How To Make Money From Your Own Singles Club
The Singles Clubs that I am talking about are not your single bars downtown that are open 7 days a week. These are single clubs specifically for separated, divorced, widowed or just singles looking to meet someone new and perhaps start up a fresh romance. For this dance, you ladies will need some makeup, lipstick, perfume and eye liner. Men can get away with a good shave and cologne.
As a Disc Jockey back in the eighties, many of the clubs hired my DJ business for their entertainment and I learned a great deal from this time period, so pay attention. These kind of singles clubs are so popular that every week they would attract hundreds of people from the ages of 21 - 75 or older. You will average an age group mostly in the thirties to fifties, about the time separations and divorces seem to pop up unexpectantly.
Some of the names of these clubs were: The
Friendship Club, (ROTO - Reach Out To Others),
People Meeting People, Kanata Singles,
Ottawa Single Parents, etc.
I made a ton of money just from sending DJ's to work these clubs
every week or two.
I decided to open my own Singles Club for one night only to see what would happen being up against all these other clubs. Figuring I was only going to attract maybe 50 people or so, I sent one of my guys over to the "Oddfellows Hall" to see what was going on. The time was about 8:00pm and the dance was to start at 9:00pm. He called me back and told me that he needed more help. The parking lot was full shortly after 8:00 and there was a lineup down the road waiting to park. They had to eventually park at the elementary school lot across the street.
I made over $1200 that one night and not a cent came from the bar -- just the door proceeds. The bar money went to the Oddfellows hall who were totally surprised at the amount of people. So, it can be done with a little advertising in the right places. If your club is successful, which I have no doubt, it will just grow from then on. You will have to eventually nominate volunteers to help out with organizing this event as it grows in popularity. You'll need a bookkeeper, President, Vice President, and usually about five or six people for your planning committee. This can become big business for you. The problem you may have is working around the dates that the hall will be available, so that is priority to get the hall booked after a successful opening night. You might eventually have to register as Non-Profit or Profit making enterprise and pay taxes but that's a long way down the road. Just get the thing opened and take it from there.
The most important thing at your Singles Club will be your Disc Jockey. The music will have to mixed well with POP, COUNTRY, OLDIES and the odd Polka thrown in. This is not like a bar downtown. This will be more like a Mixed Stag party or wedding reception. The dress can be casual or jacket and tie to weed out the undesirables. Food must be served at about 11:00pm and be either Pizza from a local pizza deli or sandwiches. You do not charge for the food. This is included with admission as is the Dance. An old fogie of a disc jockey will lose your crowd. If you can find a DJ that is very popular with your crowds, keep him or her and don't let him get away. Someone that can intermingle with the crowd over the microphone ( less talk is better ) for special dances like elimination dances and "The Paul Jones" will have your people coming back week after week.
POINTS:
- Rent out a church hall or a hall run by the Kinsmen, Oddfellows group, Masons, Shriners or any charitable organization.
- Tell them you want to have a Singles dance once a week, once a month or whatever suits their schedule.
- Let them run the bar. This way, you do not
have to apply for a liquour license. Ask if you can have
the hall for free as they are making the bar profits.
You may have to still pay for the hall rental but no big deal because you'll make a lot more at the door. Don't pay more than $200 for Hall Rental and less if you can. - Today you can charge from $6.00 - $10.00 for entry (cash at the door). You should have at least 50 - 250 people on opening night. Single clubs are huge and attract many on the week-ends.
- Go around and flag all the cars at the different single clubs in town letting them know that a new Singles Club is opening on a particlar Friday or Saturday night. Word will spread quickly.
- One week prior to opening, place an ad in one of your free local papers that's distributed weekly across town. More word will spread. Singles are hungry for anything new and popular.
- Hire a great DJ. This fellow will make or break you. Sit down with him before hand and go over the list of songs. Your DJ should be able to handle all kinds of requests. If he doesn't have Elvis or any older stuff -- find someone that does. You'll always have the country music fans as well. Everyone should be happy at the end of the dance and that could be a chore without the right dance tunes.
- Never have more than two fast songs in a row. The idea here is to let people meet, touch each other and be able to communicate. Keep the music at a reasonable volume so the folks can chat at the tables.
Well --there you have it in a nutshell. It's not a hard thing to do. Just follow the above steps and I don't see a problem. If you have some questions -- Fire away!