SHAKERMAKER PROMOTIONS
Race Nights are great fundraisers and although we supply them at a standard price, they can actually cost you nothing if they are organised properly.
Please read on for information detailing the exciting concept of Race Nights to provide your organisation with a fantastic social evening whilst raising funds for your organisation, school, club, team etc.
On the night of the racing we will bring along up to 9 races from Britain and around the world along with all of the projection equipment including screen, video, video projectors and amplification. All tote tickets will be provided and personalised race programme and we will compere the evening throughout. Even if your guests have never seen a horse race before they cannot fail to understand what is going on, it’s very simple.
Step-by-Step Guide to organising a successful Night At The Races
The success of a Race Night does require a small amount of input from the members of any organisation prior to the night of the Race Night itself.
Set a date for your Race Night at least 4 weeks in advance allowing you time to promote the night to your members. The key to a successful Race Night is to be in a profit situation prior to the actual Race Night being held.
Firstly we could approach a company to sponsor the cost of the event.
Secondly we need to gain sponsorship for each of the 8 Races that
are to be shown
on the evening. Sponsors’ names will be printed in the Race Programme
and announced prior to each Race and could include any information regarding
their Company, for example:
“
Race 1 has been kindly sponsored by – “Shakermaker Promotions”,
providers of total quality Disco and Corporate Entertainment.”
Approach members of your club who own their own small businesses, suppliers
of stock or equipment to you pub or school, local companies within the
surrounding area. Decide upon a fee you would like to ask them for – £25 – £100
per Race is normal.
In each of the 8 Races there are 8 Horses. We will supply you with a pre-printed
sheet to approach members who are more actively involved in your organisation
to buy ownership of any Horse or Horses in the Race Card. There are 64
Horses to sell in total.
Consider selling the Horses between £3 and £10 each and decide
upon the prize the owner of the Winning Horse should receive. Prizes
may be donated and presented by Race Sponsors. A Company may be approached
to supply the prizes.
A percentage of the sale of the Horses may be given, for example, 8
Horses sold at £5 would generate £40. £20 could
be given to the Winning Owner, and the remaining £20 to go
the club funds. You may like to buy the prizes from the sum raised
through the Sponsorship of the Races. Again, owners’ names
will appear in the Race Programme along with the name they have decided
to call their Horse.
Decide if you are going to sell tickets to gain entry into the Race
Night. If so, the ticket price must either include food or have food
available
or some other form of entertainment such as a Casino, Band, Disco
or Mobile Bar, which we can provide personally.
After following the above steps your organisation should be in a
profit situation. From our experience the emphasis should now be
on ensuring
your guests have
a fun evening and enjoy the thrills and spills of a Night At The
Races.
We therefore suggest the tote is paid out in favour of your guests
at 75% in their favour and the other 25% goes to your organisation.
We
only suggest
a 50% payout if sponsorship or the sale of Horses has not been
gained.
The Tote
Prior to each Race the Tote is opened and you need to decide
how much you are going to charge per ticket, usually either
50p or £1. Let’s say 100 guests attend your Race Night and each guest places
a single £1 bet. The Tote would have £100 less a percentage to
be divided between the number of Winning Tickets.
75% has been decided to be paid out, which is £75 and the remaining £25 goes to the club fund. Let’s say Horse Number 3 wins the first Race and 10 tickets have been sold. £75 divided by 10 winning tickets = £7.50 per winning ticket.
Again from experience we like to pay out a little more for the first few races to create the atmosphere right from the off. The Tote should be staffed by members of your club to encourage guests to spend and to ensure the security of money taken.
The Auction
We can, for the final race of the night, auction each of the 8 horses to the highest bid, eg: 8 horses sold at £20 per horse = £160. The owner(s) of the winning horse could receive £100 and the remaining £60 to go to the final total of funds raised for the evening.
For more information on these excellent nights, please email us.