This is a shortened version of AlphaZealot's blog, containing the same messages without the long conversation.>>http://allisbrawl.com/blogpost.aspx?id=76063<<

Venue fees
There have been venue fees that have risen to $10. TEN. FREAKING. DOLLARS. Nobody wants needs to pay that much just to get in. $5 is plenty, unless the venue is stupidly expensive, in which case you shouldn't have used it.  $10 fees for being entered in the actual tournament(s) If you don't get enough people to pay off however much you needed, you know who's fault it is 95% of the time? The TO's.  Advertise your tournament as much as possible, plan it months in advance, make sure people know about it earlier than the day after when the few people that did go tell others how it was hardly even a smashfest.  Making the thread and just hoping people see it and show up will get you pretty much nowhere. Keep track of who will show up, let people know if big names are going to be there.  If people see a lot of others going, then hey, why shouldn't they go?

Also, hold small contests that help advertise the tourney and give out a prize or discount.  Signature contests work great for this, because every single time someone using that signature posts, you may have just gotten another entrant or two.  For giving a discount on that entry fee or giving that person a small prize you just got more entrants that will more than make up for that.  And how much work did you do for that little contest? Hopefully little to none, provided the contest isn't something really treacherous.


TL;DR this section: plan early + advertise + $5 venue fees + small contests = more people show up.

Setups
This may not seem like something that would be an issue, but this is actually extremely vital to each and every tournament.You arrive early tournament morning with 3-4 setups, expecting over 30 people to show up.  You sign everyone in and find out that only 2-3 other people brought setups out of the 32 that showed up. 7 setups and 32 people do not work.

So how do you boost the number of setups people bring? Offer discounts.  Not 100% necessary but it doesn't hurt. If you have hosted a few tourneys and you know people who regularly bring setups, you may not even have to offer the discounts.  By this time the people bringing setups have figured out that more setups = better tournament experience for everyone, so why be a jerk and not bring a setup like you normally would?  Another thing to do is have a list for setups so that if people see that not many setups are being brought, they might bring their own just to help out.
 
TL;DR this section: low number of setups really ruins the tournament, discounts and general integrity should get people to bring some setups, but you gotta do stuff to make them wanna bring the stuff.

Brawl + Melee
Should never be in the same tournament, and even if it is, never do them at the same time.  TO's need to be responsible for having enough setups available for each tourney and not letting friendlies on one game keep the other game's tournament held up at all.  If there are setups open after the tourney gets all it needs, then sure, friendlies are okay.  If there is a match waiting, and another tv may be needed, either don't allow friendlies on whatever tv's that are needed, or make sure they know they'll have to stop the moment both players get over there.  Imo, the same thing goes for doubles and singles in the same tournament as far as do them at different times and the aforementioned friendlies rules.

TL;DR this section: read it, it isn't very long >_>

Pools
ALWAYS HAVE POOLS.  Those casual/not too good players are not going to want to come back if they payed $5 venue and $10 tournament fees to play 1 or 2 matches and be done.  Pools allow for more matches, especially if the pools are 4+ people each. 32 people = 4 pools, 8 people/pool, top 4 advance to 16 man bracket. 8 people in a pool is as high as you need to go, any higher and it may take too long to just do pools.  

TL;DR: do pools, it brings those players thinking about getting into the competitive scene a little push forward.

Payouts
Another big thing.  Having 32 people show up and paying out to 3 of them when 4-5 people really had a chance of placing in the money is kinda dumb imo. payout to top 5 or even 7 really encourages those who would have originally placed outside of those to come back.  Placing in those last few spots usually is enough to get the fees of getting in back and possibly a tiny bit more.  Also, those 4-5 fighting for money before just grew to 10-15 with top 5 payouts, at least that much, more like 20-25 with top 7 payouts.