Event Planning for the Next Generation

Thanks to Andria Nolan at Henderson Mental Health Center for passing on a great resource for event planning for the post baby boomer generation.  It’s the 2010 Charity Event Market Research Report.  To obtain a copy, click here.  It was produced by CharityHappenings.org, which describes itself as “the online social hub for the country’s powerful community of young and influential philanthropists.”  The report is a national survey of which “an overwhelming number of responses (91.7%) came from event goers age 50 and under.”

So, if this demographic is your target, here are some of their findings: 

• Women play a more dominant role in planning and participating in events than their male counterparts. (Not that that is surprising; but they advise something simple that we may overlook:  market to your community, the women. They bring the men.)
• Best time for an event is Thursday evening, between 7 and 10 PM.
• Most event sales occur within two weeks of the event.
• Personal connection to the cause is the key driver of attendance.
• Most participants want to see over 50% of proceeds going to the cause.

There’s lots more interesting stuff in the report.

Enjoy,

Jim