Tips for running a successful Paid-Per-View event

By Rachel Curit, 2014 Spring Intern

Have you ever heard of Paid-Per-View (PPV)? No? Let me explain. Essentially, you offer to pay people one dollar to watch a four-minute video on factory farming, such as Mercy For Animals’ Farm to Fridge or FARM’s 10 Billion Lives. These events are extremely successful on college campuses, but there are plenty of other places you can do them as well.

PPV is great for anyone looking to have meaningful conversations surrounding veganism and animal rights. If at the end of the day you want to feel like you’re making a real difference, try running a PPV event at your local college campus.

VegFund has a short informational video on how to host a successful PPV event, and after interning with Mercy For Animals and running a lot of PPV events myself, I’ve picked up some tips of my own along the way. Hopefully these help you have your own fun and successful PPV event.

Find out ahead of time where you need to go to check in.

A simple phone call will suffice. It’s easier than wandering around campus trying to figure out what to do. Be sure to ask the name of the building that you need to go to. It will save a lot of time and energy. While you’re at it, you might want to ask where you’re allowed to park and how much a parking pass is. Consider printing out a map beforehand.

Have multiple volunteers. Three to four is a great number.

It’s hard to do a PPV all by yourself. You’ll need at the very least two people, but three or four is better. Having a few volunteers to answer questions and get people set up with the video and at least one person to draw people in is ideal and will help your event run more smoothly.

Be honest about the video.

When people ask what the video is about, I like to say, “It’s about how animals are treated on factory farms.” Though this may sound like it will turn people away, in my experience, it doesn’t. For me, it feels more honest than saying “It’s about where our food comes from” or “It’s about farming.”

Ask viewers questions that keep the conversation going.

In my experience, asking “Do you have any questions?” is a conversation killer. After watching the video, we want people to open with their own thoughts and questions. Sometimes, though, people don’t even realize they have questions because they are still processing what they saw. This means you should be asking the questions.

Some of my favorite conversation starters are “How did that make you feel?” or “Did you know this is going on?” Something along those lines is perfect. Another great question you can ask once the conversation is going is “Do you think you could ever go vegan?” If they say no, gently ask what’s stopping them and then give suggestions on how to overcome that obstacle.  After you’ve already got them thinking, some questions might pop up. “Do you have any other questions?” is perfect for ending the conversation.

Share your story!

People respond to personal stories. If they say they could never give up cheese, tell them about your experiences ditching dairy. Knowing that we are not alone in our journeys and that others have been in our shoes is comforting. Do you remember when you went vegan? Learning from vegans who had been there and done that probably helped you avoid making the same mistakes they did. We all learn from each other, so share your knowledge and make someone else’s transition a little easier.

Have information available on the many impacts of eating meat.

You and I know the devastating environmental impact of animal agriculture, but many people do not. Most people don’t realize how eating meat can negatively impact their health. And many still don’t realize how many resources go into producing meat and that there would be more food to go around if we cut down on our consumption. Share this information with your viewers. Sometimes animal issues aren’t enough, but when people learn that we could feed the hungry with the grains that we feed farmed animals, that has an impact. Everyone is affected by different information, and having that information handy might just be what inspires someone to go vegan! You could even have pro-vegan literature on hand that touches on these other subjects, whether it’s on water usage (PDF), health and nutrition, or even religion! Check out VegFund’s list of recommended literature you can use!

Know when to let go.

Once in a while, someone won’t seem affected at all and you can’t stress over it. Instead, hand them the free information and let them go on their way. They may not go vegan today, but you planted a seed and that’s all you can do. Another thing to keep in mind is if they don’t show much of a reaction, they may not feel comfortable being vulnerable in front of a stranger and that’s okay. However, that doesn’t mean they weren’t affected.

Use VegFund’s resources.

You might be thinking, but I don’t have 100 dollars to give to people. That’s where VegFund steps in to help! You can apply for mini-grants and if you’re approved, VegFund will reimburse you for the money you hand out. Check out the Paid-Per-View grant program details for more information on how it works.

So what do you think? Would you ever run a PPV event? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this form of outreach!