Is your chapter hosting the same event that you were producing five, 10, or 15 years ago? Are your raffles, games and layout all the same? Is merchandise the only thing that changes? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it may be time to shake things up a little bit.
Tradition vs. Progression
There are certain things considered to be staples of your banquet. Some things may be considered a tradition for your event and your attendees have annual expectations for them. When looking at various aspects of your event, look at it from the perspective of your average attendee. While doing so, ask yourself how each thing can be improved. Decide what things you can slowly change over time without disappointing attendees. It is easy to get stuck in a rut and not realize your event has become stagnant, so doing an annual evaluation is a good practice. Below are some suggestions on what you can do to help prevent your event from becoming stagnant.
- Change the layout of your event every couple of years. Doing so forces attendees to walk the room to check out each raffle and auction.
- Incorporate new games and swap out some old ones or rotate them through so it’s always a little different. Look at the results and data for each game or raffle when making decisions. For example, what is the return on the expense and how quickly did it sell out?
- Work with unique, local vendors or manufacturers to ask for auction or raffle items you can’t find at other banquets. As an example:
- One chapter volunteer built a rolling chicken coop while another made a custom bar.
- Ask bakeries for items to use as “key items” or for special raffles and desserts! (Cakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, cookies, cinnamon rolls and even scones are a few suggestions.)
- Invite artists to finish paintings on stage during the banquet.
- Work with a high school to get donated products from their metal or wood shop classes.
- Change the way you conduct raffles! If you still use a single tumbler for your general raffle, consider individual buckets for each item or grouping.
- Don’t be afraid to bring something new to your chapter that is a proven winner at another chapter’s banquet! Ask your regional director or volunteers from other committees what innovative ideas they see and how successful they have been.
To stay elite, your event must continue to evolve. By making annual updates, you can ensure it does not become stagnant. This will provide a better experience for your attendees and continue to build your event’s reputation.