As discussed on the FAQ page the promoters main purpose is to raise money for their cause. However, it takes money to make money. So here's what you need to know up front before you consider promoting your own event. While the PROMOTER may be volunteering their time and labor to advertise the event and take the profit to the specific charity it's the HOST facility's job to supply the traps, clay targets, score keepers, trap pullers, and to give you a safe enjoyable event at a venue with liability insurance. Now the HOST isn't going to make any profit off the event but it still takes money to pay for the clay targets, labor and liability insurance. For this example and for the Spring 2005 the HOST site will be Kyle Kacal's Tonkaway Ranch, in C.S. In the future I hope to have Possum Walk in Hunstville ready for some smaller events, and as I expand my coverage I hope to include any other places suitable for events in the surrounding Brazos Valley counties.
Other things to consider.
While listing your event on this website will be free, this site won't help recruit non-shooters. It will only help you get shooters who have either been to events since the site's creation in Feb 2005 or heard of it from others. So consider how much you want to pay for radio or newspaper ads. I feel confident that once local area shooters spread the word about this resource, advertising will be less of an issue and you can focus the money toward the charity.
Events that have been held on an annual basis may consistently draw a larger number of shooters. These same shooters may be less likely to spend another $50-$75 the next weekend. Try to avoid picking the weekend after them. Plan around the weather. Remember it's Texas. We have Summer, a little Winter and then Summer again. Not much Spring to go around and in the Fall the shooters all want to go hunting. Rain delays in 2004 were a killer. Be prepared and have a back up plan, let your helpers know that they could be needed again. So it's tough but not impossible. First time PROMOTERS should go to a shoot this Spring 2005 and ask lots of questions. Discuss the logistic costs with Kyle and lock in an early weekend for 2006. I remember the Crimestoppers Shoot in 2004. It was their first event. They had radio ads and about 100 participants. They were a bit overwhelmed but they pulled it off and are back again in 2005.
Sponsors
How much help are you capable of getting from local merchants ? How well do you know the community ? Sponsors
can add revenue to your event in return for their logo placement. Prizes like shotguns, game bags, vests and other shooting or hunting supplies make great 1st & 2nd place prizes. How much help they provide is up to your skills as the PROMOTER. Remember it's NOT the HOST's job.
Costs
I will be working with Kyle Kacal at Tonkaway to put together an estimate of what it will cost you to Promote your event.
The last thing anyone wants is for 20 shooters show up and the event lose money.
Try to get Aggie students for score keepers. If you time it right you can get them to volunteer their time as part of A&M's Big Event Program. This helps them fulfill their community service requirement and saves you money for your charity. Contact Big Event at www.bigevent.com  Remember, the Corps of Cadets. These young fellows are always looking at ways to raise money for their outfits. They are cheap, dependable and honest labor. Contact Corps of Cadets event coordinator at 845-6789. Trappers need to be supplied by HOST for safety reasons.
So the first thing the HOST will want to know is how many shooters can you get to come. (Remember that's your job)
This is rough and inaccurate guess but it works for now. Lets say you want 100 shooters, if we use easy numbers
100 shooters need 50 clays ea. = 5000 clays + 500 misc. = 40 boxes @ $7.00 => $ 300
10 stations need 1 trapper ea. = 10 trappers @ $10 /hr X 10 hr day = $ 1,000
10 stations need 1 score person = 10 score persons @ $8/hr X 10 hr day = $ 800
accurate numbers coming soon !
Food and Shelter
Don't forget to provide food and beverages for all your shooters. Either include it in the entry donation price or make it a pay for your own deal. A local merchant can cater the event or you can get one of those BBB wagon deals.
You'll need a registration tent/covering, bulletin board, other sign materials and a table to set up all your paperwork, raffle ticket rolls, money boxes, donated prizes and most importantly the solid 24ct gold trophies (just kidding). Water should be available at each shooting station. Consider some plastic chairs strategically placed for those susceptible to heat and fatigue.
Safety
It would be a great idea to alert local EMS services of the event and what should be done in the unlikely occurrence of and injury or heat related illness. Have them at the event if possible. The HOST will be ultimately responsible for how safety is handled once the event begins. It's their range let them do what they do best and don't try to force them to do anything they feel is unsafe. Safety briefings should be held with the group usually before shooting begins. Novice shooters should be encouraged in a friendly way to ask questions. You'll want them to have a safe & enjoyable time so they come back next year.
Side Games
Consider allowing shooters the opportunity to take "Mulligans" a concept borrowed from golf whereby the shooter can improve his/her score by purchasing an extra point "Mulligan" for a hefty donation, of course. It's great for those seriously competitive shooters who just can't stand to loose to their friends. The "Duck Flush" game and "Make-A-Break" are other money making side games that go on all day can be shot more than once by a team or individual. Usually operated by secondary HOST like Allcorn Creek.
Paperwork & Rules
Follow, in a general way ( it's not Nationals), the established guidelines of the NSCA and you'll be fine. The HOST will know the rules of the game as will most of the shooters. You'll need score sheets that have spaces for the shooters names and how many targets they hit & missed per station. HOST can provide info on this. The score keepers will need to be trained the day before or very early event morning on how the process works. Try to organize shooters in groups of 4-6 per station, that's 40-60 shooters on the course at one time. That's a hand full. If you expect 100 shooters shoot half in the morning and the rest in the afternoon. A pre-registration will allow the shooter to sign up for the time that works best for them and it allows you to know how many people will show, especially if they pay first they might be more likely to show. Offer a $5 discount on donation fee for early registration. Do you except check and credit cards ? Will you be able to run them at the site ? Make flyers to place at sponsors and local area merchants that explain what forms of payment you except, shoot times, donation etc.
At The End
When your all done send the score sheets to me and I'll post them on the results page so shooters will know how they did if they left early. Is your raffle prize "must be present to win" if not don't forget to contact the winners.