• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Frank J. Kenny's Chamber Pros Community

Chamber of Commerce Training and Resources.

  • Small Business Season™
  • About Us
  • Services
  • Free Resources
  • CPEd
    • Login
  • Contact

Managing the Cost of a Chamber Holiday Party

How do you pay for the chamber holiday party without a golden goose?If your chamber has been hosting a holiday party open (and free) to all members you may be questioning the cost of this each year. But if you’ve been doing it for a while, suddenly eliminating it can bring about disgruntled feelings akin to what went on in the movie Christmas Vacation with the Jelly of the Month Club.

A member of the Chamber of Commerce Professionals Group on Facebook asked:

My chamber has been hosting a holiday party (complete with appetizers and beverages) for several years. I’ve been Executive Director for 6 years and I know it was done for several years prior to me. The chamber covers all costs for this party, mostly a “we appreciate our members” kinda thing. Anyone else do something similar? Is it something we should continue?? Thoughts?

Cut the Costs without Cutting the Fun

 

As long as attendance is good, cutting your holiday celebration outright should be saved as a last resort. Here are a few suggestions from chambers around the country on how they manage costs.

The staff cooks

The chamber picks up the cost of the food but the preparation is done by the chamber staff. Some chamber’s board members supply food potluck style.

Secure sponsors

Approach members to foot the tab by donating food and beverages. If your office isn’t large enough for the gathering see if a member is willing to donate the use of his or her space for a few hours.

Change the offerings

Appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages are cheaper than a meal and an open bar. It’s a good way to cut costs and eliminate the people who only come for free booze.

Start charging for tickets

If the event has always been free, charging a few dollars may upset some party goers but it’s always an option to help subsidize the event.

Cover some, not all of the costs

Decide what parts can be sponsored and what you will pick up. Food can be sponsored but the chamber covers the drinks, or food is covered but door prizes are donated. Split the cost to keep the fun.

Party mid-day

If you want to ditch paying for alcohol but don’t think anyone would come to an event without it, change the time of the event. An event hosted in the middle of the day will not bring the booze-seekers the way an evening event might. You can eliminate the cost and liability of providing alcohol without a lot of people noticing if the event is during the work day.

How do you handle the cost of a holiday party? Join the conversation here.

 

Guest post by Christina Green

Image credit: Norma Davey

Related Chamber Articles

Grab a time on Frank's calendar.

Search (1,500+ Articles)

Receive the Chamber Pros Community Online Newsletter. 7,000+ subscribers. It’s FREE.

Let us make your life easier…

Explore these new posts

  • Finding the Ideal Chamber Hire
  • 11 Things Chamber Pros Can Learn from Jimmy Buffet
  • 13 Things You Don’t Want to Do as a New Chamber Board Member
  • Are You Considering a Chamber Rebrand? 15 Things to Think About First
  • Navigating Chamber Turf Wars with Emotional Intelligence
  • Finally a Networking Event All Your Members Will Love!
  • AI Webinar Ideas for Your Chamber of Commerce
  • How to Help Your Loneliest Chamber Members
  • The Ultimate Chamber Guide to Finding and Hiring Good Employees

Archives

Our Authors

Frank Kenny is a successful entrepreneur, chamber member, chamber board member, chamber board of directors chair, and chamber President/CEO. He now coaches chamber professionals, consults with chambers, trains staff and members, and speaks professionally. He helps Chambers and Chamber Professionals reach their goals. See full bio.

Christina R. Green teaches chambers, associations and small businesses how to connect through content. Her articles have appeared in the Midwest Society of Association Executives’ Magazine, NTEN.org, AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She is a regular guest blogger on this site and Event Managers Blog. Christina is just your average bookish writer on a quest to bring great storytelling to organizations everywhere.Visit her site or connect with her on Twitter @christinagsmith.
Faculty Member:

Institute for Organization Management

W.A.C.E. Academy

Chamber Pros Online Conference

WACE
ACCE

Testimonials

“This workshop was a major success and the attendees loved it.” -Mark Sturdevant, President/CEO La Habra Chamber Testimonials

Legal

Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2023 · WordPress · Log in