Helpful Tips and Ideas
Suggestions for club operations
by Paul Hennessey, Cincinnati Bop Club
I will be attempting in this article to pass on some helpful suggestions on the operations of dance clubs. Always keep in mind that this is not the “only way” — but it sure can avoid a lot of problems down the road.
Soooooooo heeeeeeere gooooos!
FIRST ITEM — THINK AHEAD!
This sounds easy. Right? Not so fast – there is more to it than meets the eye. Plan your special dances (Valentine Dance, etc.) a year ahead. When you get to your first board meeting in January, you should know what dances you are going to have, their dates, and have the halls rented with at least a deposit on them. (Negotiate for multiple dates with the hall.) The other stuff such as DJs and decorations can be tended to as you get closer to the event. Speaking of decorations, always buy permanent decorations whenever possible. You can use them year after year and cut down on your cost.
Remember, I said “THINK AHEAD.”
Next, plan your major event not one year in advance but two or three. Most hotel contracts have a clause on a sliding scale that would let you back out if you needed to. The benefit of this is that you can negotiate from a position of strength with asking for multiple dates therefore locking in the room rate at a lower cost. If the hotel feels like you are going to be a repeat customer, they may be inclined to offer a better deal.
GEE, LETS RECAP – It’s only January and your club has deposits on all of the halls that you will need for the entire year and a contract with the hotel for your major event. NOT A BAD START. Now all that’s left to do for your regular dances is to:
 | line up the DJs you want |
| line up your volunteers to work the door, |
| buy decorations |
| decorate, and etc.. |
Oh wait, you already bought decorations for last year’s dances – See how easy that was?
NOW THAT’S THINKING AHEAD.
ITEM TWO — FINANCES!
Make each item stand on it’s own. This means that your Valentine Dance should produce enough revenue to cover the costs plus a little profit for the club. Each dance stands on it’s own. If you sell T-Shirts – the club should make a little on each one. No matter what you do each item stands on its own. This way you don’t have to rely on you major event to make or break your clubs finances for the year.
Hey this sounds like Item One — THINK AHEAD!