Wrapping Up May Cancer Commitment

With May finally in the books, Ticketbud is wrapping up its May Cancer Commitment. We are proud to report that through our efforts and those of our generous supporters, Ticketbud has raised over $1,000 for the American Association for Cancer Research. We take great pride in knowing this donation is going to an organization built specifically and solely to finding a cure for this disease the affects so many.

The campaign has been an incredible experience for everyone here as we met and wrote about some amazing organizations hosting powerful events. We like to say a special thanks to Citizen Generation, Campus 2 Careers, Young Professions for the Cure Austin, Texas 4000, Smiling for Smiddy, Chuck Wicks, Tribeza, the Care Communities, Young Survival Coalition, L Style G Style and the Premier Cares Foundation for their kind help and promotion throughout the month. While our May Cancer Campaign has ended, our commitment and drive to find a cure for all kinds of cancer will not. We continue to waive the flat-fee price for any event using Ticketbud to fund cancer research or cancer relief.]]]]> ]]>

Ticketbud 3.0 Aligns New Web Design Practices with User Experience

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Website design plays an important role in a world where content is king. According to Smashing Magazine, when carefully considered and thoughtfully executed, design choices such as color, typeface, movement, and layout strengthen the user's personal engagement with the content on the page and can represent a company's personality. Web design does not merely serve as decoration to the words; it serves as support to the conversation or message and adds to the credibility of a website. Ticketbud kept user experience in mind as we were making design choices on the latest version of our website, Ticketbud 3.0, which will launch soon.

The new Ticketbud 3.0 design is simple and easy to use, which fits with Ticketbud's goal of providing consumers with an easy way to sell tickets online. A redesigned Ticketbud logo, featuring lighter blue and orange Ticketbud colors and a crisp typeface, serves as the website title and allows users to engage with Ticketbud's fun but professional personality. The homepage also highlights the important Ticketbud theme of a budding idea by including a graphic of a small light glowing amid a darkened forest of trees. By using images to tell certain stories, Tickebud's new website utilizes white space, appeals to the image-driven viewing nature of consumers, and eliminates the need for overwhelming, dense copy. Consumers know exactly where to look and are presented with clean images and short copy which enhance website navigation and Tickebud's professionalism.

Ticketbud 3.0 aligns the Ticketbud message with web design choices on every page of the new website. At Ticketbud, we value the overall experience of consumers and want the latest version our website to clearly represent our company personality and goals all while making the site easier to navigate and engage with for users.

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Catch a Wave at Surfrider's Kid's Surf Classic

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...Surfrider Foundation decides to host their first ever Kid's Surf Classic! The Emerald Coast Chapter of Surfrider Foundation, an organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of oceans, waves, and beaches through a powerful activist network, is challenging all kids ages 13 and under to a surfing contest. Among their other political and educational efforts to protect oceans and beaches, the Emerald Coast Chapter is running this contest to both spread the love for oceans and engage a younger demographic in their cause. All kids within the specified age limit are invited to participate in the Kid's Surf Classic. Because no previous experience is required, this is an excellent opportunity for your child to paddle through their first wave or show off their fine-tuned surfing skills. On June 23, bring your whole family to June White Decker Park in Destin, Florida to soak up the beautiful rays and watch your son or daughter discover their talent for conquering some gnarly waves. In order to catch the most waves and ensure an entire day of competition, the event will begin at 7 am and last until the final contestant has shredded. [caption id="attachment_9058" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="The Surfing Day T Shirt is included in the $25 early registration package."][/caption] The Emerald Coast Chapter of Surfrider Foundation is showing their dedication to the beaches by donating $20 of the minimum $25 it costs to register for this event directly to Surfrider National. If you register before June 15, you will receive entry into the contest, a Surfing Day shirt, an event shirt, and Surfrider membership all for $25. After June 15, all this with the exception of a Surfing Day shirt is available for $35. If you are interested in being a sponsor as well as registering for the event, check out the event page for prices and details! No age, whether small in number or great in experience, wants their time with natures' largest bodies of water cut short. Ticketbud believes this event is a great way to share the magnificence of the ocean with your children, a group which will soon hold the oceans' protection in their hands. Because Ticketbud's roots lie in the California beaches and we promote altruism on all accounts, we support Surfrider Foundation's dedication to the wide open sea. ]]]]> ]]>

SPOTLIGHT: Fourth Annual Congressional Women's Softball Game

[/caption] The Congressional Women's Softball Game began in 2009 with captains Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). The politicians brought together a team of women Members of Congress to play the female campaign staff from both parties. More than $50,000 was raised that year and the Congressional Women’s Softball Game has since become a staple of Capitol Hill summer activities. All of the donations raised from the softball game benefits the Young Survival Coalition (YSC). The YSC is a global organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. The coalition grew out of experiences of three young women who were all diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 35. They saw the need for better support, research, and information regarding this disease and decided to create YSC in 1998.

Headquartered in New York City, YSC now has almost 30 affiliates throughout the United States. The coalition works with its members in many different ways by offering them resources, connections and outreach in order to make women feel supported, empowered, and hopeful. Not only does YSC advocate for more studies about young women and breast cancer but they also educate young women on breast cancer awareness as well as serve as a community of support.

Ticketbud is very excited to provide event ticketing for the Fourth Annual Congressional Women's Softball Game! We think that this event is supporting a great organization in YSC and will be an entertaining game as the women Members of Congress slug it out against the women of the Capitol Hill Press Corps Team. The game will begin on Wednesday, June 20th at 7:00 p.m. The Watkins Recreation Center in Washington D.C. will be hosting the event with tickets being $10 each. There is also the option to donate to the YSC if you are unable to attend. View the video below for highlights of last year's game!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC5M8T_BaO8&feature=related The Ticketbud Cancer Funding Commitment will run through the month of May. As a part of the campaign, Ticketbud is donating 50 cents to the American Association for Cancer Research for every like on our Facebook page. To like and contribute, click here. ]]]]> ]]>

Sell More Tickets & Enhance Your Event's Success with Social Media

Ticketbud has a riddle for you: What's the difference between an empty house and a sold-out show? The answer? Social Media. It really is that simple.

Because social media provides the unique opportunity to both easily inform and directly interact with your audience, the icons below are the KEY to promoting your event. They allow your brand and event to hone its personality through a spectrum of unique platforms, and we have some great tips to show you how to use social media most effectively.

Capture your audience's interest. Utilize your event page to its fullest by syndicating it with all your social media websites. Attach your Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc. to the page in order to communicate more easily with your attendees. In addition to this, those who visit the event page may visit your other online resources, building your reach. This way, search engines notice your name spreading across your different pages and increase your rankings. Involve your attendees. Include those interested in your event in its initial planning stages. How you ask? A Facebook poll is a simple, easy, and interactive way to engage your audience. If the event's venue or drink specials are chosen based on their responses to the poll, attendees are more likely to enjoy themselves and feel assured that their satisfaction is garunteed. Monitor customer perspectives as the event is occurring. Creating a related twitter trend before your event allows attendees to follow updates and gives them an opportunity to share their live experience and promote your organization in the twitter sphere. After the event, tweet about how it went so that attendees can reply or re-tweet. Challenging the event-goers to an Instagram photo contest increases their enthusiasm and encourages participation in event activities. Awarding the winner with a small prize and posting their photo in a blog post persuades those who missed out to attend the next event. Rewarding participants of a contest like this assures satisfaction and gives merit to your organization. Make the connection. Syndicating your major social media platforms demonstrates unity within the event a nd your organization as a whole. Make sure the information you share on Facebook matches the content in your tweets. Because some social media users are partial to one website rather than the other, they will miss the news shared on only one platform otherwise. Tie it all together. Make full use of your selected social media platforms before, during, and after the event. Tying together your attention-grabbing Facebook post and attendee polls before the event, the ongoing twitter stream and photo contest during the festivities, and the post-event blog entry is important to create a sense of completeness. Creating this streaming timeline stirs anticipation before, promotes participation during, and solidifies reward afterward. Ticketbud is both an easy way to sell tickets with little cost and a great way to update social media content related to your event. After you enter the event information, Ticketbud provides easy access to all the social media possibilities described above on one single page! Customize the event's Facebook post to include a unique description and image of the event's features. Create a Facebook event and invite all who may be interested in attending. With this, it is possible to keep the event private if necessary(a feature also available for your event through our website). Personalize a tweet which includes the URL to your event page, an element that makes it easier for your followers to find and purchase tickets. In addition to these features, Ticketbud allows you to blog news and details about the event (before, during, or after) on your organization's WordPress. Because Ticketbud understands the hard work in planning, selling tickets and promoting an event, we resolved to provide these features in an effort to make your job easier and help you sell tickets online more effectively and cost efficiently.]]]]> ]]>

How to Collect RSVPs and Register Guests For Your Free Event

Create Event [/caption] Even if you are hosting a free event, you can still benefit from online event ticketing services such as Ticketbud. One advantage of registering guests online with Ticketbud is that the service provides you with a free, easy way to keep track of the data and information from your guests through an RSVP feature. By collecting RSVP's and registering guests online with Ticketbud, you can learn guest preferences, generate buzz around your event, and have guests check-in in real time. All at no cost to you and your organization! Learn Guest Preferences [caption id="attachment_8575" align="alignright" width="383" caption="Require additional registration information to become better acquainted with attendee preferences."][/caption] To create your free event RSVP list, first set your ticket price at $0 so that the service remains free. Once you've set your ticket price and created your event, you will will have the option to customize guest registration data which can help you understand guest expectations. With customized guest registration data, you can require guests to answer questions about their preferences such as why they are attending the event and what they hope to get out of it. By asking guests questions during online event registration, you can learn how to best tailor your event to fit attendee expectations. Generate Buzz Around Your Event When creating your event and setting ticket preferences, you can import your own guest list and print out lists of those who register to attend. In the event registration section, you can also choose to show guests how many tickets are available at the start of the event and how many tickets are available at any given point. Importing guest lists and displaying the number of tickets available gives potential attendees an idea of how many people are interested in the event and how fast tickets are selling. The RSVP list gives events a more official image and can create more demand for and buzz around your event by enticing potential attendees to register before the event tickets expire. Have Guest Check-In in Real Time After you've entered all of your event information, you can access an overview of your event, including a ticket sale summary and options such as "View Ticket Sales" and "Check Guests In." The "Check Guests In" feature allows any guest with a ticket to your event to check in upon their arrival, providing you and other attendees with real-time data. You and your guests will be able to quickly see how fast guests are checking in, who is actually showing up, and what times attendees are arriving. [caption id="attachment_8576" align="aligncenter" width="508" caption="Allow guests to check-in in real time by clicking the "Check In Guests" option."][/caption] The next time you are hosting a free event, and need to collect RSVP's and register guests online, look no further than Ticketbud! ]]]]> ]]>

Smiling for Smiddy Cocktail Party

[caption id="attachment_8512" align="alignleft" width="174" caption="The group rides in honor of Adam Smiddy (pictured here)"][/caption]

Ticketbud is excited to present Smiling for Smiddy as one of our Spotlight organizations for our May Cancer Funding Commitment.

Smiling for Smiddy began in 2006, when Mark "Sharky" Smoothy's dear mate and cycling partner, Adam Smiddy, passed away from an aggressive melanoma. Soon after, Smoothy initiated the first Smiddy Challenge- a 1600 kilometre, eight day cycle from Brisbane to Townsville to raise funds for cancer research with two others in honor of their beloved friend. They raised a surprising $24,000 between only three riders from this initial ride. In 2007, the ride grew by 14 people to include a total of 21 cyclists and managed to raise nearly $200,000. Five years after the first ride, Smiling for Smiddy has raised over $2 million. Their story of triumph and the memory of Adam Smiddy continues as Smoothy seeks to fund even more cancer research. Anyone can sign up for one of their various riding challenges on the Smiling for Smiddy web page in order to participate in the fight against cancer.

The founder of Smiling for Smiddy, Mark Smoothy, encourages you to "Be inspired and feel the Smiddy spirit, find yourself and fund a cure." To find out more about the Smiling for Smiddy impact and its history, watch the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mczl0OtJXkM&feature=player_embedded

For those interested in contributing to the cause but not participating in a riding challenge, Smiling for Smiddy is throwing a fun-filled evening of cocktails, canapes, raffles, and general frivolity in Ashgrove, Queensland called The Smiling for Smiddy Cocktail Party in order to fund their ride. Dust off your fanciest clothes, bring some cash to enter in the raffles, and come along to Dustin's and Ben's fundraising night. For only $60/person you will enjoy a fabulous array of canapes cooked by a talented chef, cocktails prepared by a world-traveled barman, punch, and a limited array of beer and wine.

The party will be held on June 2, 2012, and will ensure a fun-filled start to your summer. Beginning at 6pm, head down to Ashgrove to enjoy your first round of cocktails. This event is limited to only fifty guests, so make sure to purchase your tickets online as soon as possible.

[caption id="attachment_8505" align="alignleft" width="252" caption="The Smiddy team rides for cancer awareness!"]

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This organization benefits both cancer research and the root of Ticketbud's ambitions: to help people. Ticketbud is delighted that Smiling for Smiddy has made themselves a reoccurring customer, and hope that we can continue to help them to sell tickets online.

We are excited to include this event in Ticketbud's May Cancer Research Funding Campaign, in which we are highlighting honorable organizations and events that work towards ending cancer's destructive effects. In addition, Ticketbud is donating $0.50 to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) for every person that "likes" our Facebook page in May. If you have searched for a way to help, we encourage you to participate in our campaign and join the cause today.

Ticketbud is your event online ticketing service where you keep all of the proceeds and none of the fees!

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SPOTLIGHT: Hope Day

TEXAS 4000 for Cancer

The Ticketbud team is excited to be partnering with Texas 4000 for Cancer this May for our Cancer Research Funding Commitment. Texas 4000 is a non-profit organization that embarks on the longest annual charity ride in the world - over 4,500 mile bike ride in 70 days, a metaphor for the extensive battle against cancer. The Texas 4000 riders are UT Austin students who, beginning in the fall, train, organize the trip, fundraise, and reach out to the community all in support of cancer awareness. They are then divided into two teams with slightly different routes (Rockies and Coastal) to the same finish line - Anchorage, Alaska. Their mission is to share hope to those touched indirectly or directly by cancer, knowledge about cancer prevention to communities, as well as charity in support of cancer research. Ticketbud is proud to provide online event ticketing for past Texas 4000 events such as their Homecoming Bash for team returning to Austin as well as their Tribute Gala and Come Cure Cancer Concert.

One of the upcoming events for Texas 4000, is a first year event on May 26th, called Hope Day. Since the purpose of Texas 4000 is to spread hope, knowledge, and charity by riding from Texas to Alaska, they would like to share with you who inspires them to ride and why they ride. This celebration is on May 26th from 11:00am to 2:00pm on the rooftop plaza of Whole Foods Market on South Lamar. There will be festivities such as games, face painting, live music, and children with his or her own bicycle and helmet can participate in the kiddie bike rodeo. More importantly, there will be activities involving writing letters of encouragement to children fighting cancer, as well as writing messages on the Texas 4000 banner and dedication circle. Come out for some fun, meet the 2012 Texas 4000 team, and support the great fight against cancer! The Ticketbud Cancer Funding Commitment will run through the month of May. As a part of the campaign, Ticketbud is donating 50 cents to the American Association for Cancer Research for every like on our Facebook page. To like and contribute, click here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4Invy6j9vw&feature=plcp]]]]> ]]>

SPOTLIGHT: 3rd Annual Prostate Cancer Walk

Premier Cares Foundation As we continue our May Cancer Funding Commitment, Ticketbud is excited to shine the spotlight on the Premier Cares Foundation, a non-profit organization of Premier Medical Group that provides support and education to individuals in their community lacking sufficient funds to address significant health issues including prostate and colon cancer, and other diseases and conditions. PCF's main focus targets urologic and digestive diseases and brings awareness to these conditions and diseases through community events and fundraisers. Designed to educate and inform, these event and fundraisers also serve as a fun and healthy way to increase community involvement and engagement towards diseases that often forgotten or simply misunderstood. At their core, the Premier Cares Foundation believes everyone should help the less fortunate people in the community in which they live and practice, even more so in today's current economy where more people than ever need help to get the medical help that they need and deserve. [caption id="attachment_8114" align="aligncenter" width="575" caption="3rd Annual Prostate Cancer Walk over the beautiful Walkway Over the Hudson"][/caption] Ticketbud is proud to be providing online event ticketing to one of Premier Care Foundation's biggest annual events, the 2012 Prostate Cancer Walk! In it's third year, the Prostate Cancer Walk features magnificent views of the Hudson Valley as you walk 1.2 miles each way, 212 feet over the Hudson River! Enjoy an exhilarating morning with the entire family with refreshments, entertainment, and great prizes as PCF raises awareness for prostate cancer, one of the most curable types of cancer, if diagnosed in the early stages. One in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime and over 200,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year alone. Money raised by the Walk supports local charities and prostate programs to offer free screenings and treatment. Tickets for this amazing Walk are only $20 and include a complimentary t-shirt and goody bag so if your in the Hudson Valley area be sure to come out and walk for this amazing cause! The Ticketbud Cancer Funding Commitment will run through the month of May. As a part of the campaign, Ticketbud is donating 50 cents to the American Association for Cancer Research for every like on our Facebook page. To like and contribute, click here.]]]]> ]]>

Spotlight: iCARE Hope & Help Presents Bobby Bookout

care communities logo [/caption]

The Care Communities Organization

As a part of our May Cancer Funding Commitment, Ticketbud is excited to shine the spotlight on the Care Communities, an Austin area non-profit organization that provides practical, compassionate, non-medical support for people facing serious illnesses such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. The Care Communities' mission is to create a community where nobody has to go through a life-threatening illness alone. This charitable organization works by dividing into what it calls Care Teams, which are made up of volunteers from the community. Each Care Team consists of 3-6 volunteers and is matched with an individual Care Partner who is facing an illness and needs care and support. A Care Team focuses on its Care Partner throughout the Care Partner’s entire illness, making the process easier and providing support by completing helpful tasks such as cooking meals for the Care Partner, helping he or she pick up prescriptions, or taking care of pets while the Care Partner is away. Sometimes, a Care Team is just there to listen. With an entire teams of people by their sides through illness, Care Partners feel comforted and hopeful. The Care Communities whole-heartedly believe in strength in numbers—a team of people is much more helpful than a single individual. The smallest act can make the biggest difference, and simply caring for someone can change that person’s entire outlook on life and illness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1MqLy7MWhBA Ticketbud is happy to be providing the Care Communities with online ticketing for their upcoming event, called iCARE Hope & Help Presents Bobby Bookout. At the iCARE Hope & Help event, Care Communities supporter, Bobby Bookout, will perform live from 7 -9 PM in the courtyard of Threadgills restaurant located on West Riverside Drive in Austin, TX. Doors will open at 6 PM, and tickets will be $15 per person. Tickets are available online and will also be available for a limited time at the door [caption id="attachment_8054" align="alignright" width="353" caption="iCARE Hope & Help Presents Bobby Bookout"]

[/caption] Not only will this event provide attendees with local, quality music, but all proceeds will go to The Care Communities in their mission to provide compassion and care to individuals facing serious illness. Last year, The Care Communities served 325 individuals: 126 direct care partners battling life threatening illness; 53 children under the age of 18 as well as 151 primary care givers throughout the Central Texas Area. Show your support for the Care Communities by checking out this event, and don’t forget to spread the word about the organization and the wonderful things they are doing for the Austin area. You could even volunteer to join a Care Team if you're so inclined! The Ticketbud Cancer Funding Commitment will run through the month of May. As a part of the campaign, Ticketbud is donating 50 cents to the American Association for Cancer Research for every like on our Facebook page. To like and contribute, click here.]]]]> ]]>

SPOTLIGHT: iROCK PINK's Lunch & Music Party

I Rock Pink Cancer Relief Inc. Our first event "Spotlight" as part of our May Cancer Research Funding Commitment is iROCK PINK's Lunch & Music Party. Read our blog post below for more information about this event to help end global poverty. Poverty is an ongoing issue in our world today. Whether its because of unsafe living conditions or the lack of a clean water source, over a billion people have little to no means of survival. Poverty reduction is a major goal for international organizations as many different measures have been taken to combat this reoccurring problem. iROCK PINK is one of the organizations looking to end global poverty through their Lunch & Music Party that takes place on Sunday, May 6th. iROCK PINK is a cancer relief organization whose main purpose is to raise awareness about different illnesses including many types of cancer. They are based out of Brampton, Ontario where they discovered that cancer awareness was very low in the local communities. To change this, iROCK PINK developed a number of different ways to push cancer awareness into the limelight. Through their efforts involving social support programs and connections through the media, iROCK PINK has educated the public in the fight against cancer and has brought the topic of cancer into the forefront of communities around the area.

iROCK PINK's Lunch & Music Party will go from 12 to 4pm on Sunday, May 6th at the Shingaar Banquet Hall. There will be live music performances by Sajid Ali Khan along with great food and entertainment provided. General Admission tickets are $30.00 for adults and $15.00 for children 5-12. Attendees also have the option of reserving a table for 8 for $240.00 (primary purchaser will receive a $100 tax receipt). All proceeds from this event will be donated to the World Partnership Walk 2012. Ticketbud is excited to provide event ticketing for iROCK PINK's Lunch & Music Party! This event is supporting a great cause and will make for an entertaining afternoon just in time for Mother's Day. Order your tickets now before it is too late!

The month of May is National Cancer Research Month. In honor of those we have lost and those struggling with the fight against cancer , Ticketbud will donate .50 cents for every “Like” we receive (up to 10,000) on our Facebook page directly to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Cancer research is of great importance to the Ticketbud team as we strive to increase cancer awareness and activism by making a donation effort as simple as clicking a “Like” button. Ticketbud also continues to honor it’s creed of waiving all fees for cancer related events that use us. ]]]]> ]]>

Ticketbud May Cancer Research Funding Campaign

Donate to Cancer Research with the Click of A Button During Ticketbud's May Cancer Campaign

Selling tickets online is easy. Now help us raise cancer awareness!

In honor of those we have lost and those struggling with the fight against cancer , Ticketbud is proud to announce that through the month of May, we will donate .50 cents for every "Like" we receive (up to 10,000) on our Facebook page directly to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The AACR is one of the world's foremost cancer research organizations, actively seeking to prevent and cure cancer through research, education, communication, and collaboration. Ticketbud will be promoting this campaign throughout the month in the hopes of raising as much money for cancer research as possible. We will also be highlighting courageous individuals, organizations and events striving to rid the world of this deadly disease.

Cancer research is a subject very near and dear to the Ticketbud heart and through this campaign we strive to increase cancer awareness and activism by making a donation effort as simple as clicking a "Like" button. Ticketbud also continues to honor it's creed of waiving all fees for cancer related events that use us. We hope you will join us in our effort to raise funds for the AACR by "liking" Ticketbud and sharing this campaign with your friends and family. You can "Like" to donate by going to the Ticketbud Facebook page. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXcvytmU7so&feature=player_embedded ]]]]> ]]>