Putting on an event is a Herculean feat. Add selling tickets for an event into the mix and you’ve got a full plate. The best way to sell tickets is to plan ahead. Time is always of the essence when it comes to live events and performances. Saving a component as important as ticket selling until the last minute can cause unnecessary headaches and poor attendance. Preparation is key for a stress-free ticket-selling experience. Here are five steps to ensure success for all future events.
Step One: Start Selling Tickets As Early As Possible
Once you have an event idea and a date for the event set in your calendar, you must decide how much you plan to charge for the event and how soon tickets for the event can go on sale. Offering patrons as much time as possible to learn about your event, select a date they can attend, and purchase tickets are all important for growing your audience. If it’s a play or musical, put tickets on sale before rehearsals begin so you can focus on the process. If it’s a school dance, start selling at the beginning of the semester so students can block off the day. The earlier your tickets are available, the better.
Step Two: Teams Sell Tickets Faster
Depending on your organization structure, you may have box office staff or you may rely entirely on volunteers or student groups. No matter the case, it’s important to get your ticket-selling team excited about the upcoming event so they can spread that excitement to your patrons, subscribers, and fans. Since these people will be on the front line selling tickets, it’s important they are knowledgeable about all facets of the event including seating layout, pricing, and methods of purchasing. Ironing out these details early, as stated in step one, gives you ample time to train your ticket sellers for maximum success.
Step Three: Automate as Much of your Ticket Selling as Possible
Gone are the days of needing to camp out with a table and paper tickets to make advance sales for your event. Automation is the best way to sell tickets online allowing you to make sales at any time from anywhere. Many online ticketing solutions give you an online box office where patrons can input credit card information and have their tickets delivered via email or held at the box office.
Additionally, many social media platforms now allow you to schedule posts in advance. If you create marketing materials before you begin rehearsing or setting up the event, you can schedule the content to post automatically in the weeks leading up to the event to generate buzz. Be sure to link your online box office to all posts and watch the sales roll in!
Step Four: Set Up Promotions to Incentivize Ticket Sales
The best way to incentivize patrons to attend your event is to offer various promotions. Presale Access is a great way to make your patrons feel like VIPs. Allow them access to the sale before the general public, this way they get first dibs on all the best sets in the house. Promo codes are an excellent way to sell tickets by offering discounts to select groups for select nights or specific seats. Lastly, you could offer a cheaper price for those who buy online in advance versus those who choose to buy at the door to avoid long lines upon entry. This will drive people to your online box office to save some money and have an event to look forward to.
Step Five: Choose a Ticketing Solution that has Your Back
All four of the above steps are made easy when you select a ticket-selling platform with all the necessary tools.
That’s where BookTix comes in! BookTix is the leading solution to sell tickets online with almost no fees. Our customizable online box offices can be set up well before your event, allow you to add multiple administrators to make selling with your team a breeze, and give you the ability to set up promotions simply and quickly.
Want to learn more about the BookTix difference and why we believe our system is the best way to sell tickets online? Schedule a demo with us today!
