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Live Entertainment events are a critical component of the marketing calendar, both for attracting valuable new customers to your property and as special events for current players. Improving advance ticket sales can lock in customers no only to the event itself, but also to hotel rooms, food and beverage sales, and time on the floor.In this session, we will show how innovations in ticket pricing and technology can drastically increase advance ticket sales to your live events.
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How to Fill the House for yourLive Entertainment Events
What we’ll cover:
• Why are advance sales so important?• The wrong – and right – way to discount tickets• To Fee or not to Fee?• Social Media Marketing
(how to build an army of promoters, instantly)• Fishing where the fish are
(which websites are worth listing your events on)• Ticketing practices to avoid at all cost
The Advance Ticket Sale
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The Discount Dance
When is the right time to discount tickets?
Common Approach:Discount tickets when sales are slow.
Result:Customers learn to wait for discounts.
Discount Smarter
A Better Approach:Discount early, and for a short period of time.
But – WHY?
Case Study: A Recent Festival on-Sale
Tickets On sale at 10 am with exploding discount
Results
10 a – 11a $163k
11a-12a $13k
12a-1a $11k
Almost $200k within 3 hours!
Significant, Immediate Social Media BUZZ,
Continued sales
+ 200% “likes” on FacebookOver 5k “shares”
Over 2k “tweets” about the show
Key Learning:
Exploding discounts can supercharge on-sales
and “seed” ongoing sales.
Discount Smarter
Reward or Recognition-Based Discounts
Discount Smarter: ScoreBig
What is it?“The Priceline of Entertainment”. They sell unsold inventory without cannibalizing full price tickets.
How do they do it? Opaque process, very smart tech.
Learn More:www.scorebig.com
Fees
Fee Facts and Myths
• Myth: People hate ticket fees.• Fact: They hate excessive ticket fees.
• Myth: My ticketing system doesn’t cost me anything.• Fact: A fee paid by your customer is the same as a
cost, if that fee doesn’t go to you.
• Myth: Customers like to see fees broken out.• Fact: The “All-in Price” concept is gaining in popularity,
and can generate good will – and more advance sales.
“All-In Price”
What is it?A single set of ticket prices – customers pay the same whether they buy online, over the phone, or in person.
Why does it work?• Convenience, Free• Buzz factor• More advance sales
Key Learning:
You needcontrol and flexibilitywith your ticket fees.
Social Media Tools
Facebook Facts:500 MILLION + Registered users250 MILLION+ Log On Daily26% of ticket sales, on average, are referred by FacebookEach “share” is worth approximately $2.53*
It’s FREE to set up and use.
Twitter Facts:100 MILLION + Registered users1.8 million tweets per HOUR12% of ticket sales, on average, are referred by TwitterEach “share” is worth approximately $1.78*
It’s FREE to set up and use.
Facebook Best Practices
Use the EVENTS app on your page
to create your event on
Facebook.
Facebook Best Practices
Post helpful info, contests, and event info to nurture the conversation
and grow your fans.
Facebook Best Practices
Sell Tickets DIRECTLY from your
Facebook page!
Twitter Best Practices
Always include Links
Tweet Consistently around your
events
Key Learning:
If you’re not onFacebook and Twitter,
YOU SHOULD BE.-and-
Let technology do the redundant stuff.
Websites you should know about
(2.2 Million monthly visitors)
www.eventful.com
Websites you should know about
(~1 Million monthly visitors and rising)
Others:
•www.jambase.com•www.sonicliving.com•www.bandsintown.com•www.deadfrog.com•www.zvents.com
Key Learning:
There are a lot of free websites for event
promotion.
Use them.
Online Ticketing Worst Practices
90%#1: *#%& FEES!
Online Ticketing Worst Practices
#2: Kidnapping YOUR traffic.
Online Ticketing Worst Practices
#3: Ugly and uninformative pages.
Online Ticketing Worst Practices
Too Many Steps:
1. Hear Promotion2. Go to Computer3. Open Browser4. Type in URL /Visit Site5. Find Event6. Click Buy Tickets7. Go to another website8. Re-enter search criteria9. Enter Captcha Info10. Complain about crazy fees11. Fumble for Credit Card Anyway12. Enter Personal Information13. See ANOTHER SURPRISE CHARGE14. Enter Credit Card Info15. Re-Enter Billing Info16. Verify Info17. Print Tickets
#4: Making it tough to buy
Key Takeaways
• Discount Smarter:– Exploding discounts– Reward/Recognition Based– Opaque outlets
• Control Fees and Consider All-In Pricing.• Social Media Sells Tickets• Use Free Event Websites• Align incentives with your ticketing partner
