Having celebrities or first-rate musicians at an event can attract a lot of people. It is possible to get them to appear and perform free.

The celebrity might be...

• a movie star,
• a media personality,
• a politician or an ambassador,
• a famous athlete,
• an artist, or
• an author.

It is usually easier to get a celebrity than a musician. Musicians make their living from public performances, and must work hard when they play. The celebrities may view it as an opportunity to support a cause they believe in and promote their careers with a minimum of labour.

However, don't try to solicit a free performance by touting how much free publicity the performer will get. Unless you're having an unusually large event, the benefit to the performer will be negligible. He or she could probably get more publicity more easily in other ways.

The easiest way to get a celebrity guest is to look for someone who will be in the area anyway. If the celebrity is nearby filming a movie, playing in a tournament, visiting family or friends or performing, it may not be much more effort to participate in your event.

Be reasonable in your expectations. It might be wonderful to have the celebrity perform for you. However that might require costumes, a complicated set, lighting, sound equipment, back-up musicians and other paraphernalia.

Having someone famous appear at a simple reception in their honour might be much better. It puts less demands on the celebrity, and on you. Your guests may also prefer having an opportunity to chat with the celebrity face to face, instead of just being part of the audience. It's more intimate, more exciting, and more fun to brag about.

A reception before or after a performance can be the perfect special event. Instead of trying to arrange your own performance, with all the complications involved, piggy- back on a concert or show that is already coming to town. A commercial promoter is better equipped to arrange the show. You invite the star to the reception, and sell tickets to both the public show and the private reception. Because the expenses are lower, the net proceeds may be just as high as if you put on the show yourself.

Look for someone who has some connection to your cause. An Ottawa hospital, for example, looked through the records of babies who were born there. They discovered impersonator Rich Little on their list. Not only did he agree to perform in a benefit for them, he arranged to bring along a friend - Frank Sinatra. The hospital raised thousands of- dollars.

Check your list of participants and former participants! Whether you call them clients, alumni, patients, or community members, you may find useful connections.

Another charity heard that a rock star liked trout fishing. Happily, some of the world's best trout fishing is near the charity's facility. They invited the star for a week of fishing at a community leader's private lodge, in exchange for an appearance at an event. The star came, the event was a success, and the fishing was great. Everyone was content.

By reading the entertainment pages of the newspaper and show biz magazines you can find out quite a lot about celebrities' personal likes and dislikes. This can help you arrange a benefit performance.

When trying to contact a performer, avoid going through the agent if at all possible. The agent's job is to protect the performer from people who want freebies. After all, the agent is usually paid a percentage of the jobs he or she arranges for the star. A star who's doing a benefit isn't available to earn income and 10% of zero doesn't pay the bills.

Instead try and contact the performer directly. The best people to help you with this are the entertainment reporters from the local media. They can contact performers for an interview and raise the subject at that time.

Many performers are members of unions, as musicians, actors or writers. Please ask them about arranging clearance for the performance. In some cases, restrictions may mean you'll have to pay the union scale rates - which are not high.

How one musician sees it

Nancy White sings at a lot of benefits, for all kinds of causes. At a Grass Roots Network lunch in Toronto, she candidly explained how people ought to treat performers. Here are excerpts from her notes.

On asking for a free show: Do say, 'It would mean so much to us.' Or try, 'When your name came up, everyone cheered.' Or even, 'I saw you play and you were incredible.' Don't say what one person said to me: 'Someone gave me your name and number - what is it that you do?'

It's a two way street. You should support the musicians you ask to support you, by going to their show before you ask.

Sometimes a letter is more effective than a call, because you can enclose enticing material.

On money: The most important thing to realize is that a concert is not an easy way to make a lot of money. In fact, if you break even, you'll probably have had quite a success.

It's very expensive. Rental of a hall, a PA system and lights, hiring sound and lighting crews, doing publicity. Doing lots of publicity. Printing posters, tickets, programs, if it's a class act.

The star may be willing to play for free, but don't expect it of the back-up band. Negotiate a reasonable fee with them - even if it's just an honorarium of, say, $50 per person. Pay expenses.

Of course, a benefit can do other things besides make money, particularly if it's done well. It raises the profile of your organization. With luck, you'll attract people who just come for the music but might get interested in the cause. It's a chance for you to get names for your mailing list, give out your literature, and perhaps sell posters or tapes.

On the musicians' sacrifices: When you ask a musician to play, you're asking for more time than the concert itself. Musicians have to come to the hall in the afternoon. They drag down all their instruments and equipment. Setting up can be hours of dull work. Everyone must do a sound check. A group may have had to have a special rehearsal.

It may also cost them money to do your show. They have to give up work not just that night, but for the whole week. Few bands can play weekdays, but tell the commercial promoters they aren't available for the big Saturday night crowd.

A benefit concert can also serve to take a performer out of circulation. If I do a benefit in Saskatoon, I won't be able to do a regular concert there for perhaps another year. There's a limited audience for singers, and it can only be tapped so often.

On staging a good programme: It's important not to have too many acts on the bill! Imagine the frustration: you plan a programme, wash your hair, change your guitar strings, get to the hall. Then you're told, not asked, 'Could you cut your act down to ten minutes?'

The ideal is a warm-up act of 20 minutes. They're followed by intermission. Then the main act goes on for 45 minutes to an hour.

On speeches: It's best to keep the speeches to a minimum unless you have a speaker who really moves people, or an exciting announcement to make.

On professionalism: If I'm singing at a benefit and the sound is terrible, and I'm lit by a volunteer holding a flashlight under my chin, it can really damage my career. Someone in the audience who's never heard me sing before is going to think I'm awful... For people who have paid something like $8 a ticket or more, it's not fair.

On when to call: Performers work late nights and odd hours. Never call a musician before noon. They react to a 9 a.m. phone call in the same way you might react to one at 5 a.m. Not the best time to ask a favour.

One of the great problems of special events is the shortage of volunteers. Events do take a lot of labour-power. A small board can be overwhelmed. Staff alone can never keep up. If you hire people to run the event, the costs go through the roof.

Fortunately, there are some people who love organizing events. You may not know any now, but you can recruit them, more easily than you think. Here are the secrets.

§ 1 Do the homework of special events fundraising

Find out how to organize the event. What jobs will you need to create and recruit individuals for?

Do this homework by reviewing the plans and results of previous events of a similar nature. Look at the experience of your own organization. Examine events hosted by another agency in your community. Experienced organizers will alert you to essential volunteer roles you might not discover you need till it's too late!

§ 2 Create an organizational chart

An organizational chart is helpful for two reasons:

• First, you will have a chance to clarify roles and relationships between various players in the special event organization.
• Second, you have a tool to use to recruit and orient others. Then everyone knows how he/she fits into the big picture. You may want to include a Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator in your plan, so that there's someone designated to recruit others.

§ 3 Do a basic calendar of organizing

Plot a schedule. Base it on your research, your own experience and your planning skills. Work backwards from the date of the event to be sure you have enough lead time for each activity. Allow time for mistakes, delays and a little procrastination by your organizers.

§ 4 Develop job descriptions for each task within the plan

Before you recruit volunteers, you must know what they have to do. In addition, people are entitled to know what's expected of them before they agree to take on a task. Including the purpose and responsibilities of a job is fundamental to good volunteer management. Include notes on:

• time required
• length of commitment
• qualifications or skills required
• orientation or training provided, and
• benefits to gain.

You can sometimes find example in files of past events. Or perhaps you can ask someone who has done the job before to write down what the task involves. Get it on paper.

§ 5 Recruit the best possible person for each job

Make sure everyone knows you need help. Post the job descriptions on public bulletin boards in your office. Include “help wanted” ads in your newsletter. Contact the Volunteer Centre in your community and ask for help in these activities.

Volunteer Job Fairs are being held in more and more communities. Here's how they work. Several non-profit groups get together on the same day with tables displaying information on their work and their need for volunteers. The public is invited to browse among the booths looking for a volunteer opportunity that suits them. These can be sponsored by a volunteer centre, or a corporation. ManuLife Insurance, for example, has held them in the cafeteria of their main office building.

Volunteers can also be recruited from specific groups. The Junior League, a national service organization of women, for example, has an excellent training programme to improve its members' skills. They place members on the boards of non-profit groups to help them improve their systems.

Retired people are another source of extraordinary talent. In some communities, you can recruit with the help of organized senior citizens' associations. There are also special interest seniors' groups, such as the Canadian Auto Workers Retirees Club, or the Retired Rotarians.

Open recruiting like this is the process of telling the world you need help and waiting to see who will apply. It's fine for the troops who do all the day-by-day work.

For specialized skills and campaign leaders, you need a different technique. Face-to- face recruitment is the most successful way to get the people you need,

While thinking of the qualities you need for each job, go through a list of your members, supporters and contacts. Include outsiders who might be friendly. Consider who might be the best fit. Make a list of potential candidates for each job, prioritizing the names to contact.

§ 6 Encourage the event's leaders to contact the potential candidates

The chairpeople of the event should interview the potential candidates, just as if they were hiring for a job. Even if there is only one possible candidate, this communicates your seriousness. It usually makes the task more attractive. Use the job descriptions, calendar and organizing chart. The chairperson's goal is to determine if the person is interested, able to do a good job, and available.

§ 7 Immediately recognize the recruitment of volunteers

Send each volunteer that you select a letter confirming his/her appointment. Include a copy of current plans for the event. Invite him/her to an organizing meeting.

§ 8 To be effective, volunteers must have information and perspective

Keep in contact with volunteers. Be sure they are fulfilling their responsibilities - and catch any problems early. Help them if problems do occur. Encourage their creativity and commitment. Keep them apprised of the overall picture.

§ 9 Confirm everyone's involvement before the Big Event

Have a pre-event coffee meeting the day before the event to be sure all will go smoothly. Halifax organizer Ray Pierce says, “Don't trust anybody! If you haven't checked it, it hasn't been done.”

§ 10 Recognize hardworking volunteers - at the event itself and afterwards

Recognition consists of both saying “thank you” and being open to constructive criticism. Remember these people came to know the realities of a job. Collecting their comments soon after an event improves the event next time.

What jobs do you need to fill?

There's nothing more frustrating than discovering at the last minute that you forgot to fill a crucial job.

There are hundreds of different volunteer role in all the. different types of events. It would be impossible to list every one of them. But it is possible to suggest a few you should consider.

Here is a list of types of volunteer activities you may find useful in organizing your special event:

• Overall Event Co-ordinator
• Beer/Wine/Liquor Co-ordinator
• Car Parking Organizer
• Clear up Crew
• Decorations Co-ordinator
• Emergency Crew (in case of no-shows)
• Entertainment Co-ordinator
• Financial Management/Accounting/Banking
• Food Co-ordinator
• Graphics Designer: ensure coordinated theme
  • printed materials
  • decor
  • costumes (if any)
• Media Liaison
• Patrons/Head Table Co-ordinator
• Person to get licenses, permits, check laws
• Production Co-ordinator
  • printed program
  • invitations
  • tickets
  • posters
• Program Committee
  • determine agenda
  • arrange speakers, and so on
• Publicity Co-ordinator
• Secretary
• Security people
• Signs/Directions Aide
• Solicitors of in-kind donations
• Souvenir Supplier
• Special Arrangements Aide
  • access for the disabled
  • child care
  • sign language interpretation
  • special diets
• Technical Equipment Aide
  • sound equipment
  • lighting equipment
• Ticket Sellers
• Union clearances
  • for musicians, actors
  • for serving staff, if needed
• Ushers/Hosts
• Volunteer and Donor Recognition Co-ordinator
• Volunteer Recruitment Co-ordinator
• Welcoming Committee

Add your own special volunteer needs to the list:

• ___________________________________________
• ___________________________________________
• ___________________________________________

Not allowing enough time to prepare for the event is one of the most serious mistakes. It's also one of the most common.

Successful events are months in the making. Many start six months to a year ahead. Major conference organizers now book hotel meeting rooms up to five years in advance.

Some events can come together more quickly, with luck and experienced people. Excessive speed may be an invitation to disaster, however.

The length of time needed varies depending on the type of event, of course. No standard recipe can cover all situations. Here are some tips on developing your event's unique calendar accurately:

§ 1 Don't set the date until you analyze the time required

Too often groups establish the date of an event first. Then they realize how much work it requires. They try to compress the time needed for each task to fit into an impossible schedule. It seldom works.

Sometimes you must meet an externally imposed deadline. If that is the case, simplify the event to something possible in the time available.

§ 2 Involve several people in planning

Don't expect any one person to anticipate all the tasks that need doing. A team is more likely to catch the missing elements.

You can make a game of the brainstorming sessions. Set up teams of 2 to 5 people. Encourage the teams to think of all the tasks they can. Then compare notes and combine the lists.

Break each task into bite-size chunks, to make sure nothing is overlooked. Define the action steps needed.

Write each task on a separate Task Card. Large removable Post-It Notes™ are excellent tools for this task.

Next, challenge the group to get them in the right order.

§ 3 Estimate the time required for each task

Mark the estimated hours right on the Task Card. Note if it is one person doing the whole job, or several. Sometimes it doesn't matter if you have a group involved - but occasionally it matters a lot.

For example, a task could take 6 person-hours. If the task is stuffing invitations in envelopes, it could be done equally well by 6 people working 1 hour, or by one person working 6 hours. Carrying a piano up several flights of stairs, however, will take 6 people at least one hour. One person cannot do it in six hours.

Don't underestimate the time. In fact, most people recommend you increase the time estimates by a minimum of 20%. Many suggest you double the estimate. If you overestimate, and finish ahead off schedule, it is unlikely to cause problems.

Allow a few extra days between stages, in case of delays. When stuffing invitations, for example, make sure the printer's deadline calls for deliveiy of the finished product a week before. Then, if they actually arrive a few days later than expected, you have built-in protection.

§ 4 Determine inter-dependent tasks

Note which tasks must be complete before others can begin. Make sure the people doing these key tasks understand the consequences if they are late.

The people who will mail the invitations, for example, can't do their job until their predecessors have:

• prepared the address list
• booked the hall
• confirmed the entertainment
• settled the price
• printed the invitations
• purchased envelopes and stamps.

§ 5 Post the schedule on the wall and give everyone pocket-size copies

Everyone should be able to see the progress quickly and easily. Problems should be instantly obvious.

Use flip chart paper, rolls of newsprint, or blackboards to create a master calendar. Put the weeks across the top. Down the left side, list the key work areas such as publicity, printing, entertainment, food, ticket sales and so on.

Mark specific work to be done in the week it must begin. Then mark the due date. Showing only the date the work is due leads to last-minute panic.

Make a small copy, and give one to every person involved. Highlight the tasks that involve them personally with a coloured marker. In another colour, highlight the tasks that cannot be done until he/she successfully completes his/her tasks.

If the schedule changes, make new copies for everyone. It may be a lot of work, but it will save annoyance. Date each new edition, so everyone knows they're working on the same version.

Encourage everyone to book the time they'll need in their persona] day-planning books.

§ 6 Determine “Do-or-Die” Dates

Establish deadlines for essential tasks. Mark these in red on all calendars.

If they are not done on time, cancel the event.

Know what commitments make it impossible to cancel. Once you've booked the hall, it may not be possible to cancel without enormous penalties or losses. Even re-scheduling may be impossible.

Establish contingencies for less critical problems. "If X doesn't happen, then we can't do Y. As a back-up, we'll do A or B."

Don't wait to figure Out what you'll do at the time of the crisis. It may seem like a waste of time to sort out all the alternatives in advance, but it is an essential step.

§ 7 Check progress before delays become a crisis

Determine when work should begin, to be completed on time. Set benchmarks at intervals to see if the work is on schedule. If there is a problem, you must know about it before the deadline is upon you.

Check progress along the way. Don't just trust people. With the best of intentions, they may not follow through. There are two good methods:

The first is to give one person the responsibility of checking progress. As a gentle nag, the right person can do wonders. Knowing it is an institutionalized role reduces the emotional stress for both the nagger and the naggee.

Alternatively, assign crucial tasks to two people, as co-chairs. Encourage them to use the buddy system to check progress. Be careful the work doesn't fall between the cracks, as each co-chair thinks the other is responsible.

In either case, he or she should call well in advance of due dates as a reminder. Say, “I see you'll be halfway through the invitation list next week. How's it going? Anything you need help on? Will they be ready for the stuffing-party September 15th? If there's a problem let me know now!”

If the invitation stuffers expect to go to work September 15, for example, here are some of the previous benchmarks. Your time allowances may vary, of course.

• July 7 All leaders agree to provide names and addresses for list
• July 7 Budget approved
• July 25 Text and rough design approved (will anybody you must consult be away?)
• Aug.1 Material sent to the printer
• Aug.1 Typing of list begins
• Aug. 20 Final approval of printed material (allow extra time for vacations and the long weekend)
• Aug. 20 List half-done
• Sept. 7 Back from the printer
• Sept. 7 List ready

§ 8 Assign personal responsibility for tasks

Make sure one person feels personally responsible for every crucial task. Don't assign a task to a committee - it may fall between the cracks.

Find out what support your leaders need to get their tasks done. Don't give people responsibility without the power to do the work.

Schedule the date by which you must have a capable person in each role. These are critical “Do-or-Die” Dates. If no one is available, you may have to pull the plug.

§ 9 Anticipate the follow-up work

After the event is over, a great deal of work always remains. Have your work crews in place for these tasks well in advance. A last-minute scramble can cause trouble.

Don't ask people who are tired from doing all the other tasks. Have a fresh crew ready.

Some of the tasks that get overlooked include:

• Clean up after the guests have left.
• Count the income and make the night deposit.
• Return rented supplies or excess inventory.
• Send receipts for donations and thank-you letters.
• Send thanks to volunteers and supporters.
• Close off the account books.
• Evaluate the event and produce a report with recommendations for next time.

§ 10 Have a flying squad of troubleshooters

Inevitably, some aspects of the work will be overlooked. Have a team of skilful generalists who will look after any emergencies. Give them the authority to act. Make sure everyone knows who to call, and how to reach them night and day.

§ 11 Reward people for jobs well done

Provide incentives for getting the job done ahead of schedule and under budget. People do respond to rewards, even though they may think they will not.

For example, offer a prize for the first person to sell their allotment of tickets. On a team-work night, schedule the job to finish by 9 pm and order pizza for delivery then. At the event itself, mention people who deserve extra recognition for their work. Ask a hotel to provide a free room, and have the volunteers vote for the person who deserves a reward most.

Everyone has questions. What does it cost to run an event? How many volunteers do we need? How much money will we make? How many tickets will we sell? A formula would make it so simple to operate events.

It's not that simple, of course. Every event is different. Every non-profit group is unique. There are thousands of factors you must consider.

Yet with all that, some standards can be suggested. Although these are only rough guidelines, they may help you ill your planning. Please note the wide range of variations:

Rule # 1, Cost per dollar raised:

Expect to invest 50 cents for every one dollar raised.

This allows for a 50% profit, which is not bad by any standard. Some do better, some do worse.

Groups occasionally report that they run events without spending a cent. This is admirable, but may be incorrect. They may not count Other People's Money (O.P.M.). A co-sponsor may invest substantially. Include that money in your budget, as both an expense and as income.

In addition, groups often fail to count the cost of staff time and overhead expenses involved in putting on an event. This may lull planners into a false sense of contentment. The costs are real, and should be included.

Groups lose money from time to time, of course. They may spend two or three dollars for every dollar raised.

Depending on what other goals are achieved, expenditures of more than 50% may be quite acceptable. An event may be considered a success with little or no income, if it is staged primarily to:

• win media attention and publicity
• thank donors, volunteers or staff
• educate the public
• find new donors or volunteers
• involve clients/patients/users in activities.

Rule # 2, Volunteer work needed:

Expect to invest 2 volunteer hours for every hundred dollars raised, in addition to financial investments.

This means that volunteers 'earn' $50/hour for the organization. That's the surplus value they produce.

There is considerable variation, of course. The minimum goal should be $10/volunteer-hour. Many groups require 4 volunteer hours per $100, or $25/hr.

It is essential that you estimate the dollar per hour ratio you anticipate, before you begin. Otherwise you may not have enough volunteers on hand. Reevaluate your estimate throughout the process, and adapt as necessary.

Many groups do not even record how many hours volunteers work. That should be considered an essential.

Rule # 3, Maximum ticket sales:

One person can sell ten tickets, on the average.

For every hundred tickets you plan to sell, you must have ten volunteer ticket sellers. Many groups overestimate how easy it will be to sell the tickets. The results can be disastrous.

As the price goes up, the number of tickets one person can sell goes down. Clearly, it is easier to sell $1 tickets than $100 tickets.

This rule appears to be consistent whether the tickets are for an event or a raffle.

Tickets are most easily sold by friends asking their friends. Tickets can often be sold in a shopping district, a mall, or a community centre. However, aggressive sales tactics usually produce better results. It is not sufficient to have two people sitting behind a table chatting to each other. They must ask people to buy.

Sales from ads in the media are usually far less than groups hope they will be. Frequently, they don't repay the cost of the ads.

It is often the case that 20% of the volunteers sell 80% of the tickets. Unfortunately, it isn't always possible to predict who the star salespeople will be, in advance.

Beware those who buy the tickets themselves instead of selling them. It can result in a partly-empty hall. This embarrasses organizers. Worse, it can hurt the performers' careers if critics believe they can't attract a crowd.

If there may be empty seats, you must have a contingency plan. Some halls can be made smaller by unfolding a portable wall. In multi-level concert halls, a balcony can be closed. Sometimes empty space can accommodate displays on your group's work.

Alternatively, you can fill it with specially invited people. This is called “papering the hall”. Depending on the event, these may be seniors, school children or clients of a social service agency.

People who pay full price might be upset if they accidentally discover others came free or at a discount. One solution is to announce the special guests are there as a community service. Ask the paying guests to welcome them with a round of applause.