10 Strategies To Sell More Event Tickets
Selling tickets to an event you are hosting requires more than simply letting a few people know about the event's date and location. In order to ensure your hosted event attracts as many guests and attendees as possible, you will need to maximize your event's visibility, both online and off.
Incorporating a few sales strategies can help you sell more event tickets whether you are hosting an event for a charity, your company, or even for a local school in your own town.
1. Build an Accessible/Mobile-Friendly Website
One of the best tips for selling more event tickets for any type of event you are hosting today is to ensure you have an accessible, fast-loading, mobile-friendly website where tickets can be viewed and purchased.
A website that is not designed properly or that is not mobile-friendly can result in the loss of sales or potential attendees. Even the simplest of website issues, such as slow loading times, can affect ticket sales if you are selling tickets to your event online or via mobile. Some things to consider when building your website:
- Loading speeds
- Optimized images/videos
- Easy navigation process
- Your branding/logos/color scheme to go with the branding
- CTA button placements
- Event information
- Extra resources; blog, press releases, links, etc.
2. Focus on Your Website's SEO
Once you have built the official website or platform you are using to sell your event tickets, hone in on your website's SEO, or search engine optimization.
Optimizing your website for search engines can help to appeal to locals who are searching for relevant information regarding the event you are hosting using engines such as Google, Yahoo!, or Bing. Boost your website's SEO with unique, informative, relevant content and by connecting with other guest bloggers and relevant content creators in your industry.
3. Offer Early Bird Discounts and Promotions
Boost event ticket sales by offering early bird discounts and promotions that are only available to those who choose to purchase a ticket to your event in advance.
Early bird discounts and promotions provide a sense of urgency for those who are thinking of attending, which may cause them to make a purchase to avoid missing out.
4. Ticket Giveaways and Contests
Host contests and giveaways to drum up the buzz surrounding your upcoming event. Use your official website and social media presence to promote contests and pique the interest of those who are interested in knowing more about your event.
Those who win your contests or giveaways will also be more likely to bring their friends and family to the event, resulting in an even higher attendee turnout.
5. Holiday Codes and Discounts
Depending on when you are hosting an event, you can offer both holiday codes and discounts to gain traction with sales and appeal to a much wider audience.
Offering holiday codes and exclusive discounts via social media, a mobile app, or even a newsletter you have recently launched can result in more ticket sales and a higher turnout of guests.
6. Vendor Codes
If you want to appeal to prospective vendors and sponsors for an event you are planning, consider offering special discounted codes for individual vendors who are helping you to coordinate and put on your event.
Vendor discount codes can be exclusive to one vendor and can be given out to their own customers or clients for additional savings and discounts from you as well as other event sponsors or vendors. Consider implementing a vendor referral program, resulting in steeper discounts for those who refer more clients and customers to you directly.
7. Pricing Levels
Incorporating numerous pricing levels is also recommended to help boost ticket sales while planning an event. Early bird discounts, exclusive discount codes, and promotions can encourage those who might not have otherwise attended your event to purchase a ticket.
You can also change the pricing of the tickets you offer as the event gets closer in date and as time goes on. Offering tickets at a discounted rate as they approach is also a way to motivate those who are on the fence about attending to make a decision and purchase a ticket of their own.
8. Streamline Your Social Media Updates and Presence
Use social media to promote your event while streamlining all the social media accounts you use to represent your event, business, brand, or organization. Ensure that all of your social media pages are updated accordingly, using the same event graphics, and incorporating the same branding and language used to officially promote your event.
Update your social media platforms simultaneously to maximize your reach. Choose a unique hashtag to represent your event and share the hashtag with vendors, sponsors, and attendees to use on their own social media pages. Use specific hashtags and trending phrases to help gain traction once you begin posting about and promoting the event before, during, and after.
9. Use Your Website's Official Blog
Once your website has been established, you can then put its official blogging platform to use. Use your official website's blog to post updates and event information for SEO purposes and to inform those who visit your website of the event's details and available tickets.
You can also use your website's official blog to provide visitors with sneak peeks into the event, which may incentivize them to purchase tickets of their own.
10. Connect With Others for Guest Blog/Promotional Opportunities
If possible, connect with other content creators, bloggers, and business owners in your area to help generate buzz surrounding your event while also helping to sell more tickets. Working together with others who allow you to guest blog on their website or promote your event in their store is a way to solidify new professional connections as you spread the word about your event together.
Whether you are planning a corporate event, a fundraising gathering, or you are hosting an event for a school or the grand opening of a small town store, knowing how to effectively sell tickets to your event is essential for the best outcome possible. When you are comfortable with various methods of marketing and selling event tickets, you can maximize your reach and your ability to motivate others to make a purchase.
