts of $40,000 or less” in their raffle need not worry overmuch about the law. In addition, volunteer fire departments and other volunteer first responders are exempt from registration and auditing fees.

One state that enthusiastically supports the right of charitable organization to use raffles for fundraising purposes is Wisconsin. The state’s administrative website proudly states, “Raffles are Wisconsin s favorite and most profitable form of grassroots fund-raising.” According to this site,  “Well over 7,500 groups are licensed to conduct raffles and net profits from this activity have remained steady at nearly 60%.” In Wisconsin, a raffle license costs only $25 per year, which authorizes the holder to run up to 200 raffles every year.

Next: Wrap It Up

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