Event #2 - The Aussie Barbie

My second event since starting at Focus Birmingham was the Aussie Barbie on saturday.

The concept of the event...an outdoor BBQ with indoor activities, in Birmingham as close to Australia Day (26th Jan) as poss. Well, I'm pleased with the actual running of the event, but we simply didn't have enough people there. Understandable I guess, a BBQ in winter in the UK, where as I thought it was quirky some people might thing crazy.

As pointed out, people tell me it's a learning curve. Well, that might be true, but I'm 30 this year and been doing fundraising for 5 years now. I know that's not that long, but seriously, you'd have thought I'd have learnt a bit more by now.

Perhaps I need to re-address the quirkyness of my event ideas. When I first started here at Focus I had a list of about 10 ideas, none of them were particular 'regular' events. Am I being too specialist? Creating events that I might like doesn't mean there are people like me out there.

I need to make my budget of about £8000 by the end of March. Yep, that's less than 2 months away now. Without being defeatist I can't see any way of me making that much money by doing regular events, and besides, I've learnt that a good event is promoted early on, not 4 weeks before it.

But it doesn't mean I can sit pretty for February, I have to bring in some money, so I'm looking at a Guitar Hero or Rock Band fundraiser, a dance night, either Strictly or Salsa esque, or even a Memphis Belle type theme night. With a bit of a man power I could maybe do all 3, but I don't know, it'll be a push.

I also wondered over the weekend whether I'm sending mixed messages via Twitter, and this blog to be honest. I started on Twitter purely for personal purposes, an opportunity to engage with people I don't know and perhaps will never meet, yet still have enthralling conversations with.

But as I learnt more of Twitter, I learnt that it's an excellent marketing tool. And as I tweet about me, how can I not tweet about my work. We do have a Twitter account for work, but I don't control it. And if I did it would be purely events based. Perhaps I feel that without marketing events personally myself I won't be able to get people along. But then on a daily basis that is me. For work I have to sell myself and the charity to get people on events. See, it's very confusing.

I'll publish more Aussie Barbie photos in the week I hope.

x

Just an ordinary Wednesday

That's all it's been. Normal service resumed I suppose. Tomorrow could be a very interesting day. Now, you should always be careful about what you blog about and who is potentially going to read it. So when I blog about work, I guess I should be careful...

...but then I like to be upfront, in person and online. I am who I am, haha. Anyway, to the point in hand. I have my second one-to-one with the CEO tomorrow (the two line managers between me and him are both ob sick leave) now, if I'm honest, and you'll have to forgive me Rob, but I held back a little during our first one and I came out a little disillusioned. But I got over it quite quickly and I hope that I'm able to portray my ideas better this time.

Certainly, we have one Fundraising idea that could potentially be huge and doesn't even require a great deal of work. But word on the street is that the CEO isn't sold on the idea, so enter me tomorrow. I think I have a persuasive argument, and come on, this is my job. If I don't get it right then so be it, but it's my head on the chopping block and I'm happy with that. So hang tight and tomorrow all will be revealed.

Did go down to Lordswood Girls School's Christmas Fayre today to hand out some Australia Day BBQ flyers, seemed a good response, just got to really push the ticket selling next month. Could be a tough month, but gotta go for it.

So, sorry it's dull. Am sure tomorrow will be far more exciting!

Training - Day Two

Day two of training for the Festive Bike Ride (it's on Saturday, have I left it late to start training?!). The little'uns gave me a glorious lie in, only waking us at 6am.

So, after they were dispatched it was off to work...oh, no, hold on nearly forgot. Off to Doc's to get Swine Flu jab (hope there's no drug testing after this bike ride) and then on to the mile (if that)ride to work and on to Dignity at Work training.

So, armed against Swine Flu and Indignity, I've got to be close to 80% ready for this ride, what do you think?

Of course, if I don't make the £200 then I don't need to bother :-D http://www.justgiving.com/AndyyK