Posted by Sean Lukasik on Wed, Aug 18, 2010 @ 11:29 AM
Whether you are a non-profit, school, or corporation, everyone is feeling the economic pinch these days and wants to figure out how to get more for less. Entertainment is one area that, when cut, can affect the entire event’s success! However, creative cutting can result in a successful event AND huge savings.
First, think of what the greatest expenses might be for the company providing the entertainment. Most of the time, labor is number one. By reducing the labor costs of the entertainment, you can cut the amount they charge you.
Providing volunteers for the items that are simple to run, such as moderate inflatables, casino tables, Bingo, arts and crafts, fun foods, and carnival games can cut your cost and save the entertainment company a ton of money and give them more flexibility. Volunteers can be your employees, organizational members, or students as long as they are the appropriate age and responsibility. If you can’t use your own volunteers, consider hiring a local service organization (Kiwanis or Rotary Club), football team, or other non-profit and make a donation to the organization for their efforts. You get recognition for helping the group and you save money on your event.
Another method to save money can be in asking your entertainment consultant what deals they may have. Sometimes prices go up because of the cost of transporting an item. If everything fits on one truck or trailer, there is definitely a savings. Some companies might have items that they are overstocked with inventory and will discount the price to move that item.
Weekday work is another way to save money. Everyone wants their event on a weekend, particularly on Saturdays. At Bobby K Entertainment, we usually are sold out every Saturday but can always find availability Sunday through Thursday (other than holidays). By moving your event to a non-prime day, you allow flexibility in pricing.
When looking at price, remember it is always easier to get something thrown in for free or a discount than it is to get a discounted overall price. This way, the entertainment company maintains their pricing structure and both parties feel that they are working together to sweeten the deal! Most times, the item thrown in is a wonderful addition for your event while one of the lower cost items for the company.
By being creative, you can stretch those Entertainment dollars for most any event!
Posted by Sean Lukasik on Mon, Aug 09, 2010 @ 10:48 AM
Many times, parent organizations try to create activities and raise money at the same time for their elementary or middle schools. Usually, accomplishing both goals is very difficult. The most painful fundraisers seem to be those selling wrapping paper or greeting cards or those boxes of candy bars.
Planning a family activity that will generate interest and have large attendance is also a challenge. For years, school carnivals have been a fun way for parents and children to interact, but the work involved is immense and the financial rewards minimal.
A school carnival that is held in partnership with an entertainment company can take a lot of the work out of the event while creating something that will be heavily attended and reap financial rewards for all involved!
Some entertainment companies are willing to create special packages with schools during their off season and partner to create a successful event. Three to four inflatables and a few carnival games can be the base needed to get children and their families to attend a school carnival. Add food, music and some other activities and you have a successful event.
Instead of paying lots of money for inflatables, get a company that will train your volunteers to operate the inflatables while they provide trained supervision. You'll cut the company’s expense considerably. Then work out a split after a fair guarantee so everyone makes money.
By charging an admission fee for unlimited rides, you create an easily tracked income stream that can be used to pay for the main attraction, the inflatables. All other money made from sponsorships, food sales, crafts, or flea markets can be kept by the organization.
With a partnership in place, it is in everyone’s interest to get lots of people to attend - resulting in a successful event... and a profitable one too!
Posted by Sean Lukasik on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 @ 02:39 PM
When choosing a TV Style game show for your next corporate or college event, don’t just take an “off the shelf” version. For a little more money, you can customize your game show to represent your company or the theme you are presenting.
Writing custom questions for any game show does take some time and will require a bit of programming, but it can make the difference when you are presenting the game show to an involved and dedicated audience. As an example, Bobby K Entertainment has created several versions of our Hot Seat game show to incorporate different themes.
The basic concept of Hot Seat is that contestants compete against 24 other players and try not to get eliminated by selecting an incorrect answer from four possible answers for each question. There are four different rounds with a winner in each round.
In customizing the show, we have created themes for Black History Month, Green (environmental), Latino History, and Pop Culture. The possibilities are endless as you can create questions around a corporate philosophy, sales and product information, or employee information One could even create a special show for Class or Family Reunions.
For more information on customization or the types of game shows available, go to www.bobbykgameshows.com.
Posted by Bob Kramarik on Tue, Jun 15, 2010 @ 03:14 PM
Everyone loves a good TV style game show! There is even a cable TV channel that plays nothing but game shows. In recent years, among the top rated network shows has been Deal, No Deal, Are you Smarter than A Fifth Grader? And now the resurgence of The Price is Right with Drew Carey.
While everyone loves to watch, they would all love an opportunity to play. Unfortunately, seldom do we have a chance to play a TV game show much less win exciting prizes. By combining the excitement of a professional TV Style Game show and the chance to win great prizes, you have just created a wonderful Fundraising Idea!
Sponsorships and Ticket Sales are the key to raising significant money. You should search out an overall sponsor at a higher dollar figure and then sponsors for individual rounds AND the prizes you hope to give away. Tickets should be affordable and the admission should include some snacks, background music (which can be provided by the game show hosts), and a cash bar.
There are many games to choose from including versions of popular TV shows as well as customized game shows created especially for the group seeking funds or the corporation sponsoring the event. Take a game that asks several questions and you can sponsor the entire night, the prizes that are given away, each round of questions, the categories of questions, the game podiums, the ticket printing, the snacks, the emcee and even the location of the party! Tie in a media sponsor (usually radio) and your advertising can be free as well.
Bobby K Entertainment has experienced event consultants ready to help you create a successful
game show fundraising event!
Posted by Bob Kramarik on Mon, May 24, 2010 @ 10:19 AM
There are many ways to raise money for your college, university, high school, PTA / PTO, club, and organization. You could sell candy bars and magazines, but why not try something that is unique and fun for everyone? Host a 'Stay & Play Party' with Bobby K!
You can make lots of money and lots of smiles – here’s how:
Bobby K Provides:
• Giant Dual Lane Slide
• Obstacle Course
• Moonbounce
• Kid’s Maze
• One Adult/Teen Interactive (ie. Bungee Run, Joust)
• 2 staff to setup, train, supervise and remove equipment
• All insurances
• All wristbands and indemnification forms
• Event is for up to three hours on a weeknight or vacation day!
You Provide:
• The location
• Volunteers to operate the inflatables (total ten)
• Electric for the blowers
• All Promotion for Event
• Ticket Sales & Advertising Sales if applicable (organization can sell sponsors for
entire event or individual items and place placards around to show which business
participated – potential of about $750)
• Concessions
• $500 deposit on event
How we both make money:
• Bobby K is guaranteed $500
• Tickets are sold for $6 in advance, $8 at door for anyone who is participating (will
get a wrist band). Parents are not charged unless they wish to participate.
• After first $500 in ticket sales, remainder of ticket sales are split 50/50
• Organization makes ALL money on concessions and advertising/sponsorships.
Revenue Projections (based on 300 participants):
• Tickets - $900 advance, $1200 at door, $2100 total
• Concessions - $400
• Advertising – $500 individual sponsors, $250 event sponsor, $750 total
• Bobby K receives $1300
• Organization receives $1950
It sounds simple... and it is! Contact us today to find out how to customize an event like this for your school.
Posted by Sean Lukasik on Fri, Apr 23, 2010 @ 02:07 PM
At the end of every school year, many parents groups decide to host one last party for graduating seniors to encourage them to celebrate their graduation safely and together. These types of events have certainly decreased incidences of injuries and fatalities from drugs, alcohol and reckless behavior by graduates and their friends.
Parents spend an entire year planning and fundraising for this special celebration and it is interesting to note how different each event may be. Some groups seem to find the perfect mix of entertainment and repeat it each year (after all, the graduates are always changing so they don’t know what to expect) while other groups feel a need to change every year.
These events can be very expensive – you need to rent venues, arrange for bus transportation, provide food throughout the night, giveaways and entertainment. Typically students get right on a bus from the graduation ceremony and end their party with a breakfast early the next morning.
Some components to make sure you include in your entertainment:
- Music – not necessarily a DJ but some sort of ambiance. Karaoke goes over VERY well or you can really step it up with a Foam Dance Party or Video Dance, something the graduates may never have experienced.
- Physical Activities – whether inflatable competitions like obstacle courses, mechanical bulls or sumo wrestling or an open gym with basketball, volleyball and swimming, you need something to keep the kids going.
- Mementoes – Make sure you have some sort of photo memory for the kids to take home. This can include Old Fashioned Photos, Photo Booths, Green Screen or a unique and new idea, Flip Book Photos (insert link)
- Something for the non-physical – You can choose an art type activity but the most popular by far is fantasy casino where kids play with fake money to win prizes. Even better is having parents dealing for the kids and interacting with them.
Bobby K Entertainment has performed for hundreds of project graduations over the years and can create a custom plan whatever your budget and is happy to provide free consultation on these very worthwhile projects.
Posted by Sean Lukasik on Wed, Jan 13, 2010 @ 01:56 PM
The late 60's and early 70's brought us a psychedelic era that was exemplified by incense, felt posters, and black lights! While the posters may be out of favor, the black lights have never lost their popularity - and in recent years have gotten even more popular!
By being creative with the use of black lights and with the advent of LED black lights, more entertainment options are now available. However, just throwing up a black light does not make a party.
Bobby K Entertainment has found numerous ways to use this new technology to make black lights even more entertaining by integrating their use into traditional games:
- Cosmic Golf is a nine hole miniature golf course with the putters, balls, and every hole UV reactive. By adding 3-D glasses, the balls seem to float in mid-air when trying to putt due to the special surfaces.
- Midnight Volleyball is a darkened room illuminated only with black lights and with the net, ball, and court lines all UV reactive. Players use special makeup and glow necklaces to be seen.
- Glow Racing is the newest rage where four-wheeled, UV reactive pedal racers head down a similarly-lit race course. This creates a special “night time” event.
- Blacklight Dance Parties pull it all together with great music and a full array of black lights. The party is special because each piece of clothing reacts differently and our makeup and glow items allow partiers to stand out.
For more ideas on how to incorporate black lights into your fundraisers, corporate events, parties, weddings, and more, visit
www.bobbyk.com today!
Posted by Sean Lukasik on Tue, Oct 06, 2009 @ 03:37 PM
If you're planning on holding a fantasy casino night, either as a fundraiser or social event, there are plenty of cheap ways to "do it right."
- Put together a mix of popular lounge music to rotate throughout the evening. If you are planning on having a DJ, request some artists like Michael Buble, Norah Jones, and Frank Sinatra.
- Dim the lights just enough to create the right mood. You don't have to order anything special - although white holiday lights could also go a long way!
- Ask some volunteers to be your cocktail waiters and waitresses. This could be fun, even if you're only serving pretzels and punch.
- Decorate the room with flashy, but cheap, accessories. It's easy to find garland, mardi gras beads, plastic masks, and more at your local party store. Tell them what you're doing and what your budget is and they might be able to put together a nice package for the evening.
For more tips and fantasy casino information, visit
BobbyK.com/fantasy-casino-index-page.