Organizing a Blue & White Ball

Steps

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  Step 1: Plan

  Align on a Purpose

  Hosting a fundraising event is a tremendous amount work; so is putting on a fancy wedding; or coordinating a musical performance. The Blue & White Ball is a similar to a combination of all three, plus some Cosmo-level magic. Before kicking off the planning process, it’s important to align on the purpose(s) of the event. The Blue & White Ball is primarily a fundraising activity each year, but it’s also the highest attendance alumni event and a recognition ceremony for local alumni and friends. Keeping all purposes in mind will provide clarity for all of the steps that come afterward.

  Create a Budget

  Preliminary costs: Figure out the important costs (1) venue rental and (2) catering. Other expenses can be estimated and later revised once ticket prices are finalized. If multiple venues are available, one can be selected after understanding seating and pricing.

  Ticket Prices: Even if it’s a fundraiser, ticket prices will determine how many people are able to attend. Therefore, it’s important to assess a “willingness to pay” within the local chapter. Can alumni and friends afford $75 per person? $100 per person? $150 per person? The end goal is to ensure ticket prices pay for all expenses for the event, plus a nominal amount (~$10 per person) to fund replenishment grants.
  

  • Example: Nashville Chapter charged $100 per person for a gorgeous venue near downtown in 2023 and expects the same for a more suburban setting with more space in 2024. 
  •  Consider a “Young Alumni” discount of $25 per person for those who have graduated in the past five years (5) to encourage their participation. 
  • Another important consideration is an “Early Bird” discount for those who purchase prior to a certain date.  For example, tickets of $100 per person for the Blue & White Ball on November 1st could be $90 each if purchased before September 1st, which creates a strong incentive for guests to purchase tickets early and enables better planning. 

  Reconcile Costs with Revenue: If the event will cost $100 per person and local alumni are only able to pay $75 per person, then it could be tough to host a successful event. It can still be done via sponsorships and other revenue sources, but it’ll be harder. The venue and catering are large expenses, so a cheaper venue or a limited menu could be considered.
  Other income: Sponsorships, retails sales, and silent auction bids are additional sources of revenue.
  

  • Example: Nashville Chapter dedicates all of it to replenishment grants. 

  Other Expenses:

  This will depend on the chapter, but here are some examples for possible other expenses
  

  •  Mocktails 
  •  Appetizers 
  • Dessert 
  • Decorations 
  • Furniture/ dinnerware rental 
  • Table linens 
  • Photo booths/backdrops and photographer(s) 
  •  DJ 
  • BYU merchandise to sell and autographed memorabilia 
  •  Entertainment 
  • An online auction site 

  Other expenses should be estimated and included in the budget. By contacting a few potential vendors in each category, prices can often be negotiated.

  Select a date

  Selecting the right date for the event is critical to maximize attendance. More alumni and friends in attendance make achieving the event’s purpose more likely.

  Focus Questions
  

  • When are potential attendees least busy?  Consider conflicts with sports, graduation, prom, and local church events like stake conferences. 
  • When are venues most likely to be available?  Competition from weddings and conventions could make certain times of year more difficult. 

  Example: The Nashville Chapter determined that some attendees feel less self-conscious in modest attire when it’s cold, so the Nashville Blue & White Ball is typically held in October, November, January, or February. December is avoided due to conflicts with Christmas parties and other holiday-related events.

  Select a venue

  
  With a draft budget in hand and a couple of good options to review, it’s time to select a venue. This could be a “chicken-or-the-egg” scenario with selecting a date but having an idea of options for both enables a decision to be made.

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  Step 2: Act

  With a good plan in place, it's time to act!

  Assign Tasks

  
  Determine who will help put on the event and assign everyone an area of responsibility. Having one person (or a couple) assigned to each area increases the likelihood of completion due to fewer misunderstandings. No one wants to hear “I’m sorry! I thought you were handling that,” particularly as the date nears.

  Common Responsibilities:
  

  • Sponsorships 
  • Catering 
  • Decorations
  • Mocktails 
  • Entertainment 
  • Program 
  • Auction Items 
  • Swag Store 
  • Youth Volunteers 

  Enlist sponsors

  
  Sponsors can be a significant source of income, particularly if the Blue & White Ball is run as a charity event. Try having different tiers of sponsorship. Below is an example of sponsorship tiers you could consider using.

  True Blue - $3000
  

  • Maximum of four (4) True Blue sponsorships for dinner, photo opportunities, mocktails, and dessert 
  • Sponsor a table of ten (10) tickets to the Ball 
  • Priority table selection from your chapter board or at sponsor’s discretion 
  • Prominent signage and company logo/name scrolled throughout the night electronically 
  • Sponsorship mentioned on social media promotions 
  • Recognition in post-event Thank-You advertisement 

  Rise & Shout – $2,000
  

  • Sponsor a table of ten (10) tickets to the Ball 
  • Prominent signage on the table and company logo/name scrolled electronically 
  • Sponsorship mentioned on social media promotions 
  • Recognition in post-event Thank-You advertisement

  Cougar Nation - $1,000
  

  • Four (4) tickets to the Ball 
  • Company logo/name scrolled throughout the night electronically 
  • Sponsorship mentioned on social media promotions 
  • Recognition in post-event Thank-You advertisement 

  Friends of Cosmo - $300
  

  • Two (2) tickets to the Ball 
  • Company logo/name scrolled throughout the night electronically
  • Sponsorship mentioned on social media promotions

  Secure Auction Items

  
  Loyal Cougar fans love autographed memorabilia such as football or pictures, but some of the items that generate the most revenue are paintings, experiences, and items with local flair. Reaching out to everyone (even those without a tie to BYU) can uncover unexpected connections and groups willing to donate items for a good cause or to increase awareness of their brand.

  Acquire Goods for the Swag Store

  
  The BYU Store in Provo has semi-annual sales with prices up to 50% off. Purchase a wide assortment of items to sell at full retail. Fanatics.com and other sites can also be a good source for discounted merchandise.

  Establish a Ticket Deadline

  
  While some attendees will purchase tickets early, some will need a reason to do so (e.g. an “early bird” discount) while others won’t purchase tickets early no matter what. It’s common to have folks reach out regarding tickets the day before (or even morning of!) the event. That’s obviously a huge challenge when catering must be finalized 2+ weeks before and venues sometimes charge per person. It’s imperative that a firm deadline be broadcast in all marketing materials to ensure understanding.

  Maximize advertising

  
  There’s no “silver bullet” to ensure that everyone knows the details for the next Blue & White Ball, so try a little bit of everything:
  

  • Save the Date – The first communication should be a “save the date”, ideally 6 months before the actual event. 
  • Email Blasts – The alumni staff in Provo allows up to two (2) email blasts for each event.  Both should definitely be used! 
  • “Teaser” Notes – To get even more publicity, it can be very effective to include a short blurb about the Blue & White Ball at the bottom of EVERY communication, regardless of the event.  Picnics, performances, and sporting events are all fair game for a short teaser at the bottom. 
  • Email Prior Attendees – Since some attendees may not be BYU alumni, it’s also wise to invite ALL attendees from recent years.   
  • Social Media – Posting to Facebook, Instagram, and other social networks can help get the word out. 

  Organize Decorations

  
  There are many talented individuals who know how to make decorations look great, even on a budget. The key is finding one that’s willing to help and making sure they know how appreciated they are!

  Elevate Via Printing

  
  Having a print partner is a classic touch that adds professionalism to fundraising events. Depending on the budget, the following items may be printed:
  

  • Sponsor board for presenting area/stage 
  • Directional signage 
  • Decal logos 
  • Donation QR codes for tables (link to Church Philanthropies) 

  Check with venue partners to determine building requirements and guidelines.

  Prep for Mocktails (or other desserts/drinks)

  
  Desserts and drinks with engaging names like “COSMOpolitan”, “LaVell’s Limemade”, and “11:05 Tuesday” are a lot of fun. All that’s needed are some good recipes and individuals to make them for guests at the beginning (and possibly end) of the event.

  Secure Entertainment

  
  A nice event like a ball or banquet deserves some quality entertainment. Luckily, BYU has a fantastic fine arts program and they’re often willing to lend their talents to local events. All that’s needed is an invitation and sometimes a small stipend to offset expenses.

  Find a Disc Jockey

  
  Somewhere between a simple playlist and a wedding-style DJ (high cost!), there’s a happy middle ground of quality DJs who are willing to work for a fair price and some good food. Even better if they’re “BYU alumni & friends” who want to help.

  Line up Photography

  
  Hiring a dedicated, reliable photographer means the volunteers can enjoy the event. Everyone loves having pictures afterward, and photographers appreciate any extra business they get from publicity.

  Consider getting a few good backdrops for people to pose in front of and get some good shots. Wider backdrops create better results for photos.

  Coordinate Volunteers

  
  Don’t underestimate the youth in the area’s ability and desire to help. When given responsibility, many times they will rise up to the challenge. They probably will appreciate the opportunity to build their college/work resumes and the trust given to them to be a valuable cog in the workings of the event. A lot of people don’t see teenagers as capable of helping when in reality they can be a good resource to help plan and run the event. Day-of volunteers can run the swag store, prepare mocktails, walk appetizers, serve desserts, direct traffic, and help recruit more volunteers. These are usually older high school students, many of whom will be applying for replenishment grants in the coming years. Their volunteerism could be used as a data point for grant selection.

  Consider having the volunteers sign up for shifts if it’s a long enough event. That way they can work part of the event and enjoy the other half. If ticket prices are too high for some, they might appreciate being able to volunteer as an option to still attend the event.

  Finalize the schedule

  
  When the date of the ball arrives, the alumni board and all volunteers need to know what’s going on and when it will happen. Attendees should be aware of most of it, but there are some “backstage” components that don’t need to be posted on all signage. Here’s a sample program from Nashville's 2023 event with the publicized items in blue font:

  2:00 pm Setup begins
  4:00 pm Day-of event volunteers arrive
  5:00 pm Board changes attire
  5:30 pm Mocktails & Mingle
  6:30 pm Program & Recognition
  7:00 pm Dinner
  7:30 pm Entertainers Perform
  8:00 pm Dancing begins
  9:00 pm Silent auction ends
  10:00 pm Event ends, cleanup begins
  10:30 pm Board returns home

  Craft a program

  
  While it may not be the evening’s highlight for everyone, the Nashville chapter puts together a 20-30 minute program to entertain and inform guests. The program typically includes a few key sections:
  

  • Introduction to the local chapter and purpose of the evening 
  • Recognition of local alumni board (they do a LOT of work) 
  • Shout-out to sponsors (also via social media) 
  • “Thank you” messages from grant recipients 
  • Announcement of annual “True Blue” Award winner (highest level sponsorship tier) 
  • Reminder of evening’s schedule  

  Show Gratitude

  
  Before taking a well-deserved break, it’s critically important to thank the volunteers and sponsors who made it possible. A short, hand-written “thank you” note is a nice touch!

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  Step 3: Review

  Monthly Meetings

  
  A regular cadence of monthly meetings (e.g. every 4th Sunday from 8-9 pm) provides an opportunity to follow up on assignments and ensure challenges are addressed quickly.

  Monitor Major Concerns

  
  It’s impossible to host a “perfect” event using volunteers who have other demands on their time, so it’s important to keep an eye on items that could derail the event. What happens if the caterer forgets and gets double-booked? Is someone in frequent contact with the venue in case problems arise? Is entertainment on track?

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  Step 4: React

  Focus on Urgency

  
  When planning begins 11+ months prior to the event, some items are urgent, but most are not. The level of urgency will steadily grow until the last few weeks, which often feels like “panic mode” has set in. That’s the reason for this document, to provide an outline and minimize the panic.

  Delegate and Follow Up

  
  The principle of “return and report” is critical, particularly as the event nears. Delegating specific tasks to individuals and following up with them (if they don’t beat you to it) ensure that tasks are completed promptly and well.

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  Step 5: Reload

  After hosting a fun event, it’s a good idea to jot down notes of how next year’s event can be made even better. For example, the Nashville Chapter hired a popular DJ in 2022 who chose not to play the songs they requested, so in 2023 they went a different direction.

  What Went Well?

  
  Focusing on what went well after the Blue & White ball makes it a lot more fun to start planning the next one. Obviously, it’s a good idea to keep all (or most of) the good stuff!

  What Can Improve?

  
  Unless perfect events exist, there’s always something that could be done better. It’s a good idea to harness feedback from those who put on the event about what could be done better next time. The sooner this occurs afterward, the easier it is to remember specifics and the easier it will be to plan the next ball.

  Request Guest Feedback

  
  Sending a survey to guests is an efficient method of collecting feedback, although many will be too busy to respond. Response rates of 10-20% are quite common. Qualtrics and SurveyMonkey offer free surveys for limited questions, but Google form is both free and easy to use.