money from events was (RE: Autocratting an event)

[Becky McEllistrem <beckymc@microsoft.com>]

Poster: Becky McEllistrem <beckymc@MICROSOFT.com>



>----------
>From: 	Bards keep[SMTP:s0jswelc@atlas.vcu.edu]
>Sent: 	Thursday, December 05, 1996 11:48 AM
>To: 	71035.3227@CompuServe.COM
>Cc: 	atlantia@atlantia.sca.org
>Subject: 	Re: Autocratting an event
>
>
>Poster: Bards keep <s0jswelc@atlas.vcu.edu>
>
>> 
>> 
>> Poster: Janet Toney/Terry Neill <71035.3227@CompuServe.COM>
>> 
>> >>>And just to make sure that I don't make a complete mess of it, does
>>anyone
>> any pointers to give me?  They would be very appreciated. I never pass up
>>free
>> 
><snip lady Annarra's various pointers and experience gained
>autocrating Emerald and other events, since the age of 14>
>..>
>> 1. Everyone has fun (including you)
>> 2. You don't lose money
>> 3. You don't run out of toilet paper
>> 
>> Good Luck!  Have Fun!
>> 
>> 	- Anarra Karlsdottir
>---->I agree with almost everthing you said,except rule #2.I
>believe that it is sometimes not possible to offer a good event
>and come in under or even on budget.While this should be a
>goal,so that having events is not putting the group in the red every
>month, realisticilly some smaller groups who don't get the
>attendance, and esp. the money 

Generally I avoid posting because usually someone says what I have to
say but
this is a point near and dear to my heart and one that Kane, Muirgen and
I discussed
at length.  Kane's rule of thumb was $1.00/person profit was a good
event.  Losting
$1.00/person was also a good event.  

I take his opinion a bit further.  Events are there for the attendants
and while
making money is OK you don't want to set that as a goal, UNLESS it's a
kingdom
event and you have problems like the A&S newsletter being completely
broke.  If
you make too much of a profit, your attendants will begin to feel
shafted and used.
If you lose too much, you need to think about a garage sale or something
during the
year to cover that buffer.  One idea (I think from Olie) that worked
really well was
when the troll of the event said "this is the event price but if you're
interested in a
__.00 donation to the group separately it would help..." and then left a
basket at
the door for such things. I was of the opinion that this idea was well
received but
I wasn't at the event.


>    Which of course leads to another
>arguement,that events aren't suspose to make money.

I wouldn't say they aren't supposed to make money, just how much and is
that
the main goal of the event?  If it is, then you're setting yourselves up
to be 
disappointed eventually. Events will make money if they're good events
but 
don't depend on that.  Even good events can be affected by bad weather,
etc.


>   Is it just me or are events becoming more expensive, in this Kingdom?

Actually before I left the Meridies, prices there were beginning to go
up as
well.  Sometimes a decent site forces a huge event fee and sometimes
it's
just folks that don't have access to cheap sources of meat, etc.  I
can't imagine
what it must be like to feast - o - crat in a place like DC or Richmond,
for instance.
The amount of money that one would need scares me...  Anyway that's
my $.02 worth.

Rebecca
>
>
>
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