One month to go until you run the 117th Boston Marathon on April 15th. While you’re training, stretching, eating right, and asking friends and family to donate to your cause, it may be difficult to plan an event on top of everything else.  However, it can be very easy to host a party and raise hundreds, if not thousands toward your goal.  Here’s how:

1.)    Pick a venue:  Have a favorite restaurant or bar? Contact them and ask what they may have available on slower nights such as Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.  At Boston Event Solutions, our restaurants frequently have space available on these nights, at no additional charge to fundraisers. You can create a festive environment with music. Ask if the venue has an iPod hookup for your tunes, or if you can bring a DJ or band at no additional fee.  Do you want to serve food?  Ask what the venue can do within your budget.

2.)    Design a flyer:   Use Power Point or Word to create a colorful flyer with a catchy event name.  If you need some inspiration, search Google images for “fundraiser invites,” and remember, less is more! If DIY isn’t your style, ask friends for help, or the venue.  Boston Event Solutions offers free graphic design services by their marketing team to all event organizers.  Be sure to include information about the organization that you are raising money for.

3.)    Collect prizes for a raffle:  Prizes are a great draw for an event and an excellent way to raise extra money! Ask your friends who work for restaurants, spas, sporting goods stores and gyms.  It’s best to ask restaurants and spas for smaller amounts, such as $25. Sporting goods stores may have some sale merchandise they would like to donate and gyms are always willing to give free passes. Be sure to let the businesses know that you are spreading the word about their generosity before and at the event!  Don’t forget to swing by Staples to grab raffle tickets, or ask the venue if they have some extra.  Then set your price – 1 ticket for $1 is an easy way to manage the raffle.

4.)    Create a Facebook and EventBrite site:  When you have all of the details for your party, set up a Facebook event and share it on Twitter and Facebook. It also helps to set up an EventBrite site.  It’s free to use and helps for those not on Facebook. Sometimes the venue has experience with it already and can provide some tips – so it’s best to ask!

5.)    Get the word out:  Be more creative with your words.  Instead of asking people just to come to your party – tell stories about the organization you are raising money for, or about your training journey to the Boston Marathon.  Everyone loves a good story!  Share on your Facebook and Twitter pages and ask the restaurants or the businesses donating to do the same.  Email is a very effective tool – be sure to BCC all of your friends, family and co-workers and ask them to join you for a great cause!

Good luck with all of your fundraising efforts and we’ll see you at the Finish Line!