Running a successful ball

A grand ball could potentially be your association's biggest fundraising event of the year as well as a social highlight for the whole community. The rewards for organising such a large scale, high profile event are high but the time and effort involved should not be under estimated. Many PTA-UK member associations have run successful balls. We have been told us that whilst there is a lot of hard work involved, without exception the ball has proved to be a very lucrative event. In addition guests always want to know when the next one will be which often results in the event becoming an annual or biennial one. In addition, many secondary school PTAs are now involved in the organisation of the school's sixth form leavers' ball or prom.

Planning

Before embarking on a ball, you should gauge interest from your school and local community. Make sure that the event is something that parents, their families and their friends will support and ascertain what they think is a reasonable price to charge for tickets.

Due to the amount of work involved and so as not to detract support from other events you may have planned, you should set up a sub-committee with the specific responsibility of organising the ball. (The sub-committee should be formed in line with the provisions of your association's constitution. The PTA-UK model constitution requires every sub-committee to have at least one elected committee member as part of its make-up).

The full PTA committee should agree a list of objectives; progress against which should be reported back to the full committee on a regular basis. The objectives could include the following:

  • raising as much money as possible
  • raising your PTA's profile
  • giving the guests a fabulous evening to remember
  • putting on an event that offers value for money
  • engaging with local businesses
  • making the event open to the local community

Once the sub-committee is in place and the objectives agreed then the planning can begin.

Date

A large scale event like a ball requires a great deal of careful organisation and financial management so you should allow at least 6 months planning time. Pinpoint a date when most of your target audience is available. Avoid major sporting fixtures, other local events and school holidays.

Theme

Decide early on if you want your event to be a formal black tie affair with a sit down meal or a more relaxed informal evening, with a buffet as this will influence your choice of venue, your budget, ticket prices, music and the overall look and feel of the event. Choose a theme that you think will appeal to your target audience. A broad theme will increase the likelihood that more people attend. Popular themes include masked balls, fancy dress, colour themes such as black and white or just a simple black tie/lounge suit or cocktail dress dinner dance.

Venue

Chooseyour venue carefully as it is vital to the success of your ball. Be realistic, look at who your target audience is likely to be and plan accordingly. There is no point in booking a high-end exclusive venue if your audience can't afford the tickets. Conversely a ball is usually a more glamorous sophisticated affair than a disco so people will expect a higher standard especially for a higher ticket price.

Your ball could be held in a local golf club, hotel or banqueting suite where the food, drinks, music, and service is included in the package price. Alternatives include hiring a marquee or using the school hall or local community centre. Whilst this is probably the cheaper option, your PTA will then need to arrange its own caterers, music, entertainment, toilets (in the case of a marquee), and a PA system. Whatever your preference for the venue consider the following before booking:

  • is the location easy to find and accessible, with adequate car parking and public transport links?
  • check the maximum capacity of the room - a room comfortably accommodating 100 people will have a better atmosphere than the same number in a huge function room, but you don't want the room to feel cramped. If you're not having a sit down meal you may not need as much space
  • if possible ask to see the room set up for a function so you can get a feel for the space available and the atmosphere
  • if you are responsible for booking the entertainment (band, disco, musicians and so forth) ensure there is ample space for them to set up
  • make sure there is a dance floor and that it is big enough
  • if you are using the services of a photographer, ensure he has space to set up a small studio, to take formal pictures of guests and he also has enough room to take informal shots
  • agree when you can get access to the room, particularly important if you are decorating the room yourselves. Can you get in the day before the ball or earlier on the day of the ball?
  • is there a separate space for a pre-dinner drinks reception?
  • is there a cloakroom for coats and will it be staffed throughout the duration of the ball
  • are there sufficient toilets?
  • are there restrictions on stiletto heels due to wooden floors?

Budget

Your budget should be agreed early in the planning process and will be primarily based on the cost of the venue, food, entertainment and anticipated numbers. Once you know what your costs are likely to be you can then decide on the ticket price which either covers your costs or makes a profit. If you are planning additional fundraising activities at the ball such as an auction or raffle you may choose to add only a small per head profit to the ticket price. Be realistic about ticket prices- you don't want to put people off. Although guests will expect to spend money on drink, raffle tickets and taxis, it is important that they feel they are getting value for money. When working out your budget check if the costs include VAT and remember to think about the following:

  • venuehire and associated costs such as cloakroom attendant
  • food: decide if you're offering a buffet, sit down dinner or just canapés
  • decide if the ticket price will include a drink on arrival and / or wine at the table
  • music and entertainment such as a band, disco, a magician and a photographer
  • security
  • ticket design and print
  • menu/programme design and print
  • decorations
  • a Master of Ceremonies

Other budgetary considerations:

  • get all quotes in writing before committing; get a variety of quotes too so you can compare and contrast the service offered against the price
  • if you are hiring a venue and paying a per-head rate, make sure you know what's included in the price e.g. food, security, waiting staff, cloakroom attendant. Verify if there could be any additional venue hire costs not specified
  • if there is a venue fee in addition to the per-head rate ask if this can be waived if enough people are attending or because you are a voluntary/charitable organisation (you could then add the venue as one of the ball sponsors)
  • find out what deposit is required and by when and if this is refundable should you have to cancel the event or numbers are not as high as expected. You may have to pay an additional deposit for anticipated breakages.
  • ascertain when the final invoice will need settling
  • it may be possible for guests to bring their own wine; this needs to be discussed and agreed with the venue, which may then levy a corkage charge so you need to find out in advance what this is. If you are holding the event on school premises, and guests bring their own drink, your PTA can levy a corkage charge too.

If you are not using the school, check the venue's cancellation policy and find out whether there are financial penalties if you don't sell as many tickets as you'd planned. Your PTA-UK subscription linked insurance does not provide cover for events that run at a loss so it is important that you understand all the financial implications should your ticket sales not reach the number expected.

Allocating roles

Good delegation and the appropriate allocation of key roles and responsibilities are essential for an event of this scale and should be done early in the planning process. Make sure that each sub-committee group member is clear about what aspect of the event they are responsible for and that it is noted in the minutes to avoid confusion and omissions. Areas of responsibility include:

  • publicising the event,working with the local media(see Publicity below)
  • designing and printing tickets, menus, programmes, posters and flyers
  • sourcing prizes for the raffle and promises/lots for the auction
  • obtaining sponsors for the event
  • identifying a charismatic auctioneer if you intend to include an auction to increase your fundraising potential
  • appointing a Master of Ceremonies (MC) who will call the guests to dinner, announce the raffle etc. The venue may include this service in the hire fee. (You can also use the MC as your auctioneer if including an auction).
  • checking that all required equipment is available such as a microphone/PA system
  • if your PTA is undertaking thecateringappoint someone to take overall responsibility for this key area (see food and drink below)
  • arranging the table plan
  • selling tickets - you could encourage parents to purchase a "table" offering them a slight discount on the individual ticket price as an incentive (see tickets below)
  • mechanism for recording the number of tickets/tables sold and to whom
  • appointing a DJ, band and other entertainers
  • sourcing decorations for room and tables
  • liaising with the events manager at the venue
  • health and safety (see Health and safety below)

Food and drink

Select a menu option that has wide appeal and make sure that all special dietary requirements can be catered for and are confirmed in advance. Decide if you will have a drinks reception - you may be able to get a local wine merchant to sponsor this (or the venue) but remember to check if corkage costs apply. Always make sure there are plenty of non alcoholic drinks available and confirm the bar opening and closing times well in advance.

Publicity

Publicising your ball is another key aspect of planning as without good publicity tickets will not sell easily. Eye catching posters and flyers are a good idea especially if you can get them designed and printed free of charge, by obtaining sponsorship from a local business. Make sure the publicity material includes information on how and where to buy tickets and the cost. The most effective way of promoting your event is by word of mouth so generate interest and enthusiasm by getting people talking about what a great event it's going to be. Promote the event at school by persuading your ticket sellers to dress up in ball gowns/tuxedos and have music playing to attract attention. For free publicity sendmedia releasesto local press and radio and make use of social networking sites.

Tickets

If possible try and get tickets printed free of charge or have the cost sponsored by a local business. Ticket information should include the date, venue, start and end time, dress code, and a brief description of the event, including the entertainment that is included. If the ball is to raise money for a specific project mention this on the ticket. To keep track of sales it is useful if the tickets are numbered.

Get as many people as possible to sell tickets to cover a wide social network. Make sure ticket sellers know exactly what information they need from guests (special dietary requirements, name and contact number) and that they have the required paperwork for recording ticket sales. Ask for a weekly update from sellers so you can monitor sales. Also think about giving them tips on what to say if people think the tickets are too expensive. Most importantly make sure that tickets are paid for before being given out.

To encourage parents to buy enough tickets for a table of say eight or ten, offer a small discount on the ticket price and build this into your budget.

You should also agree a ticket cancellation/refund policy e.g.

  • up to three months before the event: full refund (as you should have time to re-sell the ticket(s)
  • three - one month: 50% of the ticket price (100% if the ticket is re-sold)
  • less than one month: no refund (unless the ticket is re-sold)

The above is just a guide - your policy should be determined by the sub-committee and agreed by the full committee and made clear to everyone purchasing the tickets. It should give you enough time to re-sell the ticket, but not be so generous that a late cancellation means you have spare seats and a potential to lose income.

Once all your tickets have been sold, start a waiting list and advise parents that should any tickets be returned, they will be allocated on a first come - first served basis.

Entertainment

The primary purpose of a ball is to have fun so your choice of entertainment is very important. Music is a key component of the evening and depending on your budget and theme you may choose to have a DJ and/or a live band with possibly a string quartet to welcome guests on arrival. Make sure you agree costs and timings in writing well in advance as you don't want the DJ packing up at 11pm if your event runs until 1am.
To make your event really memorable you could consider having a magician entertaining guests at their tables or even a comedian or guest speaker if budget allows. Other popular attractions include ice sculptures, a chocolate fountain or candy floss machine for later in the evening. A professional photographer capturing the guests arriving or mingling is also a good idea especially if they can print and sell the photos on the spot. Don't forget to ask the photographer for commission on sales.

Decorations

Depending on your budget, decorations can range from balloons to coloured lighting and lavish table decorations. If your ball has a theme the decoration should match this. Keep any reusable decorations for the next ball. Decorating the room is a time consuming task so enlist as many helpers as possible. When decorating the room remember to take extra care and to include this activity as part of the event's overallrisk assessment.

Sponsorship

Securing sponsorship fromlocal businessesto cover some of your costs will increase your profit margin considerably, but don't rely on it when working out your budget in case the desired level is not realised. Identify someone from the sub-committee to make a personal approach to local businesses asking for their support for your event, in return for advertising their business to your parent community. You should be looking for local businesses to support the following areas:

  • production of the tickets, menus, programmes, posters
  • flowers/table decorations
  • decorations for the hall
  • prizes for the raffle
  • lots for the auction

Cash donations are always welcome, so this is an option for businesses that feel they don't have something tangible to offer. Always remember to tell them what they will be getting in return for their support such as a mention in the event programme,PTA newsletterand so on.

Tap into the talent and expertise of your parents and utilise any contacts they may have. There may be someone who is a florist and can supply flowers/table decorations at cost, or someone who is a keen amateur (or if you are lucky a professional) photographer that is willing to donate their time free of charge. If you are thinking of using a string quartet to welcome your guests, primary school PTAs could talk to the local secondary school/college to see if they have any talented young musicians that could provide classical music as guests arrive - secondary school PTAs may have ready-access to such talent.

Maximising your fundraising

A successful ball should be a big earner; there are lots of additional ways to increase your fundraising potential, which will also add to the entertainment value of the evening. You should always include araffleand you should consider anauction. Both require a number of high quality prizes so a considerable amount of time and effort needs to be made to secure donations and gifts from supporters and local businesses. Consider some of the following:

Auction:secure some key prizes and a good auctioneer for this to work effectively. A maximum of nine items is recommended as people will lose interest after that. Auctions can be the traditional type with an auctioneer or "silent."