“Raffle for Success” eBook 8 Takeaways

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September 8, 2022

As any nonprofit organizer knows, raffles deliver. Since 2019, fundraisers on Eventgroove alone have raised $1.4 billion dollars!

However, not all campaigns are hugely successful. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a data-backed, research-based manual to help you get the most out of your organization’s fundraiser?

There is one now!

Drawing on over 20 years in business, the Eventgroove team has spent the last several months mining our data and reaching out to our customers to create our new, first-of-its-kind eBook, “Raffle for Success: Insights and Strategies for Successful In-Person, Virtual, or Hybrid Fundraisers.”

Covering everything any nonprofit should know about running a successful fundraiser, it includes data, insights, and the experiences of nonprofits who are raffle-hosting superstars. Download it now for free.

8 Raffle Best Practice eBook Takeaways

In-person raffles are the undisputed champ of raffle earnings, but thanks to the pandemic and the speedy adoption of technology, hybrid raffles (merging virtual and physical raffles) are an up-and-coming contender.

The average raffle ticket price is about $14, and on average, fundraiser organizers ordered 1,500 printed raffle tickets. However, the secret to pricing tickets lies within your fundraiser’s cost and your audience.

Virtual raffles have a place at your fundraising strategy’s table. This is because you can run one longer than a single day and repeat it as many times as you want. Some of our customers have raised over $170,000 in a single online raffle!

The length of your online raffle campaign plays a role in its success—many organizers on Eventgroove opt to run their online raffles for an average of 56 days. However, depending on your fundraising goals, shorter and/or more frequent events may be more effective.

Combining your raffle with another fundraising campaign is the way to go. When Eventgroove users paired their raffle with another campaign type, the average revenue per campaign more than doubled. A raffle paired with an auction has proven to be particularly effective.

27% of US states don’t allow online raffles, and many states have regulations such as credit card use restrictions. Charity sweepstakes, however, are legal in just about every state. Since November 2019, $2,399,365 has been raised by sweepstakes organizers on Eventgroove. While raffle fundraisers have made more overall, the average sweepstakes revenue on Eventgroove is 59% higher than what we see with raffles.

No matter what kind of raffle or its prizes, length, or ticket price, behind every successful raffle, there is a thought-out marketing plan.

In the UK, lotteries (as raffles are known there) are just as effective, but while they’re legal, the rules are vastly different!

There’s more in-depth analysis, insights from nonprofit experts, data, advice, and other raffle intel from Eventgroove customers in our free eBook! Click the button below to download your free copy.

Download eBook

How Selling Prom Tickets Online Works

Creating a ticket sales page takes no time, and you can customize it so it matches your prom theme and school branding. Here’s the shape of it:

Create the event. Name (Enchanted Forest Prom, 2026), date, venue, capacity, dress code, anything else students should know.
Set ticket types and prices. Most committees do one student ticket plus one guest or date. Some add an early bird ticket tier at a $10 discount for the first two weeks.
Grab a shareable link. Drop it in the school newsletter, add it to a QR code on your prom posters, then drop it into the school’s socials and the committee group chat so everyone can share within their networks, and the principal’s morning announcements.
Collect the money. Card and digital wallet payments flow straight into your account, whether someone pays in person at school or at the door on prom night.
Scan tickets at the door. Each student arrives with their printed prom tickets or a digital version. A volunteer scams them using their phone.

6 Things to Look For in a Prom Ticketing Service

Not every ticketing platform is set up for school events. Three things that matter:

Real-Time Data: Student planners and faculty advisors need to monitor sales and revenue, and access updated attendee reports.
Clear Fees: Every platform makes its money through fees. These fees can be passed on to buyers or absorbed by the school. In addition, when credit cards are involved, processing fees always apply but may not be included in your free ticketing platform’s service. When these are not included in the platform price, you’ll need to organize online payments separately, which can result in a much higher per-ticket cost on your end.
Online and physical tickets: Printing prom tickets is something many schools do – they’re a great memento of the night, and make the experience more special. Make sure your platform’s capabilities include tracking and scanning both printed and digital tickets.
Easy attendee check-in: Look for a platform that lets you scan without an app or special equipment. When faculty can scan tickets using their mobile phone‘s browser, getting up to speed takes less time.
Attendee management: You’ll want to track students as they enter, leave, and return. Ensure your service can support this.
Ticketing adaptability: Creating ticket bundles, reserved seating, and comp codes for VIPS means your chosen platform needs to be flexible.

What to Charge For Tickets To Prom and When to Sell

On average, a prom ticket costs between $55–$125. The exact number depends on the venue, what the night includes (DJ, photos, dinner, flowers, and the like).

Pre-prom ticket sales strategies

Early Bird discount. Knock $10–$15 off the standard price for the first 2–3 weeks of sales. An early bird ticket strategy rewards students who buy first, builds momentum, and gives your committee how the night is tracking weeks before prom.
Group bundles. Offer a small discount for friend groups buying 4 or 6 tickets together. Ticket bundling speeds up sales and they nudge friend groups to commit early.
Reserved tables. If you want groups to sit together, set up your ticketing with reserved seating and sell whole tables as a single package.
Day-of door pricing. Charge $10–$15 more at the door than online to encourages families to pre-buy.

When to sell tickets

Open sales 6–8 weeks before prom, switch from early bird to standard pricing 2–3 weeks in, and close online sales 24–48 hours before the dance so you can finalize the catering count.

A note on the platform side: Eventgroove’s setup is free, and the service fee on paid tickets is small (2% + $0.75 per ticket). You can pass that fee on to ticket buyers, and for free events, there are no fees at all.

If you’re looking for an efficent and easy way to sell school dance tickets and manage your attendees, we’d love it if you gave Eventgroove a try. Our ticketing platform is free for organizers, with low ticket-buyer fees, no hidden charges, and no contracts. Plus, we’re also online printers, so you order custom prom tickets, VIP badges, and flyers all in one place.