The House Party
By Nicole Schlinger

Media plan cost more than you expected?

Need to order extra yard signs?

If your campaign needs a quick infusion of cash, a house party can be a great solution.

Put simply, a house party is an informal campaign fundraising event, held at the home of one of your supporters.

A House Party can be held at any time of the day … a Sunday brunch, afternoon coffee, or evening reception. The best time for a house party is when your supporters and your host’s friends are willing and able to attend. In our experience, we have found that a Thursday evening from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. presents the fewest conflicts for most people.

The key to a successful house party is recruiting the right host and the right host committee.

An ideal host has the time and energy to spend in making the event a success. They are willing to let you use their home and provide refreshments as a donation to your campaign. They are also willing to make phone calls to help you recruit a host committee, and will give you lists of their friends and neighbors to add to your invitation list.

After you have recruited your host, start putting together a host committee. Members of the Host Committee agree to lend their names to your invitation, make a contribution at a set level, and will add names to your invitation mailing list. The good names of your host committee members add credibility to your campaign, and they guarantee a financial success.

 

In some cases a multi-tiered host committee can increase your revenue by allowing those who have the means to receive special recognition for giving a larger contribution, while still allowing you to have a large number of hosts at a lower level. We have found that a $250 sponsor level and a $100 host level is often appropriate.

Try to have your event hosts, other members of the host committee, your campaign staff, or even your spouse make as many of these calls as possible. Remember … you are in the final weeks of your campaign and you have no time to lose!

Print invitations as cheaply as possible, but make sure they look professional. If someone on your campaign has a high quality color printer and reasonably good design skills, you can make the invitations yourself. Put your host’s return address on the back flap of the outer envelope. You want this invitation to seem as if it is coming directly from them. Be sure to list the host committee on the invitation, and include a reply card and return envelope back to your host so that people can send a contribution regardless of whether or not they attend If someone on your campaign has a high quality color printer and reasonably good design skills, you can make the invitations yourself. Put your host’s return address on the back flap of the outer envelope. You want this invitation to seem as if it is coming directly from them. Be sure to list the host committee on the invitation, and include a reply card and return envelope back to your host so that people can send a contribution regardless of whether or not they attend

Hand address your invitations to ensure your potential supporters open your invitation. Remember … it doesn’t matter how nice your invitations look on the inside if they aren’t opened!

A few days before your house party, organize some volunteers to call each individual who received an invitation. Your volunteers may be discouraged when the only leave messages on answering machines, and talk to people who are not planning to attend. But a concerted phoning effort WILL increase your attendance and will increase your net revenue! Your volunteers may be discouraged when the only leave messages on answering machines, and talk to people who are not planning to attend. But a concerted phoning effort WILL increase your attendance and will increase your net revenue!

The day of your house party, decorate your hosts lawn with a few of your yard signs. That way, people who are unfamiliar with the area will know they have arrived in the right place. Have a volunteer posted at the door to give nametags to your guests, at least 20 minutes before the event is scheduled to begin. You should also stand by the door and greet people as they arrive.

 

After the guests have arrived and had a chance to eat and drink, have your host gather everyone in a common area so that you can give a few remarks. Do NOT overstay your welcome! Keep your remarks brief and allow time for some questions and answers.

 

Once your remarks are through, people will start to leave. Station yourself near the door so that you can thank them again on their way out.

The day after your event, send a thank you note to your host and host committee. Then, ask your hosts if they will send a letter to the people on the invitation list who did not attend to tell them what a great event they missed and to ask them once again for a contribution.

A House Party can raise anywhere from $500 to $10,000 for a candidate in need of cash in the final days of a campaign. With a little work … a house party can be just what your campaign needs.

 

Nicole Schlinger is the president of Capitol Resources, Iowa’s leading fundraising service provider for Republican candidates. With clients in four states, Capitol Resources is one of the premier fundraising firms in the Midwest.

Clients of Capitol Resources include Senator Chuck Grassley, Congressman Greg Ganske, Congressman Jim Nussle, and State Representative Chuck Larson. She has successfully planned and executed events for George W. Bush, President George Bush, and Lady Margaret Thatcher.   Prior to founding Capitol Resources, she was the Finance Director of the Republican Party of Iowa.

Nicole Schlinger can be reached at Capitol Resources, in Brooklyn, Iowa by calling toll free, 888-722-4704.

 

You can purchase 21 sample fundraising letters that have been proven successful in other campaigns. The cost is $9.95 and you have a money back guarantee.  You can pay with your credit card and download them immediately.   To purchase and download now, click here.

If you have questions, email Steve at steve@victoryenterprises.com