Please help me plan a crop!!

[bclydia]

Hi
I've decided to plan an all day crop as a fundraiser to help the youth at our church on their summer mission trip. They will be going down to the gulf to help out with the aftermath of Katrina.
I've never done an all day crop like this. Haven't even been to one. So, what I'm wondering is if you have any tips or brilliant ideas for me.
So far, I'm figuring on $40 per person for an all day crop (8am-10pm) on the Saturday before Mother's Day. I think the timing will be a great excuse for Mom's to say "bye, have a good day. I'm going to play." I'm thinking that we'll provide lunch and dinner, snacks and coffee and tea. I am hoping to have reps from CM, SU and myself for CTMH there and I was thinking to ask them to do a make and take and donate a door prize. Does that sound reasonable to ask of the reps? What else would you expect of the organizers of a crop like this?
Each cropper will have a whole table to work on. I also thought I'd do up small gift bags for each cropper.
Do you have any suggestions as to what you think would be good to serve for lunch and dinner? I'm having the youth group do all the food prep and serving but it needs to be pretty fool-proof.
Hmmm, those are my initial questions. I'm sure I'll think of more.
Oh yeah, also, people should have to pay in advance right? Should I offer a half-day option?
Thanks so much!!!
Lydia

 

[tubachick]

I have never organized an all day crop, but have been to a few. Lunch in a different area or food that does not leak or stain is a good choice. lots of trash bags around the tables for the little scraps we just can't keep. Pay in adavance... helps plan for food and table layout sounds good.

Is there a LSS that can help out with maybe bringing bigger supplies for the scrappers to use like a diecut machine or something??

sounds like you are off to a good start.

 

[soccerchick]

I would offer multiple shifts. $20 for 8 am -3 pm (8 might be a little early IMHO) and $20 for 3-10 pm. Or $35/$40 for all day.

There may be some restrictions on the reps if they are allowed to be there with other companies. I like the make and take ideas. You could have mini-workshops built in too. Each rep can give a 10 - 15 minute talk on a tool, technique, etc.

Will customers be able to shop from inventory on hand from the reps? Consider getting them to donate their commission as well from that day's event.

I like goody bags. If you are doing $20 registration, have $3-5 in free product. It could be loose stickers, paper, Crop Talks, page compeltion kits, etc. Keep it easy and cheap. Door prizes don't need to be $$.

You might want to do some contests during the day. Most journaling on a page, most pages completed, etc.

For meals, I'd suggest pizza for one and see if the company will give you a break on $ for ordering a large number in advance and/or since it is for Katrina relief. I'd also see if a place like Boston Market, Heavenly Ham, Subway, etc. will do a box lunch, again for a price break considering the cause. You could get the menu from the restaurant and include it with your registration so people could select what they want. Your other option that might be more economical would be deli meat trays and rolls from Costco/Sams.

Yes, I'd make people pay in advance!

And... Advertise, advertise, advertise. Some local papers will allow community news like this to be included for free. Submit your info as soon as you have the details worked out. Let the info run for as many weeks prior as they will allow. See if stores, churches, schools, businesses (non-retail) will allow you to post a sign, flyer about this.

Good luck!

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

I agree with everything that's already been said! I have never hosted an all-day crop, but I've been to a couple. I like the idea of having the different shifts for one price or all day for another price. I would definitely make people pay in advance, and I'd make it non-refundable (just to encourage people to actually come, and so you don't get messed up if anyone tries to back out).

At an all-day crop that I went to one time, they had little "prizes" like soccer chick said for most journaling, most pages done, etc. In addition to those, though, they gave away "tickets" (like you can buy pretty cheap to run a ballgame or whatever). For every page you completed, you got a ticket (they just came around and asked toward the end). You also got a ticket if you used a new product, started a new album, did a vacation page, you get the idea. You wrote your name on the back of each of your tickets. Then, they put everyone's tickets in a basket and drew one out. That person won the big prize--a bunch of donated scrapbooking items that some LSS's and consultants had put together.

I hope yours is a huge success!

 

[graygables]

I agree with everything so far, but on the giveaways, don't tie it to 'performance' (number of pages, amount of journaling, etc) b/c some people just take their time and it's not fair that the ones who just "slap it out" always get the goodies. I would have tickets and do a drawing every hour or something along those lines.

 

[bclydia]

Very good ideas!! I think we'll do both kind of give aways -regular door prizes and also some tickets for layouts completed etc. And thanks for the reminder about being non-refundable!!! I'm hoping to approach companies to donate the food etc.
Please keep the ideas coming! I sure can use the help!
Thanks so much!
Lydia

 

[MeanLaureen]

You see .. this is proof that I am still needing some more sleep. I read the title of this and thought you were asking for help planting your crop. Corn or Wheat?

I'll leave the real responses to the experts

 

[bclydia]

You see .. this is proof that I am still needing some more sleep. I read the title of this and thought you were asking for help planting your crop. Corn or Wheat?

I'll leave the real responses to the experts

Way too funny!!!!

 

[soccerchick]

Bumping to see if you've had your event yet? I was searching for this thread as I might be hosting a fundraising crop as well for a neighbor's daughter and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

What would get you (I mean all you scrappers and friends of scrappers) to show up to one? I wanted to keep the actual fee low ($5 - $10) and will donate my commission to the cause too. It will probably be a nighttime only crop. What would get you to buy? I'll do demos and crop talks and I was thinking of discounting slightly (10%) some of the product I had on hand as well as allowing lots of opportunities to earn extra tickets for the door prizes (a 12 x 12 album and a 7x7 one). I was also thinking of putting together some "packages" with a bonus or discount. People could earn tickets by RSVPing, preordering product, bringing a friend, filling out a wish list, signing up to host a show, signing up for a class, buying product (every X amount earns a ticket, etc.).

Thanks for any input.

 

[MyLittlePiglet]

I have also gone to a few all day drops. While they did the ticket thing for each page completed, they also played scrapbook bingo. Examples were, use purple on a page, use such and such a tool, ask someone how did they do that page, etc and when you got bingo you got a small prize you could chose out of basket. ( A sticker page or a few mats making a kit, etc) it was fun.

Ohe thing I cannot stress enough which I now each do at home... tape a gallon zip lock bag to the table and that is your "gabage" scraps and items, the youth group members could actually be responsible for emtpying them. This saves rooom from have a trash can or even little waste paper basket in your work area, it was a great idea and I stole it

One thing I have not seen done but would suggest, tell everyone there is a swap table. Start it with some of your own stuff. To take an item off the table you need to leave an item in its place. I like a piece of paper on the table, I take it and leave it its place a sheet of stickers, etc. You would need to make up some basic guidelines of what can equal what. But this promotes sharing and you can get rid of stuff that might not be you or you bought and loved but just have never used, in exchange for new stuff.

Do you think you have enough time to get enough word out theere before the event?

And of yes prepay!!! you can also leave and number on the ad to call the day of for people to check if there is still space and they can head over know they need to pay the moment they arrive.

OKay sorry too much babbling...

 

[MyLittlePiglet]

Sorry bcyldia your post was from awhile ago and just resurfaced for some reason.... yes you had time to plan. Sorry again