Ideas for 2013
Saratoga’s Got Talent 2013 – LEARNINGS FOR NEXT yEAR
Here is a summary of what we discussed to tweak the model for next year, and others that I am proposing.
- Sponsors: Focus upon sponsors. The time spent walking in the village may not be that efficient. Focus a lot more on corporate sponsors. Increase our platinum $ level.
Can we start compiling a list of potential sponsors? Next year our target is $50K.
- Volunteers: Lot more folks reached out with “if only I knew about the volunteering opportunity”. We should have a larger team next year.
- Auditions: We will conduct auditions but via YouTube, ask contestants to send their videos and we filter them based on that– we can open up auditions *early*. Once we have finalized out list of contestants, we launch the sale of tickets 10 weeks prior to our event. Early bird special expires about 4 weeks prior. Early bird is a trigger to selling a lot of tickets and worked well for us.
- Tickets: Thanks to Ravi and Vendini, it worked out well for us. But perhaps we explore an alternate to Vendini. We need a better visibility into how the ticket sales are progressing. We have to request the spreadsheet from Vendini each time, which was cumbersome. Explore other alternates like brownbag etc. (and avoid the stiff kickback) that will automagically generate the spreadsheet and provide that data to us. Understanding the sales, based on our publicity campaign, is critical to fine tune our marketing; what is working, what is not working.. Also, it helps us identifying glitches (contestants only purchasing tickets and the parents not purchasing etc. Ideally, the marketing and publicity team needs to have ready access to this data too. ). A single screen to make all purchases on it – instead of multiple? Some of the feedback that we got was the purchasing interface of Vendini was not that straightforward, with multiple screens. Folks would purchase the contestant ticket and would forget to go back and purchase general spectator tickets, which caused some heart aches towards the end.
- We limit age group 5 to 12 to only 10 performers (2 minutes), 13+ to 20 (3 minutes). Contain contestants to 2 hours. The show itself would be a total of 3 hours max. Since we had only about 5 performers in the 19+ category, creating a separate category does not make sense. Have a bio break between the 2 age categories.
- Prizes: We should eliminate the BEST COSTUME or MOST APPLAUSE and replace with BEST SINGER award. That would assuage a lot of feelings. Just thought of it this morning , and I think it will help tremendously.
- We should move it to McAfee center. Currently shooting for a date in end of Jan / the weekend after school closes for the summer.
- Need better lighting ambiance. McAfee will provide that – if not McAfee we need to plan for stage lighting ambiance.
- Need filler music for dead time. Create a theme music for “Saratoga’s Got Talent” (Ravi’s suggestion)
- Discard Silent Auction and Raffles. Focus upon the contest.
- Have a social cause / agenda and create the directory listing around that. We potentially pick 2 or 3 organizations to support.
- Food trucks was a hit – but we will need to think about how we can invite food trucks in winter – if that is the date.
- We should also work to put Saratoga Cares on the corporate donors list (Sharmila Microsoft, Seema Cisco, Rishi IBM etc etc)
- “Saratoga’s Got Talent” will continue to exist – but we will start focusing and directing traffic to “Silicon Valley’s GOt Talent” to avoid any confusion. Our monthly event may become “Silicon Valley’s Got Talent” too. Our annual competition may still function as “Saratoga’s GOt Talent”
- Media partners are critical. We should continue to seek them out. PUblicizing in 150 countries helped.
Here is a summary of what we discussed to tweak the model for next year, and others that I am proposing.
- Sponsors: Focus upon sponsors. The time spent walking in the village may not be that efficient. Focus a lot more on corporate sponsors. Increase our platinum $ level.
Can we start compiling a list of potential sponsors? Next year our target is $50K.
- Volunteers: Lot more folks reached out with “if only I knew about the volunteering opportunity”. We should have a larger team next year.
- Auditions: We will conduct auditions but via YouTube, ask contestants to send their videos and we filter them based on that– we can open up auditions *early*. Once we have finalized out list of contestants, we launch the sale of tickets 10 weeks prior to our event. Early bird special expires about 4 weeks prior. Early bird is a trigger to selling a lot of tickets and worked well for us.
- Tickets: Thanks to Ravi and Vendini, it worked out well for us. But perhaps we explore an alternate to Vendini. We need a better visibility into how the ticket sales are progressing. We have to request the spreadsheet from Vendini each time, which was cumbersome. Explore other alternates like brownbag etc. (and avoid the stiff kickback) that will automagically generate the spreadsheet and provide that data to us. Understanding the sales, based on our publicity campaign, is critical to fine tune our marketing; what is working, what is not working.. Also, it helps us identifying glitches (contestants only purchasing tickets and the parents not purchasing etc. Ideally, the marketing and publicity team needs to have ready access to this data too. ). A single screen to make all purchases on it – instead of multiple? Some of the feedback that we got was the purchasing interface of Vendini was not that straightforward, with multiple screens. Folks would purchase the contestant ticket and would forget to go back and purchase general spectator tickets, which caused some heart aches towards the end.
- We limit age group 5 to 12 to only 10 performers (2 minutes), 13+ to 20 (3 minutes). Contain contestants to 2 hours. The show itself would be a total of 3 hours max. Since we had only about 5 performers in the 19+ category, creating a separate category does not make sense. Have a bio break between the 2 age categories.
- Prizes: We should eliminate the BEST COSTUME or MOST APPLAUSE and replace with BEST SINGER award. That would assuage a lot of feelings. Just thought of it this morning , and I think it will help tremendously.
- We should move it to McAfee center. Currently shooting for a date in end of Jan / the weekend after school closes for the summer.
- Need better lighting ambiance. McAfee will provide that – if not McAfee we need to plan for stage lighting ambiance.
- Need filler music for dead time. Create a theme music for “Saratoga’s Got Talent” (Ravi’s suggestion)
- Discard Silent Auction and Raffles. Focus upon the contest.
- Have a social cause / agenda and create the directory listing around that. We potentially pick 2 or 3 organizations to support.
- Food trucks was a hit – but we will need to think about how we can invite food trucks in winter – if that is the date.
- We should also work to put Saratoga Cares on the corporate donors list (Sharmila Microsoft, Seema Cisco, Rishi IBM etc etc)
- “Saratoga’s Got Talent” will continue to exist – but we will start focusing and directing traffic to “Silicon Valley’s GOt Talent” to avoid any confusion. Our monthly event may become “Silicon Valley’s Got Talent” too. Our annual competition may still function as “Saratoga’s GOt Talent”
- Media partners are critical. We should continue to seek them out. PUblicizing in 150 countries helped.
Basic Framework of our Annual Competition
What: Saratoga's Got Talent - Annual Competition- SASCC Fundraiser
When: Friday, June 22nd at 7:30pm to about 10pm
Where: Saratoga's Community Center - 19655 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga
Format: Three Age Groups: 5-12 yrs, 13-19 yrs, 20+ yrs.
Prizes: Each Age group will have 5 prizes - 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, Most Applause, Best Costume Performance: This is a kids/family friendly talent show. Participants are expected to sing, dance, perform stand-up comedy, etc. Each performance will be <2 minutes long.
Entry Fee: One entry fee per act (irrespective of number of people in the act). Participants need to submit waiver forms prior to event.
Criteria for Judging: There are 5 categories for judging, each with equal weightage (20%): Audience Applause; Performance Skill/Expertise; Stage Presence; Personality; Costume
Other Details: This is our first ever annual competition for Saratogans (5+ to 80+ age group). We call it a celebration of cultures; songs and music from any part of the world is welcome and encouraged. And it is for a good cause - fundraising for Saratoga's Senior Center (SASCC)
Organizing Steering Committee: City Council man Manny Cappello, City Council Woman Jill Hunter, and many zealous community volunteers
Judges: City Councilmen from Saratoga, Music teachers etc.
When: Friday, June 22nd at 7:30pm to about 10pm
Where: Saratoga's Community Center - 19655 Allendale Avenue, Saratoga
Format: Three Age Groups: 5-12 yrs, 13-19 yrs, 20+ yrs.
Prizes: Each Age group will have 5 prizes - 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, Most Applause, Best Costume Performance: This is a kids/family friendly talent show. Participants are expected to sing, dance, perform stand-up comedy, etc. Each performance will be <2 minutes long.
Entry Fee: One entry fee per act (irrespective of number of people in the act). Participants need to submit waiver forms prior to event.
Criteria for Judging: There are 5 categories for judging, each with equal weightage (20%): Audience Applause; Performance Skill/Expertise; Stage Presence; Personality; Costume
Other Details: This is our first ever annual competition for Saratogans (5+ to 80+ age group). We call it a celebration of cultures; songs and music from any part of the world is welcome and encouraged. And it is for a good cause - fundraising for Saratoga's Senior Center (SASCC)
Organizing Steering Committee: City Council man Manny Cappello, City Council Woman Jill Hunter, and many zealous community volunteers
Judges: City Councilmen from Saratoga, Music teachers etc.
Susan Huff to do
PUt tables outside and inside and chairs
Ticketing
Signs outside
Wine and Water
Ticketing
Signs outside
Wine and Water
As we walk around the village - what do we seek???
As we talk to our Village Businesses – please ask for 3 things -
Prizes: We are still seeking to fill 9 out of our 10 Prize slots with offering. So far we have $1000 towards the first prize in the 13+ category). -
Raffles. We will have a raffle drawing (we expect to charge $3/raffle ticket OR $10 for 4 tickets OR $20 for 10) and we need lucrative offerings so that folks participate in the raffle. We can have as many raffle drawings as we can get. The intention is to have people stay till the end for the drawing. -
Sponsorship: If you notice that the business is excited about our talent show – then broach sponsorship as well – which means putting up banner Details here http://saratogatalent.weebly.com/sponsorship-details.html
Prizes: We are still seeking to fill 9 out of our 10 Prize slots with offering. So far we have $1000 towards the first prize in the 13+ category). -
Raffles. We will have a raffle drawing (we expect to charge $3/raffle ticket OR $10 for 4 tickets OR $20 for 10) and we need lucrative offerings so that folks participate in the raffle. We can have as many raffle drawings as we can get. The intention is to have people stay till the end for the drawing. -
Sponsorship: If you notice that the business is excited about our talent show – then broach sponsorship as well – which means putting up banner Details here http://saratogatalent.weebly.com/sponsorship-details.html
To Dos
Check out stage
Check out how we will hang banners
Participants pipeline - who will set that up?
Who will
How will judges get the spreadsheet?
Make sure you setup a deadline for early bird, you will see a huge spike that day - as folks scamper to buy tickets. Our website had 90 hits .
Sub-Committees
Tickets – Ravi
- 4 VIP tickets to ANTHEM
- 2 Regular tickets to Jayshree
- 2 Regular tickets to Union Bank
Prizes & Award Plaques– Pragati/ Ranjana
Ages 5 to 12 – Saratoga Merchant Gift Certificates $100, $50, $25, $25, $25
Ages 13+ $1000, $500, $250, $100 Gift CERT from a Saratoga merchant, $100 GIFT CERT from Saratoga merchant
Would be nice to get wooden plaques made up – with a certificate inserted for the first prize winner in each category?
Can we order the wooden plaque? SASCC will reimburse us.
Also, would it be possible to design the award certificate?
We will present this on behalf of SASCC/ Saratoga’s Got Talent/ Saratoga Cares Foundation
In addition – would be nice to get at least 3 more cases of wine donation to SASCC
Sponsorship – Patti
- Ticket Sponsorship
- Banners
- Water
Flyer creation & Program Agenda – Grace Jens
- Program Agenda
- Ticket
- Order banners
- Logo for Saratoga Cares + Saratoga Talent
Judges point tabulation - ????
Setup/ Assembly Disassembly – Pragati / Sharmila Kumar
Publicity, event lineup, Judges etc – Rishi
Music, DJ, Sound System - Sound guy
_ Need a Participant INSPECTOR to make sure they are ready
Raffle - Marilyn White???
Auctions - ????
MISCELLANEOUS
Food Trucks - SASCC
Wine permit & Soft Drinks– SASCC
Sound permit – SASCC
Redwood Parking permission - SASCC
Reserve Patio Room - SASCC
Arrange Patio Seating for 100 - SASCC
- 4 VIP tickets to ANTHEM
- 2 Regular tickets to Jayshree
- 2 Regular tickets to Union Bank
Prizes & Award Plaques– Pragati/ Ranjana
Ages 5 to 12 – Saratoga Merchant Gift Certificates $100, $50, $25, $25, $25
Ages 13+ $1000, $500, $250, $100 Gift CERT from a Saratoga merchant, $100 GIFT CERT from Saratoga merchant
Would be nice to get wooden plaques made up – with a certificate inserted for the first prize winner in each category?
Can we order the wooden plaque? SASCC will reimburse us.
Also, would it be possible to design the award certificate?
We will present this on behalf of SASCC/ Saratoga’s Got Talent/ Saratoga Cares Foundation
In addition – would be nice to get at least 3 more cases of wine donation to SASCC
Sponsorship – Patti
- Ticket Sponsorship
- Banners
- Water
Flyer creation & Program Agenda – Grace Jens
- Program Agenda
- Ticket
- Order banners
- Logo for Saratoga Cares + Saratoga Talent
Judges point tabulation - ????
Setup/ Assembly Disassembly – Pragati / Sharmila Kumar
Publicity, event lineup, Judges etc – Rishi
Music, DJ, Sound System - Sound guy
_ Need a Participant INSPECTOR to make sure they are ready
Raffle - Marilyn White???
Auctions - ????
MISCELLANEOUS
Food Trucks - SASCC
Wine permit & Soft Drinks– SASCC
Sound permit – SASCC
Redwood Parking permission - SASCC
Reserve Patio Room - SASCC
Arrange Patio Seating for 100 - SASCC
Sponsors & Donations
Tech Museum $80*3 family passes + 10 guest vouchers @ $12 each
(We have 3 family passes + 8 guest passes to the 5 winners in age 5 to 12)
Roku Box - two XS media boxes
Guitar from Guitar Center
Gene’s Fine Food $50
Agnes Women's Botique $30
Safeway Gift Card $25??
Florentine Restaurant Gift Card $25
The Coffee Grounds $20
The Coffee Grounds $20
Big Basin Cafe Gift Card $20
Yolatea Gift Card $10
Bill Gorman
Kristen Mulvaney
Bill Gorman Group
(408) 872-3555
(408) 252-0922 fax
Coldwell Banker
12029 Saratoga Sunnyvale Rd
Saratoga, CA 95070
DRE: 01053691
Rich Giomi GENES FOOD 379 8300 x 101 (owner's son)
Guitar Showcase
Jack Van Breen Asst Manager 408 377 5864
(We have 3 family passes + 8 guest passes to the 5 winners in age 5 to 12)
Roku Box - two XS media boxes
Guitar from Guitar Center
Gene’s Fine Food $50
Agnes Women's Botique $30
Safeway Gift Card $25??
Florentine Restaurant Gift Card $25
The Coffee Grounds $20
The Coffee Grounds $20
Big Basin Cafe Gift Card $20
Yolatea Gift Card $10
Bill Gorman
Kristen Mulvaney
Bill Gorman Group
(408) 872-3555
(408) 252-0922 fax
Coldwell Banker
12029 Saratoga Sunnyvale Rd
Saratoga, CA 95070
DRE: 01053691
Rich Giomi GENES FOOD 379 8300 x 101 (owner's son)
Guitar Showcase
Jack Van Breen Asst Manager 408 377 5864
Chronology of Tasks & Owners - June 22nd
Discussion with beneficiary (SASCC) – March 9th (DONE)
•Discussion with Steering Committee – April 5th (DONE)
•Discussion with Committee Chairs – April 10th (DONE)
•Define framework of event (black box for internal use) - April 14th Pragati
•Define the competition framework – April 14th Rishi
•Design logo, flyer and website – April 20th Rishi / Grace
•Judges finalized by end of April - Rishi
Banners ordered - May 1st ?????
•Tickets for sale – May 1st - Ravi
•Sponsorships by late May - Patti
•Food trucks finalized by late May - SASCC
•Prizes by late May - Pragati
•Event lineup by June 7th – Rishi
•Program agenda brochure done by June 11th – Rishi / Grace
•Parking Logistics - June 8th – SASCC
•Discussion with Steering Committee – April 5th (DONE)
•Discussion with Committee Chairs – April 10th (DONE)
•Define framework of event (black box for internal use) - April 14th Pragati
•Define the competition framework – April 14th Rishi
•Design logo, flyer and website – April 20th Rishi / Grace
•Judges finalized by end of April - Rishi
Banners ordered - May 1st ?????
•Tickets for sale – May 1st - Ravi
•Sponsorships by late May - Patti
•Food trucks finalized by late May - SASCC
•Prizes by late May - Pragati
•Event lineup by June 7th – Rishi
•Program agenda brochure done by June 11th – Rishi / Grace
•Parking Logistics - June 8th – SASCC