When planning nonprofit Christmas events it is important to understand the role ticketing software plays in making the most of the season’s generosity.
Lots of Christmas Bookings
Recently, Event Industry News published "Early Indications Point Towards Events Industry Growth Over Christmas" and cited promising economic indicators for venues booking Christmas events.
Although it’s still early days with lots of Christmas bookings still coming in and venues unable to confirm final income levels until January 2014. There are some early indications that the Christmas market will see growth in the volume of bookings in 2013 compared to 2012, brought about by aggressive pricing and flexibility around the types of events they accept.
It isn't just big venues that are expected to see an increase in attendance during the holidays. Smaller events, like charity fundraisers by nonprofit organizations, are expecting to ride the wave of optimism touted by Event Industry News.
Making the Most of the Season's Generosity
People are in a giving mood during the last few weeks of the year and many charities see more than 50% of their donations at that time. Here are some ways that ticketing software can help nonprofit Christmas events meet fundraising goals...
Charity auctions
Charity auctions will be one of the most popular activities yet again this year. The Guardian recommends that nonprofits use "innovative event technology services" [such as ticketing software] to maximize fundraising potential of charity auctions. Online ticketing software can combine admission to the Christmas event with the purchase of auction paddles or raffle tickets. Even if the the event is free to attend, ticketing software can add the purchase of raffle tickets to the online R.S.V.P. process. An added benefit of selling raffle tickets in advance is having the funds to buy the prizes beforehand and be able to distribute them during the event - much more fun than a paper promissory note!
Online Donations
While Christmas event guests are on your website purchasing raffle tickets is an excellent time to ask for donations. Ticketing software can be configured to ask for a donation of a predetermined dollar amount or allow for unlimited giving. Another way to inspire people to dig deep is to establish donations in tiers of ascending dollar amounts. Guests can be presented with the classic “silver,” “gold,” and “platinum” donation levels, or you can create tier names that suit your event’s theme. Remember that when choosing a ticketing software to accept donations, check to see if any fees are applied per ticket. All too often, online ticketing software lacks the control for nonprofits to sell tickets without fees. Per ticket fees will dilute a charity’s ability to meet it funding raising goals - fee free ticketing is always best.
Reserved Seating
Family friendly Christmas events should consider using reserved seating when selling online event tickets. When the event uses reserved seating, big families will have the peace of mind of knowing they will all be sitting together. Medium sized nonprofit events (greater than 200 guests) may think reserved seating is not necessary, but a “sit wherever you want” policy can end up putting a damper on the holiday cheer when families cannot sit together. While combining admission with purchasing raffle tickets, adding reserved seating is merely one additional step in the process. Reserved seating can also boost the total amount taken in by a nonprofit when different prices are charged for preferred seating close to the stage.
ThunderTix Ticketing Software for Nonprofit Christmas Events
ThunderTix ticketing management software for nonprofits offers easy to use tools that will help make the most of the season's generosity.
You can start with features that inspire robust giving and then use the patron management feature to organize next year's event and sell online event tickets. As an optional module, we can provide a custom seating chart to match the venue your charity event is being held at. Not every event occurs at a seated venue, but if yours does, a seating chart can be of tremendous value to the ticket buyer. Combining advanced online ticket sales and seating charts gives your donors peace of mind. They’ll choose how many seats they need, where they will be and if they are a large group, pick and choose so they all sit together.
Interested in using our technology for your fundraising goals? Be sure to take a look at our other features and sign up for a free trial today!
Image source: Wiki Commons