Sorority Spirit Contest!

[AGPhiBete]

Hey everyone!

As some of you may know, my chapter is hosting an Online Pageant to raise money for cancer research charities.

We have now added a Sorority Spirit contest!! We are seeking pics from all types of chapters of all sororities, showing Sisters wearing letters and promoting sorority spirit! These can be pictures from any event!!!

The picture showing the most sorority spirit will win a Trohpy and the title of Most Spirited Sorority!!

This is a fun way to help fight cancer!!!

Please visit our website for more info!!

http://missrosebud0.tripod.com

This is for a great cause and ANY support is greatly appreciated! So even if you aren't interested, please spread the word- someone else might be!!

We also expanded our age divisions so if anyone wants to enter the main pageant, PLEASE do so!! Remember ALL PROCEEDS GO DIRECTLY TO CHARITY! Thanks guys!

ETA: Okay, since no one seems to be into this- is there something we can change to make it more appealing and get some entries?

[kddani]

Honestly, I would start by not advertising your events in multiple forums.

[AGPhiBete]

I can appreciate that and i'm sorry- but that was a different post and it was over a month ago...It was only that last post about the initial contest and I did try to delete the other 2 once I realized they were ALL on the main page, but it wouldnt let me.

Also, I was asking about the contest itself- what can we do to make it more appealing for people to enter?

[kddani]

Originally posted by AGPhiBete

Also, I was asking about the contest itself- what can we do to make it more appealing for people to enter?

I would venture to say that most people wouldn't be comfortable with randomly giving people money on the web, particularly a site hosted by tripod- which any random person can set up.

I would also guess that a lot of people think online beauty contests are silly and lack validity. The website is pretty basic and doesn't seem very professional or legitimate.

As for the sorority part, that's also playing into sorority stereotypes.

Just my random thoughts on the subject.

[adpiucf]

There are a few things hindering your project.

1) The tripod supported site gives a lack of validity. Purchase a domain name if you want to have a site that seems legitimate.

2) The web site doesn't really explain what you are trying to do. This is a photo contest that you pay to enter? The contestant with the most votes wins? What do they win? Why should a contestant enter?

3) There are too many things going on-- pay to enter, too many categories, ambassador category for referrals, spirit contest for sorority women. You need to decide what this event is and keep it simple.

4) You don't explain anything about your organization or the charity. This gives the impression is isn't a legitimate fundraiser and looks suspicious.

To salvage this internet fundraiser, here are my suggestions. Purchase a URL. Have a home page welcoming visitors to the online photo contest and explaining your philanthropy project. Have a sub page to view contestants and submit a vote, a sub page explaining your philanthropy in more detail, a sub page about your sorority and links to helpful sites that educate others about cancer. The purpose of a fundraiser should be 2-fold: raise money for your charity and build awareness of what the charity does.

As a side note: If I were a parent, I might wonder what benefit there is to my paying to enter my child into an online photo contest when there are so many other free " Cutest Kid" contests out there.

If I were you, I'd turn this website into an awareness building tool about your charity. To make it a viral marketing tool, keep the "Little Miss" pageant element to spread the word about your project, but make it free to enter and leave a spot where folks can make donations to the charity. THEN, host a live pageant for the community or a pageant for the Greeks. You will make money here by charging a higher contestant fee and take donations at door, have an opportunity drawing for donated prizes, etc. By making it a pageant for Greeks, you'll be building Greek relations and getting your name out on campus and in the Greek community. You could make it a pageant open to fraternities and sororities and have a Miss and a Mr. Rose Title. This will get lots of people out there to see Steve from XYZ fraternity parading around in a swimsuit and singing "Ice Ice Baby" for his talent.

[Honeykiss1974]

Instead of having the $5 entry fee submitted to you (because people are leary about sending money over the 'net) why not have the $5 entry fee go directly to the cancer research organization itself? You could add a link to their website and that way people could just have their money go directly to them.

I think people are more apt to donate money through (I'm just using this as an example) Susan G Koman's website as opposed to an individual's account.

[adpiucf]

Or if you're a national, submit directly to your sorority's national foundation so you receive credit for it by the sorority.

[AGPhiBete]

Thank you ALL for your advice and ideas!!!!


See, we thought about linking the entry fee directly to our charities, however our National office disburses the money that each chapter raises annually....basically, Phi Beta Psi gives 6 grants each year to Doctors working in the field of cancer research. That's why its nearly impossible to have the $5 go directly to the charities.

The Sorority Spirit contest is a SEPARATE contest from the Miss Rosebud competition. Maybe we can create a separate website for it so it's less confusing...

It's also a little harder to do things such as live pageants or other greek events being that we are a non-collegiate sorority in a place with virtually no Greek life!

As for purchasing a URL....Phi Beta Psi is a completely Not-for-profit organization...even all of our dues go to our National Project fund...so chapters have little to no money to do things suhc as purchase websites...it's sad but true. We can barely afford our meeting space (i usually end up paying for it).

We are gonna have to re-think some things i guess...but thanks for the advice!

[adpiucf]

Sorry-- I didn't understand that you are not a collegiate Greek org.

As far as the web space, you can purchase a domain name and have it hosted for less than $20-- check out yahoo!, freewebs, etc. These sites will also give you the tools to develop a site without requiring extensive knowledge of web design or html. Surely, you have social events as a group, with a fee to attend if all other money goes to the national org. Have a potluck and ask for a $5 donation next time the ladies meet. The $5 goes to your charity and preparations toward your event, including web site.

Do link the payment to your foundation. So many groups lose out on awards, credit and helping their Foundation's ability to claim donations by donating directly to the charity. The money will still get there.

You can hold a community Miss Rosebud pageant in the area, with support from community business owners. If any of your members belong to a church or similiar place, you can probably use space at the local church hall who will not charge you or may charge a nominal donation fee-- try to hold it on a weeknight. The church will likely be able to let you utilize their A/V equipment, too.

Or, you could make it a"5K for a Cure"-- a 5K run with a nominal entry fee, get people and businesses to sponsor, and maybe some booths to educate others about cancer and how to detect it-- IE: have a dermatologist on hand to do screenings and distribute literature on skin care; a skin care pharm. rep can distribute skin care products and sunscreen; another rep from the Komen Foundation can distribute literature on breast cancer, etc. At this event, you can also highlight the winners of your online contest, tying it all together. This would be a great community event that would educate the public, raise money and also get your sorority's name out there!

With many fundraising events, there are expenses involved. You may make $500, but $250 goes toward the production and planning. At the end of the day, you still have a viable donation that the charity did not have before and you have also made more people aware of a social problem and how this charity is helping to overcome it.

Good luck! I really think that in order to raise money for your charity, a web contest or web site is a supplementary component--- it can't be "it." You're going to do a lot more good by involving your community.

[AGPhiBete]

ADPiucf, thank you for all the great ideas!! I will definitely be looking into all of them!! Thanks again!