A booth event fundraiser is an excellent tool to use in reaching a financial goal -- particularly around the shopping season! Find a large space, set a date and invite some product consultants and some home businesses to each "rent" a table. Most of your income will be these rentals, but there are a few "add ons" that will increase your success.
Determine what fees you will charge per table and how many tables you need to rent in order to break even. (Your goal should be much higher than that!)
Rank locations in terms of your most favorite to least favorite. Contact your top choice and confirm dates available. Make deposits as needed.
Contact potential vendors. Consider who you most want to attend: independent consultants, home businesses, national chains, etc. E-mail makes a great first contact, but follow up with a phone call. Give vendors the date, time and price for your event. Consider offering multiple tables per vendor at a discount (1 table at $20, 2 tables for $30, etc.) Collect rentals in advance and decide what (if any) fees you will collect for cancellation. Drafting up a simple commitment letter will help tremendously.
Determine potential locations for your event. (You'll need approximately 1200 square feet for 12-15 tables.) Meet with facility managers to discuss specific advantages/disadvantages of each. Ask about tables and chairs, set up, clean up, deposits, cancellation policies, parking, security, insurance, etc. Ask about discounts for fundraisers. Discuss with each location potential dates for your event.
Work on details. Are you going to assign vendors to a specific location? Will it be first come, first served? How can you fit the maximum number of tables into your space? What will the traffic flow be for visitors? Do you need an entry table? What will your crowd control method be?
Contact local news organizations regarding advertising. Many will advertise fundraisers free of charge. Weekend placements are often at a cost, but well worth the expense. Don't forget that press releases generate free advertisement – and aren't hard to do!
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