Let me tell you about two Lincoln Day Dinners I attended last month. The first was beautifully organized, had great food, and was attended by exactly the same 75 people who show up to every party event. The second was in a simpler venue with basic catering, but had 200 attendees – and the energy in the room was electric because of all the new faces.
Want to guess which county party raised more money and gained more new volunteers?
I recently sat down with a County Chair who was proud of selling out their Lincoln Day Dinner. “We filled every seat!” she told me excitedly. Then I asked her how many new faces were in the room.
Her smile faded. “Well… it was mostly our regular crowd.”
Here’s the thing about Lincoln Day Dinners – they’re not just about filling seats. They’re about growing your party. But too many chairs fall into the comfort trap of selling tickets to the same loyal supporters year after year.
Here’s something fascinating I’ve learned after years of working with campaigns: people desperately want to be part of something meaningful. They want to contribute, to belong, to make a difference.
I remember talking to a successful business owner who’d voted Republican for twenty years but never got involved with the party. “I always assumed these events were just for party insiders,” she told me. “Nobody ever invited me.”
Think about that for a minute. How many potential supporters are out there right now, just waiting for an invitation to get involved?
Let me share a success story that changed how I think about these events. A small county party decided to try something different with their Lincoln Day Dinner. Instead of just reaching out to their usual list, they:
The result? They doubled their attendance, tripled their donations, and added 50 new people to their volunteer list.
Here’s something most people don’t talk about: humans have a fundamental need to belong. We want to be part of movements larger than ourselves. We want to contribute to causes we believe in.
I watched this play out beautifully at a recent Lincoln Day Dinner. The chair didn’t just sell tickets – she gave every attendee a way to get involved. New faces were welcomed warmly and immediately connected with opportunities to contribute, whether through:
The response was overwhelming. People weren’t just buying dinner tickets – they were buying into a mission.
Here’s what I’ve seen work time and again:
One chair I worked with even created “ambassador” roles for their regular attendees, making them responsible for welcoming and connecting with new faces.
A County Chair I worked with had a brilliant approach. She:
Her Lincoln Day Dinner became the must-attend event of the season.
Here’s where most chairs miss another opportunity. A successful county party I worked with had a simple but effective follow-up system:
They turned 70% of their first-time attendees into active party supporters.
Remember that business owner I mentioned earlier? Within six months of her first Lincoln Day Dinner, she had:
All because someone thought to invite her to the dinner and gave her meaningful ways to contribute.
Let’s Talk About Your Lincoln Day Dinner
Every district is different, and I’d love to hear about your plans. Are you reaching beyond your usual circle? Looking for ways to bring new faces to your event?
Want to discuss your Lincoln Day Dinner strategy over coffee (virtual works too!)? Choose a time or reach out at Sean@VOTEGTR.com. I’m always happy to share ideas and help good Republican leaders build events that grow their party.
