A Transformative Event

“Soulsearchin’films is a film and theater production company that acts as a platform for youth and young adults within our inner city communities who have a passion for theater arts to hone their skills, build their resumes as performers, and embrace the opportunity to showcase their talent as actors, singers, and dancers,” Dawn Blair told me, this past January, of her Oakland, California based production company.

Events can entertain. They can also transform communities. Ghetto Magnolia, performed early in 2012 was a “gospel stage play production,” Dawn said. “The purpose of the production was to provoke change within the lives of our inner city youth and young adults, through the message of its story line. It was not a fundraiser.”

The story follows Magnolia Brown, an aspiring gospel singer faced with “harsh realities of the ghetto and the redemptive power of God.”

“There was nothing that did not go as planned. The production was a total success,” Dawn said. “The best part of our event was actually seeing the audience enjoying the production as the story unfolded on stage. The turnout was tremendous, and the production was a hit!”

Getting the Good Word Out

In order to get the word out to attendees, Dawn and her team relied heavily on print collateral and word of mouth. They designed posters and flyers using TicketPrinting.com. The stage play was produced on a limited budget. The professionally printed collateral gave it an extra “Bling Factor.”

Relationship sales were also very important to the success of this event. Many tickets were sold in advance. Each cast member was tasked with pursuing advanced ticket sales. With thirty cast members, the ticket sales were sure to be a success. This allowed the cast members to interact with potential attendees as well as promote themselves as performers.

Every Event is Different

The team behind Ghetto Magnolia was pleased with its success. The event was highly attended. The cast, crew, and audience had a great time. For this event, print collateral played a central role, defining the tenor of the event and portraying a professional production.

Some events benefit from a spectrum of marketing efforts. Some will advertise through online social networks and event websites. Others will take to the airwaves, advertising over radio and television or doing the interview circuit. Others will rely solely on word of mouth.

Every event is different, and each event’s success is defined by its organizers and attendees.

Event of the Week: Ghetto Magnolia is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

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On March 15, the Mary Louis Academy held its annual Spirit Night. The Mary Louis Academy is an all girls Catholic Academy in Jamaica Plains, New York. Spirit Night is “One of TMLA’s oldest traditions…dating back to 1940 when it was known as Sports Night.” All four class years join together in a variety of competitions. The 2012 Spirit Night Theme was “Hollywood Movie Studios.” The Student Council Coordinator, Beth, explained, “It is a school competition used to bring unity among the grades.”

Something to Look Forward to

Many organizations such as The Mary Louis Academy host annual recurring events. Annual events are a traditional way to bring members of the organization together, raise awareness for a cause, or bring in funds for projects that exist outside the regular organizational budget. While all events have similarities, there are special expectations for ones that reoccur.

Annual events build community and loyalty among attendees. Some families look forward to attending the same cultural festival each year. A proud alumni might looks forward to returning to her alma mater for the homecoming celebration. Traditions build around the tradition.

Tradition and Success

Annual events rely on wisdom and tradition.  Often there are elements that absolutely must be included, an opening dinner in honor of a Provost or a Sadie Hawkins dance. Some are formal, some are strange, like MIT’s annual Piano Drop. Whatever the tradition, it is an important feature of the event.

Each year, organizations and planners learn from the past year’s event, so they’re able to host more effectively and more efficiently the next year.  Organizations can learn what worked and what didn’t. By reviewing the event when it’s over, the committee can come up with ways to make the following event more enjoyable and memorable to everyone.

Marketing Annual Events

While it’s true, annual events will have more built in buzz than one time gatherings, organizers shouldn’t rely solely on word or mouth or loyalty to ensure attendees. For even the most established recurring events, it pays to look at different ways to advertise in order to keep bringing in new folks.

Traditional print media is great. Posters, flyers, and bill boards will get the message on the streets, but if the budget is tight, events can benefit from plenty of free advertising. It’s simple and quick to build Facebook and Google+ pages where information about the upcoming event can be posted and shared. A Twitter account dedicated to the event can be used to share small snippets of information. A more traditional website, even a simple one, can help keep folks informed. For organizers who aren’t comfortable with technology, it might help to arrange an interview on the local radio or news station or with the local newspaper. There are many ways to share information about the event.

Have Fun!

The event at the Mary Louis Academy was run by the school. “Students sold tickets and got the student body excited about the event,” Beth explained. For her the best parts of the event were the “students dances and cheer and the general vibe in the gymnasium.”

The most important part of hosting an annual event is the outcome. Have fun and enjoy your tradition.

Event of the Week: Mary Louis Academy Spirit Night is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

The tranquil waters of the Middle Fork River in West Glacier bring peace and a strong sense of belonging to the hearts of 14 women each year. For three days, these women cast their flies into the water and allow their battles with breast cancer to drift away.

Western Montana’s Casting for Recovery program currently has 11 community volunteers who support women with all different stages of breast cancer by providing them with an all expenses paid fly-fishing retreat. Community volunteers lend a guiding hand and are “River Helpers” who share their knowledge of the river with participants. Those struggling with cancer may find it hard to remember that they are not alone, but Casting for Recovery works to reverse this trend. As one participant expressed at the end of last year’s retreat, it was the “first time she felt strong community support.”

“My Heart Just Keeps Smiling”

The three-day retreats include more than just fishing. Medical counseling and group sessions fill the last day, providing time to reflect and build a network of support. Participants leave with new friends, new skills, and renewed hope. “It was an incredible weekend,” one woman stated. “My heart just keeps smiling.”

Casting for Recovery is a national organization but is rooted in local communities across the country. It was brought to the winding banks of the Middle Fork River by a woman moving from the East coast who had herself been a participant. While she was unable to make the first retreat in Western Montana, community members helped continue her mission to bring women with breast cancer closer together and provide them with therapeutic skills through fishing.

The Connection Between Fly Fishing and Breast Cancer

While the connection to fishing and breast cancer recovery may not at first seem apparent, participants come to an understanding by the end of the weekend. A participant shared with the group, “I was grateful to have been chosen, but I didn’t yet see the connection between fly fishing and breast cancer. Sunday morning, standing in the river, I got it.”  At the end of the weekend she shared her experience:

Fly-fishing is a “be here now” activity. It takes focus, balance and being centered, physically and emotionally, to stand in the river and cast. Living well after the diagnosis of breast cancer is best done in the moment as well. It takes focus, balance and being centered to avoid feeling victimized by the diagnosis or anxious about any future recurrence.  In both fly-fishing and living with breast cancer, the best that one can do is “be here now” and hope.

Fundraising with Film Tickets

Casting for Recovery in Northern Montana typically has one major fundraiser each year to support the program. This year, they have teamed up with the Fly Fishing Film Tour to show a screening of the film to the community.  Admission tickets, donations, and raffle tickets sold at the event provide the funds needed to make the special annual retreat possible. TicketPrinting.com has been thrilled to be able to play our small role of printing to help make their fundraiser successful. We love working with nonprofits and small community organizations which are making big changes in lives across the country.

To learn more about Casting for Recovery, visit their website: castingforrecovery.org

Casting for Recovery: A Current of Hope Flowing through Western Montana is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

On March 10, 2012, the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin held a fundraising event: A Ride on the Wild Side with Jack Hanna. All proceeds from the event went to the Arctic Passage Project to fund new habitats for polar bears and seals.

Jack Hanna is a well-known zookeeper who was once the director of the Columbus Zoo. He is a recognized celebrity zookeeper who has done much to raise awareness about conservation and wild animal issues for many years.

Keeping Everyone in Mind

The sold out, adult only event offered both VIP and general admission ticket opportunities, so individuals of varying means were able to attend and contribute. Tickets for the event cost $75. There was also a VIP reception with Jack Hanna at the beginning of the evening offered to individuals willing to purchase a $150 ticket; this included a bottle of wine and preferred seating. For $1000 individuals could purchase a table. There was also a wildlife show hosted by Jack Hanna.

The lead up to the event included a raffle for a Toyota Prius, in keeping with the conservation theme.

Different funders learn about events in different ways. The organizers of the Ride on the Wild Side event reached out to their potential patrons through many different types of media: postcard invitations sent to 20,000 people, ads in local magazines, newspapers, newsletter, e-blasts, Facebook, Twitter, and a digital billboard

The organizers relied on traditional forms of media and word of mouth, which remains the most important and effective selling strategy even as technology advances.

Defining Success

“We received the most comments about the digital billboard. However, we did not survey attendees, so we do not have an accurate way to measure this,” Cathy Sheets of the Henry Vilas Zoo told me.

For those planning similar advance, Cathy offered this advice, “Begin planning a year in advance. Lay out the event in as much detail as possible, monitor advertising effectiveness. Define your goals clearly. Remain flexible and calm under pressure. Don’t forget to enjoy the event, and make sure you have a great photographer and/or videographer to record the event.”

After the event, the zoo posted galleries of photos to its site, so visitors could remember the experience.

For Cathy, the highlight of the event was, “The ability to share an important conservation message and raise funds for a vitally needed capital project by providing attendees with up close animal experiences and the opportunity to meet Jack Hanna and be inspired by his experience and stories.”

Event of the Week: A Ride on the Wild Side is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

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

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.

Do Nothing. Sell Tickets. is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

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.

Show Them the Love 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

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!”

Event of the Week: Out of the Darkness Zumbathon is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

“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.

Event of the Week: The Alex Johnson Memorial Concert 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

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?

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth about US Raffle Law Part VI is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

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

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth about US Raffle Law Part V is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Alexandra Kesman, PR guru, balances online marketing with real world publicity.

Like many theater people, Alexandra Kesman discovered the stage in high school. She dabbled in acting, but spent more time backstage: stage managing, designing lights, running sound, and crewing a variety of shows. She attended Antioch College, where, thanks to an extensive co-op program, she graduated with an impressive résumé: The Magic Theatre in San Francisco, The Cincinnati Fringe Festival, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, Live Bait Theatre in Chicago, The Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse, and The American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA. In 2008, she took a full time position at the Know Theatre of Cincinnati, and today serves as Manager of PR and Marketing.

Kesman is in the vanguard of theatrical marketing professionals, comfortable with virtual promotions and prepared to do whatever it takes to start selling seats. Viral, stealth, and underground marketing? As “a mid-sized theatre with little to no budget for promotions,” she explains, “we are forced to rely on such types of marketing to get the word out.”

The Know Theatre’s mainstage season, from October to May, produces shows in their versatile black box, where seating is deliberately limited to ninety-nine or fewer, to keep shows intimate. Every June, they produce the Cincinnati Fringe Festival: thirty-five shows, twelve days, one hundred fifty performances, sixty-five hundred spectators. This season, they launched The Jackson Street Market, a series “dedicated to fostering and growing our local artist community” including “space for several groups to host salons and performances and the launch of a resource sharing website where Know Theatre’s resources can be utilized in exchange for volunteer hours.” On New Year’s Eve, they host their popular Speakeasy Party Fundraiser.

The Know Theatre of Cincinnati

Kesman can rattle off myriad low-cost options, which have varying effects on ticket sales. In regard to free video content, she says that the theater was “one of the first in the area to really jump on the Youtube bandwagon,” offering, “video trailers, snippets, and ‘funny things that have nothing to do with our show’ videos,” which don’t necessarily sell tickets, but have a positive impact nonetheless. Due to the nature of the Internet, such clips, “create a conversation, show an insight into our company, and engage audiences.” Kesman suggests that, by opening a dialog, free content allows theaters to talk with potential patrons, rather than at them. She says that, once such a conversation has been started, “maybe they’ll buy tickets farther down the road. A good deal of our social media, blogging, and video efforts revolve around that.”

What of social media and blogging? The Know Theater maintains a Twitter feed and a Facebook fan page, each of which has over fifteen hundred followers. Facebook’s new tagging feature means that posts, “are mentioned periodically through other patron’s pages…helping drive traffic to our fan page and Twitter.” Even Kesman was surprised by the Facebook effect. She noticed that after inviting a few hundred Facebook friends to an event, a certain percentage would click “like” and soon enough, “I was surprised…to find out that Facebook was the number two referrer of traffic to our website, right under direct links and entries..”

A blizzard of publicity

Social media helps the theater share updates about shows and tickets, but Kesman sees the main purpose of such pages as, “being silly, fun, and engaging with our fans, rather than just posting ‘Get your tickets!’” A popular example? One snowy day, they created some cool buzz using “a photo of our building with the K in our logo replaced with an S, making it ‘Snow Theatre’.”

The Know Theater’s blog also serves to “engage our patrons.” Content is created by staff, actors, directors, and designers, and while Kesman sometimes has trouble motivating them to sit down and blog, she’s managed to get some exciting content for fans: tutorials on making fake blood, photographs taken by the touring cast in different parts of the country. For the basics, the Know Theater relies on their homepage, where readers can find “info about all of our productions, special events…staff, mission, history, production history, your average fundraising pages…and headshots and bios for our company and guest artists.” This site gets about three thousand hits a month, and, with an “in-house ticketing system that allows online purchases as well as over the phone and in person” is responsible for about thirty-five percent of the theater’s ticket sales!

And everything that Kesman does, she has to do twice. The Know Theater and the Fringe Festival maintain separate, but connected, Facebook, Twitter, and home pages!

In the real world, Kesman knows that “reviews in the paper can really get the word out about a show like nothing else.” She also makes certain to hang Posters and Flyers in the city and the suburbs. Another tactic is to target specific groups in advance, such as “major distributions with the city’s library systems and sneak-peek performances at bookstores,” for family-friendly shows based on books.

Know Theatre's production of Sideways Stories from Wayside School

The possibilities seem endless. Kesman can drive even more traffic to the website by sending announcement to local community calendar sites. She counts about thirty such pages for her area and says, “You’d be surprised how this can actually sell tickets. People always say, ‘Oh I saw it online somewhere’.” The next big thing looks like their upcoming Google Grants account for Google Adwords donations. She advises, “For anyone that isn’t aware, Google provides a budget per day for some non-profits in Google Adwords. It’s a process to set-up if you are approved, but could really help traffic and searches in the future.” She expects to have it up and running by the spring.

Her advice to newcomers to social network marketing? “Reading books on social media isn’t going to get you anywhere. You really just have to dive in and figure it out…. Ask your friends. Everybody uses Facebook these days.” With a little experimentation, you can learn what Kesman already knows: how easy and navigable social media and blog sites really are, how well they allow you to communicate with patrons and draw traffic. Still intimidated? She suggests you research best practices online. Find a marketing blog that emphasizes the arts and the nonprofit sector. “Find some you like and read them regularly,” she advises. “You’ll learn a lot.”

In the Know: Alexandra Kesman Brings the Fringe to the Center is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

We live in a twenty-four hour society. Is it reasonable for your patrons to expect you to maintain a twenty-four hour box office? Well, yes! You may already be selling theater tickets online, or you may be wondering how to add that functionality to your website, or whether the return on such an investment would be worth it.

Wherever you are in the process, there’s an easy way to add another portal to your sales arsenal. Ticket River is a new Internet-based service that lets you create a page for your upcoming show and sell tickets right from the website. You don’t need to know anything about creating web pages. It takes literally five minutes to fill out your event information. This site does the rest!

Not only does Ticket River create a page for your event and sell tickets for you while you sleep, it doesn’t cost anything to join or add an event. The only cost is a small, three percent surcharge per ticket sold. You can cover it yourself, split it with your customers, or add it to the cost of their ticket. Most theatergoers don’t mind paying an extra dollar or so for the convenience of purchasing event tickets from the comfort of their own homes. You have the added convenience of being able to accept all major credit cards as well as PayPal.

Whatever your ticketing needs, Ticket River’s got it covered. Create seating charts of your venue and sell reserved seats. Offer different pricing for students, seniors, or advance buyers. You can even use Ticket River to link to TicketPrinting.com, where you can print real paper tickets! In fact, users of this site get a great twenty percent discount on ticket printing.

Ticket River also helps you promote your event with email marketing, embeddable buttons, and easy access to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. This site even provides all the tools you need to track sales with charts, reports, and search functions. And if you need to offer a refund, or cancel a show, the site makes it a snap.

Ready to move your theater forward into a bold new year? Take Ticket River for a test drive!

Net Total is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

If you want to make music, you can do that in your garage, on a subway train, or out in the woods. If you want to sell tickets to your upcoming performance, there’s a little more work involved. Big symphonies have their own box offices, but what about you? Even if you can sell tickets through a box office, can you sell them at 2 o’clock in the morning? Can you serve patrons in the middle of a blizzard, or when you’re short staffed?

Wouldn’t you rather give your fans the option of purchasing concert tickets online?

You don’t need an expensive shopping engine built into your website, and you don’t need to pay a third-party company big bucks to help you advertise and sell your next gig. All you need is a simple application like Ticket River.

It’s the fastest, easiest, most economical way to sell tickets online, providing you with maximum versatility for ticket sales. Whether you’re selling tickets for multiple dates, multiple venues, or multiple levels of access, it’s simple for you to set up your event, create your own page, and start selling tickets. You can even sell tickets for reserved seating events, and choose whether your patrons will print their tickets out at home, or pick them up at will call.

Best of all, this service is free!

It costs nothing to create a page for your concert. The only fee is a 3% surcharge on each ticket sold. You can pay it yourself, pass the cost on to your fans, or split the cost with them. Compared to markups of 50% or greater with online ticket sites like TicketMaster, that’s not much.

Performing a free concert? You can still use Ticket River to ask your guests to check in online, so you know how many to expect. If your part of a nonprofit group, you can even collect donations on the site.

All you have to do is log in, enter your event details, trick out your page with a background and a photo of your choice (if you want) and you’re ready to start selling. Ticket River provides you with links to send to potential guests, tracks all your sales, and handles payments from PayPal and all major credit cards.

You can use this service in conjunction with any other method you’re using to sell tickets, so you’ve got nothing to lose. Help the music-lovers of the world find even more to love about your music: simple, online concert ticket sales.

Sell Me a River 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

We have used TicketPrinting.com for every major event our school has had for the past three years.  I always get compliments on the posters hanging in the hallway advertising the event, and the tickets we receive always look so nice and make keeping track of our tickets sales easy.

~Kristen Kelly, Event Coordinator

Senior Prom is a special time for high school students. It’s a rite of passage that marks an important part of a young person’s life, a time of celebration and fun. Like any event involving a large number of attendees, a Senior Prom needs to be planned and coordinated carefully to ensure everything go es off without an problem and everyone has a good time.

I recently had the opportunity to discuss, Cleveland Heights High School 2011 Senior Prom with its coordinator, Kristen Kelly. Commonly called just “Heights,” the high school was founded in 1901. With an enrollment of approximately 1,800 students, the high school is built around a mod el of smaller schools within the main one, which allows faculty to offer a unique learning experience to its students.

The Senior Prom was held on June 3, 2011. Kristen tells me, ” The Prom went off without a hitch.  The students all looked lovely, the dinner was wonderful and they had a great time dancing.  Some of them wore masks that they had made at home.  The students seemed to think the best part was the dancing.  They really like the DJ this year.  They also enjoyed the crowning of the prom king and queen.”

In an academic environment, the primary focus is making sure students are spending their time learning. Faculty and staff have to maintain a fine balance when preparing for events like prom. Of course, they want to make sure students get excited about the event and have a great time, but they also need to make sure they are paying attention to their lessons. I asked Kristen how they managed ticket sales this year?

“We sold tickets after school 3 days a week for a month, which worked well for our Seniors.  It gave them plenty of time to arrange to purchase their tickets, and didn’t interrupt the school day.” Kristen told me. Students had plenty of opportunity to buy their prom tickets outside of class hours.

For someone planning a similar event, Kristen offers this advice: “Make sure to stay organized, publicize, and have plenty of chaperones.  Having a company that specialized in event planning take care of the event ensures that it runs smoothly.”

Whether you’re planning a  themed Senior Prom or a Fundraiser for your school, you will find plenty of customizable tickets and collateral to match your needs in the TicketPrinting.com design gallery.

Thanks again, Kristen and Cleveland Heights High School for sharing your experience and advice with TicketPrinting.com. Best wishes and congratulations to your 2011 Graduating Class.

The Masquerade Ball—Cleveland Heights High School 2011 Senior Prom is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Raffle Law and State’s Rights

When our forefathers outlined our American rights in the US Constitution over two hundred years ago, they specifically stated that those topics not covered in that document were reserved for the individual states to decide: state’s rights. This term often brings to mind some of the most controversial issues in our culture.

Raffles and lotteries, technically a form of gambling, fall squarely into this category. Raffle laws vary from state to state, with prize draws of any kind being completely outlawed in some places, and generally embraced in others.

Fundraisers Beware: Illegal Raffles

In some states, games of chance featuring prizes and requiring purchase are strictly prohibited whether you are a private individual, incorporated business, or not-for-profit charitable organization. In Alabama, the state constitution includes language to “prohibit the sale…of…tickets in any scheme in the nature of a lottery.” According to the Attorney General, raffle tickets are a type of lottery, and therefore illegal. In the state of Utah, “The Legislature shall not authorize any game of chance, lottery or gift enterprise under any pretense or for any purpose,” including any kind of raffle or prize draw.

Hawaii also prohibits any type of raffle in which tickets are sold. However, it is legal to distribute tickets without charging for them, so you can still have the fun of a prize draw as long as you don’t earn any money from it. The same holds true in Kansas, where exchanging money for games of chance is strictly illegal, but the District Attorney’s office suggests that such rules can be circumventing by making the contribution voluntary. To comply with state regulations, make it clear that “Individuals are under no obligation to make a contribution and may not be barred from participation if they choose not to make any donation.”

Changing Nation, Changing Laws

In general, raffle law seems to be relaxing in America. As stated in part I of this article, many states that forbid any raffle ticket sales in the past have recently passed legislation allowing such games of chance. Oklahoma is one that state that previously banned any raffle-based fundraising, then relaxed restrictions in 2003, allowing charitable organizations to conduct raffles. Even Washington, DC has its own Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board, responsible for licensing Bingo, Monte Carlo/casino nights, and, of course, raffles.

The trend seems to be toward greater tolerance of raffle ticket sales, and printing raffle tickets is useful in the majority of the US. However, private individual should be aware that many states, such as Wyoming, strictly prohibit selling raffle tickets for personal gain: only bona fide charitable organizations are legally allowed to run raffles in many places. If you are unfamiliar with your local laws, it’s best to find a local expert who can provide up-to-date information.

Paperwork in Order

Registering with the state is often a requirement, and in some cases, the state must approve your proposal. In Arizona, raffles fall under the umbrella of “Amusement Gambling” and must be approved on a case-by-case basis. You can fill out a form to register. In the state of Delaware, the cost of applying for your raffle license is $15 (the same price to apply for a license to hold a Texas Hold’em tournament), which is non-refundable if your application is denied. Timing is important! Applications are considered at board meetings, and applicants are advised to submit, “no later than 4:30 PM ten full working days before the meeting date.”

Florida is another state where raffles are highly regulated. The state wishes to protect its citizens from fraudulent or illegal raffles, but, more importantly, to prevent competition with its state lottery, which is an educational one: that is to say, proceeds fund the state’s schools. North Dakota maintains a list of downloadable forms required for a legal prize draw to be held in that state. Interested parties should pay careful attention, for record-keeping is important, and these forms make it simpler to keep track of details.

Next: Taxes and Other Little Details

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth about US Raffle Law Part II is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

While states’ rights may be hotly disputed when it comes to some controversial issues, they’re alive and well in the realm of prize draws. Every state in the union (along with Washington, D.C.) has its own particular laws governing the sale of raffle tickets and games of chance. Depending on where you live, selling raffle tickets may be a free-for-all, a carefully governed option for certain non-profit organizations under the strict auspices of the state gaming commission, or just downright illegal. (And even then, at least one DA has written up guidelines for circumventing these rules.)

We recognize that our customers are working hard to earn more money for their particular causes. The last thing you need is a legal hassle. That’s why we’ve compiled links to help direct you to the statutes for your area, and, in some cases, the downloadable PDF files that you’ll need to fill out to get your permit and start selling raffle tickets!

Printing raffle tickets is easy at TicketPrinting.com, and our state raffle law resource helps makes your job even easier.

Need a Ruling? Check Out State by State Raffle Laws 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

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.

• Advertisement

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

            Aside from being fairly easy to implement, social media marketing is also extremely inexpensive.  No matter the cost, though, you want to get a return on your investment, be it money or time. Here are a few aspects to focus on when using social media marketing to sell your event tickets:

·      Frequency

·      Interaction

·      Quantity vs. Quality

·      Integration

These four items are key to being successful as you jump into the world of social media.

Like Clockwork

            Part of the appeal of using social media platforms for marketing is the frequency with which you can send out your message. Web users are constantly looking for new information, and sites like Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter allow you to give them that information. You need to mention your event tickets as frequently as possible, so your promotion doesn’t get lost in the constant information stream.

            Remember, all news is important in the social media world.  If you’ve just designed your event tickets, mention it online. Even if you’ve just started considering what your event tickets should look like, bring that up. Frequent updates engage your audience and make the process more personal, no matter how tiny the detail might be.           

A Part of the Team

            The internet allows you to interact with your audience like no other medium and social media sites take this to the next level.  That germ of an idea for the design of your event tickets? See what your audience thinks. Invite them into the process. You don’t have to listen to their suggestions; you just have to ask for them. The simple act of listening to your audience will draw them in.

            Get them talking. Allow comments on your posts on sites like Blogger and WordPress. Create a posting board. Encourage discussion on every aspect of your event, from the aforementioned event tickets to reviews afterwards. Getting them to come back for updates is great, but getting them to come back because they want to interact is even better.

Playing the Odds

            When promoting your event tickets online, try to cast as wide of a net as possible. Networking can spread like wildfire, as one connections links you to another who links you to another and so on. Your target demographic for event tickets is simply your first audience, but they are certainly not your last. Once you connect with them, you can expect your message to spread.

            If you’re creating compelling content about your event tickets, your updates will get passed along from person to person, and suddenly a link to your site is popping up everywhere. This makes up your expanded audience, those who end up visiting your site and investigating your event tickets because they saw a link somewhere.

            It’s the grapevine of the 21^st century!

Headquarters

            It is absolutely essential that, while promoting your event tickets, you have all of your online interactions point back to your web site. Your latest status update may be interesting enough to gain you new fans, but unless they are following you back to your web site, it won’t translate into event ticket sales.

            The process works both ways. It easier than ever to imbed your social media updates into your web site. You want to make sure that anyone who comes to your site directly can also follow you through other sites. Once they add you as a friend or a follower, they indirectly become a part of your marketing team!

            Social media marketing is a cost effective, high traffic way of selling more of your event tickets. With just a little bit of time and effort, you can receive a big return on your small investment!

How to Make Virtual Friends and Influence People is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

They say the best things in life are free, and they might be right, particularly when it comes to generating interest in an event.  Strictly from a business standpoint, giving away your product could seem counterproductive.  But giving away your event tickets can actually increase your sales, if handled correctly.

            There are three, basic ways to look at giveaways:

·      Free event tickets on their own

·      Free event tickets paired with products

·      Free event tickets in addition to purchased event tickets

All three of these options offer challenges, but they also offer opportunities which can result in unique moments for promotion.

Confidence Sells

            In general, giving away event tickets on their own proves most beneficial if you’re planning a series of events.  The idea is that getting potential audience members to come to one event will be enough to convince them to come back again, this time at full admission price.

            Make sure you consider how you’re going to give away free event tickets.  This is a promotion, after all, so you want to reach your target demographic.  If you’re holding a celebrity softball game, then give away those event tickets at something like the local minor league baseball game.  Finding a connection between your event and the venue for your ticket giveaway allows you the greatest chance of success.

            Remember, giving away your event tickets is all about confidence.  You are tell your audience that you feel strongly enough about the quality of your product to give them the first event for free.  It’s important to tell them that.  Consider promotional slogans along the line of “you’ll love it so much, you’ll come back again!”  You need to plant the return business seed into their heads right off the bat, because that’s what event ticket giveaways is all about.

A Match Made In Heaven

There are two types of giveaways connected to products: broad and focused.  Broad giveaways involve products that regularly sell in large quantities and are readily available to the average consumer.  Focused giveaways involve specific products that relate either to your event or to the audience you’re trying to capture.

Which method to choose?  Well, that depends on your event.  If you’re planning something with broad appeal, than attaching event ticket giveaways to a high visibility product can be successful.  If your event falls into a smaller niche, then target specific products.  For example, if you’re holding a concert for a group whose audience is primarily children, attach the event ticket giveaway to products aimed at parents.

Make sure you choose your product partner carefully.  Your event is going to become synonymous with the product you choose, so make sure it’s a name you want to be associated with.

Bring a Friend

            Perhaps the most common type of event ticket giveaway is the ubiquitous “Buy one, get one free!”  Similar to the straightforward giveaway, this method is less costly and more targeted.

            With free ticket giveaways, you run the risk of giving event tickets to people who might not even use them.  But by pairing free tickets with purchased tickets, you increase the chances that the free ticket will actually get used.

            This method also gives you the added advantage of having a built in marketing person to help you: the individual who paid for a ticket.  In many cases, the free event ticket is going to someone who isn’t familiar with your event, but is going with someone who is.  This strengthens the promotion from the start, as it gives you a theoretical advocate for your potential new audience.

The Price Is Right

            Regardless of which of these different options you choose from, it’s clear that giving away tickets isn’t as counterproductive as it might seem.  Considering all the money you can invest into different marketing avenues, giving away event tickets can ultimately save you money, and generate a greater return on your investment.

            If there’s one thing that will get people’s interest, it’s the word “free!”

It’s Not Crazy: Giving Away Event Tickets is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog

Yes, it’s sad that federal, state, and local governments can no longer afford the full cost of public schooling for every child in the nation, but empowered parents aren’t dwelling on those deficits. They’re hitting the streets and selling tickets to make up the difference.

Elementary

The youngest children clamor for all kinds of extracurricular activities and don’t need much advance notice to get excited for a fair or carnival. Some organization may have the cash to hire a professional carnival with a midway and rides, but others will find they get the same results with a home-grown event. Ask older kids and teens to work the games and sell treats. You can sell event tickets in advance or at the door, and you can offer different levels of event tickets, offering a certain number of games or snacks with each level of contribution.

Other kid-friendly party events are skating nights (your local rink will work with you to create the perfect fundraiser), book fairs (ask a local author to speak), sports days (organize childrens’ games or work with a local minor league to create a fundraising night), art parties, bicycle races, walk-a-thons, or musical events. Event Tickets for these events will go fast if you advertise properly. Getting popular teachers and parents to act as chaperons is another draw.

Middle School

Older kids, tweens, and younger teens like to do things for themselves, and events for this middle-aged group should be tailored to their new skills. You’ll sell more event tickets if you can organize something that allows them to feel like they’re taking charge of the party. Talent shows are an especially good choice for this age group, as it allows them to showcase their skills in music, acting, and other interests they may be gaining mastery over. Those who don’t wish to perform may be flattered to serve as stage managers or backstage coordinators. Kids will help you create programs, set up the venue, and sell event tickets if they or their friends are performing.

This is also a good age group for day trips. Factor in the cost of transportation, food, and other expenses and calculate how much money you would need to earn to make the trip worth your while as an organizer. A weekend trip to the beach is inexpensive, but generates high interest. Many museums offer free days or student discounts. If you live near a big city, a simple sightseeing bus tour is a huge draw for kids who crave their independence but still need adult supervision. You can sell event tickets to these events well in advance: get a few kids interested and everyone will want a ticket.

High School

As children approach adulthood, they’ll be interested in more grown-up activities. The formal or semi-formal dance is a big deal for teenagers. Especially armed with the knowledge that the profit from every event ticket they buy will go back into their education, most teenagers anticipate such events and plan for them eagerly. Even an informal dance with a DJ or live band will help you sell event tickets and earn more money.

If there is a lot of musical talent in your school, a Battle of the Bands event is another great way to generate interest and sell event tickets. However, most teens aren’t too old for many children’s events. Try to run your own haunted house around Halloween, or hold a field day in the spring with silly events like a sack race or an egg roll. Your best bet is to ask students what kind of events they would prefer.

Teenagers can also take enough interest in their school finances to plan, organize, and execute their own fundraisers: washing cars or selling candy bars to pay for trips and other educational extras. The truly ambitious can learn about business while they earn more money. Some teens will go that extra mile and make baked goods or crafts that they can sell on their own, or in conjunction with other fundraising events.

Ready, Set, Print

Every age group can help you meet your fundraising goals. All you need to do it gauge your students. What event will inspire them to show up? How much can they afford to pay for an event ticket? Once you’ve figured out what, when, where, and how much, you can fill out a free ticket template, print out inexpensive event tickets with colorful designs, and start selling out your educational fundraising event.

Be True to Your School: Education Fundraising Events is a post from: TicketPrinting.com Blog