http://barrestaurantsuccess.com/how-to-run-a-successful-restaurant-charity-event/
I’m a firm believer that the more you give, the more you’ll receive in life. The more you give, the faster you’ll reach your goals and the lifestyle you’ve always wanted. If you don’t believe this, you will soon!
I’m going to tell you exactly how to change the lives of many, build trust and credibility with new customers, and win new customers over for life! And that’s by running a breast cancer charity event!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so this gives you and me the perfect opportunity to do some good, help women in need, and build our business at the same time. It’s a win, win!
Why Have This Event?
Well, I pretty much just said it but let me say it again.
Because this is going to help women in need, it builds trust and credibility with your current customers but also NEW customers who may have never been to your bar or restaurant. On top of all this, it’s a win, win situation because you’ll get new people in the door who will become customers for life because you’re doing something positive to help their family or their friend.
How to Get Started?
First thing you need to do is set a date and time. Weekend would be best. I’d suggest doing this on a Saturday afternoon from 2-6 due to NFL football on Sunday’s.
The second thing you should do is get educated on breast cancer awareness and how you will deliver the funds to the organization. You can get that information at www.NationalBreastCancer.org
How to Raise Money?
There’s several ways you can raise money! The most common way is to have a “walk.” This is where everyone pays $20-$25 which it all goes to the charity and people meet at your bar or restaurant and you do a 2-3 mile walk and everyone gets a pink t-shirt.
For me, a walk wouldn’t work at one of my locations due to being on a very busy road with no sidewalks, so if you’re in the same position as me, here’s what you could do.
Host an event where a percentage of food and drink sales goes to charity. If you serve pizza and pasta, which only costs $3-$4 a person in food costs, you could charge $10 per plate and either:
A: Give 100% of that $10 to the charity
B: Get back $3 per plate and let the rest go the charity
You might be saying, “Wow that’s a huge margin, I’m giving way too much away, most places will do 10% back!”
You’re right, those are the owners who think about THEMSELVES and not others, who just care about money and not doing a good deed!
The other thing you could do is get food vendors and liquor vendors to help with donations. This way you have no food costs or you reduce them by 50% to 75%.
More Ways to Raise Money!
50/50 raffle: Sell raffle tickets and the winner gets 50% of the pot. I’d say about 80% of the time we’ve done 50/50 raffles at my bars for charity events, the winner ends up giving it back to the charity organization!
Raffle Gift Bags: You could get a group of 5 bartenders and servers to put a list of 10 local business together. Each of them calls 10 different businesses, 50 total, and try to get services and products donated. Then put them into gift bags and auction those off.
Pink Drinks: If you serve x-rate, which is a pink liquor, you could create that as the special drink and give $1-$2 back for every drink sold.
How To Promote This Event
To Make It A Huge Success!
First thing I’d do is send out a press release about the event to the TV, radio, and newspapers in your area. Do this 2-3 weeks ahead of time, and then send another one out 5 days or so before the event.
The local news will most likely do an article before the event and maybe even come out and give you exposure as well.
Signs in Your Business: Defiantly put signs up in your business. That’s a no brainer
Use Your In House List: Send out an e-mail, text, and maybe a direct mailer to your customer list.
The “Secret” Advertising Strategy
What I do is I use Facebook’s power editor and spend a few hundred bucks. The reason I do this is because you can target people based on if they have an interest in breast cancer awareness. Wouldn’t you think these people would be the most profitable people to market to for “Breast Cancer Awareness” event!
Target by Donors!
However, this one is even better yet! You can target people based on whether or not if they have actually donated before or not!
If you are a part of the Bar Restaurant Success Elite membership program, in Septembers edition, you will be receiving this promotion with all the flyers, the press release I use, the step by step videos on how to target the donors and people who have interest in cancer awareness.
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