How to Raise More Money with Your Event’s Seating Plan

When it comes to fundraising events, achieving a great ROI can be a challenge for even the most well-funded organizations. You’re working hard for every dollar that comes in. Thankfully, there are tips and tricks you can leverage to increase revenue and ticket sales without spending a single additional dollar. We analyzed the top-grossing fundraising events on the Eventbrite platform to understand how you can take your fundraising efforts farther.

Planning a seated event? Check out our Reserved Seating Tool to customize your seat map to reflect your unique event space.

Here are our top tips to maximize fundraising from your seating plan:

1.  Consider your focal point.  Is it a stage, dance floor, the bar, etc.?  Once you’ve determined the focal point, you can maximize revenue by tiering pricing based on proximity to this focal point. Seats nearest to the focal point can be priced higher or turned into VIP or sponsor seating.

2.  Experiment with table sizes.  Two tops and four tops might seem unusual for a gala format, but you may be able to sell smaller tables at a higher ticket value for patrons who want to have a more intimate conversation or who find the circular eight top intimidating.

3.  Show off your guest list!  If you have a great guest list, showcasing it on your seat map can help raise the ticket price. You can make table names visible as they are purchased, or name tables after the VIP guests who will be sitting there. The added social validation of all of the great guests already attending will make purchasing a seat at the table easier for future guests and sponsors visiting your event page.

4.  Think outside of the table.  If you have a small venue, your fundraising capacity doesn’t need to be limited to the number of circular tables it can fit. Consider adding standing space tickets with high top tables at a lower price to accommodate more guests.

5.  Mix it up!  Pre-assign ticket types to different tables:  for example, each table can have one sponsor seat, one VIP/special guest seat, award winner, and 6 regular guest seats. This immediately elevates the value of the sponsor ticket, as they are guaranteed to have the opportunity to sit with a diverse mix of people.