What is the best time to sell event tickets for an event? Before we talk about the tactics you can implement, you need to understand when you should even begin selling tickets to an event. The answer to that is simple: as soon as you can!
Imagine that you’ve set up your event, invited all the guest speakers, and you even have a sponsors list ready. Now there’s only one thing left to do: selling tickets. You will need to amp up the promotion and event marketing strategies to start the ball rolling and increase interest around your event.
Key Tactics on How to Sell Tickets for an Event
Before you start selling, one of the first things to do is to choose an event ticketing solution that can help you achieve your goals. There are many event ticketing solutions out there that offer features that allow you to manage multiple workflows and get detailed event reporting. Some of the first few things to look out for would be seamless and secure payment options, an easy-to-use interface, and event marketing features. You should also look for customizable landing page builders, dynamic registration form templates, attendee data management, etc. Invest in a solution that is scalable and can be customized according to your needs.
Now, let’s dive into the tactics that can help you sell more tickets – and fast! For easier management, let’s divide these into three main goals:
- Getting more users to visit your website.
- Converting website visitors to customers.
- Creating a buzz about your event.
Now that we have these three goals in mind, we can talk about everything you can do to achieve them separately.
Goal 1: Getting More Website Users
Building a steady flow of traffic to your website is one of the key challenges when it comes to selling event tickets online. The more people see your content and visit your website, the higher your chances of converting into paying customers. There are many ways to increase traffic to your website, here are some of them:
1. Lean on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO can be one of the strongest weapons you have in your arsenal. Optimizing your website for better SERP positions is ideal to attract more users to your website. You can write blogs that focus on specific keywords, leverage guest posts, generate backlinks, and add value to your user experience. However, SEO and organic search may take time, but the results are almost always worth it.
2. Use Social Media Marketing
Social media is a great source of entertainment and knowledge for many users globally. Depending on your target audience and goals, it can also be a fantastic way to get exposure for your website. You can repost your website’s blogs or registration links for your event on various social media platforms and redirect those users to your website. Social media marketing also includes running paid ads, and if you have the budget for them, they are a great way to get more eyes on your content.
3. Focus on Content Marketing
The more value you create for your users, the more likely they are to keep visiting your website. So, lean on content marketing and create valuable content that gives information and creates awareness. Diversify your content into various types such as long-form pieces, blogs, videos, press releases, etc. Once you have a steady flow of content, you need to focus on its distribution. There are multiple avenues you can use to get more eyes on your content such as a website blog, an email newsletter, social media posts, etc. Ideally, you should know which platform resonates most with your audience and distribute your content accordingly.
4. Get on an Event Listing Website
Free event listing websites like vFairs Discover are a great place to spread the word about your upcoming event. These websites are a go-to for event enthusiasts looking for events they’re most interested in. Featuring your event on such websites helps bring your event in front of the right audience, boost your website traffic, and improve the chances of ticket sales.
Goal 2: Boosting Website Conversions
If you want the users on your website to take action, like buying a ticket or filling out a form, you have to optimize some aspects of your website. Users will be more inclined to take the desired action if you have a custom-designed landing page, a high-converting registration form, a clear CTA, etc. Here are some things you can try:
1. Design a Stunning Landing Page
So, you’ve brought users to your website, but what will make them stay? For starters, a great landing page design! You should ensure that it has all the necessary information a first-time user will be looking for about your event. Add a clear agenda, mention the reasons they should attend the event, and highlight sponsors and speakers. Customize the design to make it as sleek as you can, there should be no clutter. Moreover, you can also add dynamic banners and use your brand’s color theme to truly leave an impact.
2. Create a Dynamic Registration Form
One of the most important aspects of your website after the landing page design is your registration form. Users who go ahead and open the form should see it as a convenient step and not a burden to fill up. So, that means you need to only add fields that are most important at this early registration step.
Moreover, make sure you customize the form to meet your events’ needs. Add tiered packages, various payment options, support for multiple languages, ensure mobile friendliness, etc. You can also save user information for later and allow group registrations and promo codes for an enhanced user experience. Find more tips in our event registration guide.
3. Add Social Proof
Testimonials from past attendees can also be a great addition to your website. Social proof is a proven way to earn the trust of your potential customers. So, if you have any words of praise from past attendees about your previous events, make sure to add a section of those on your landing page. However, you don’t want to put them on the top of the page because that can seem too forward and salesy. And you also don’t want to add too many testimonials as they can also make customers wary of their worth.
4. Offer Special Discounts
Offers, promo codes, and discounts can be a great way to push the people who are on the fence about buying a ticket. Exit-intent pop-ups can reel these customers in by offering a special discount on tickets. Apply this tactic to users who visited a few pages on your website but didn’t buy. These may be small tweaks but they are extremely effective.
5. Keep an Eye on Analytics
Studying user behavior and understanding your audience can be beneficial for event organizers and marketers like you. Dig deeper into your website’s analytics and find what’s working and what isn’t. Keep an eye out for the biggest sources of your audience, how they behave on your event website, and how long they’re spending on it. Website analytics can be the most accurate way to know which of your website’s pages are converting the most visitors.
6. Leverage Email Marketing
You can also use email marketing to increase your website’s conversion rates. You can set up a form on your website for potential customers who want more information about your event. Then, use this email list to create a specialized email marketing campaign for them. You can give them more information about your event, highlight key speakers presenting at your event, and also offer discounts through the email chain. This can be a different approach but might prove to be more effective and engaging for your customers.
Goal 3: Promoting Your Event Like a Pro
Event marketing and promotions are a big undertaking. To be successful, you need to invest in the right tools, gather the ideal team, and implement the most effective strategies. Apart from the aforementioned marketing strategies like social media, email, and content creation, there is a lot more that you can do to sell event tickets. Here are some innovative tactics:
1. Try Influencer Marketing
This was probably the most overlooked form of event marketing but has gained a lot more traction in the past few years. The trick is to make sure you choose the right influencers that will match your company and event’s brand image. You can offer special discount codes to each influencer’s audience. This way, when someone registers with a specific code, you’ll know the source of that conversion too. It’s a win-win situation!
2. Look into Marketing through Partners
Your event will most likely have sponsors and guest speakers. You can get into content partnerships and market your event through them. It could be an awareness post about your event or just announcing them as a sponsor or guest speaker. If they post it through their accounts as well, it can double the reach for you. Posts can get more traction and you can get more eyes on your event page.
3. Run Contests & Giveaways
Everyone likes freebies and there’s no denying that. Run contests on your social media pages and offer giveaways to winners. You can ask your audience trivia questions and set prizes for winners like a discount code or an all-access free pass. Even if they don’t win, it will pique their interest just enough to learn more about your event. Your post will also get in front of people in their network expanding reach organically. Trivia posts are great for generating engagement and hype around your event.
4. Use Event Promo Videos
Teasers and promo videos for your event can also be a great way to boost engagement with your online event page. You can create videos that showcase past events, increase awareness, or give out more information about the event agenda. The key is to stay consistent with your posts and add value to your audience’s experience. If they feel like your content is not worth their time, they are probably never going to buy an event ticket.
5. Run Ads Online
This might be the costliest of all options, but if you have the budget, nothing can help you market your event better than online ads! They are one of the most effective ways to sell event tickets online but there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Make sure that your artwork is sleek and your copywriting hits all the right nerves for your audiences. Ads that address pain points and help attendees see why they should attend your event are more likely to end up in a conversion.
6. Offer Early Bird Discounts
It might sound like an obvious method, but it is one of the most effective as well. Early bird discounts can ignite a sense of urgency and FOMO among your audiences. The idea that if you register now, you save a big percentage of your ticket fee, is enticing indeed. So, the users that are already interested in your event, won’t think twice before they avail of the early registration discount. The quicker you can get the first few registrations in, the better it is for your event marketing efforts.
Sell Event Tickets by Choosing the Right Ticketing Solution
Event marketing and promotional activities are some of the most crucial aspects of event ticket sales. You need to develop a strong event marketing strategy if you want to sell event tickets and achieve your registration goals. All-in-one event management solutions like vFairs can help you achieve these goals.
The event ticketing solution offers features like setting up a landing page, adding a customized registration form, multiple payment methods, attendee and registration data management, and marketing tools to help promote your event. Book a demo now to get more information.
