Running a successful ticketing business requires effective marketing to attract customers and promote your services. With so many options for advertising and promotion, knowing where to focus your efforts can be challenging. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore proven tips to market a ticketing business effectively.
Determine Your Target Audience
The first key step is identifying who your ideal customers are. This allows you to tailor marketing efforts directly to their needs and interests. For a ticketing business, potential target audiences may include:
- Music and sports fans looking for tickets to live events
- Local residents seeking tickets for community events or attractions
- Corporate clients needing ticket packages for employee rewards or client entertainment
- Tourists and travelers wanting tickets for attractions and tours
Think about the types of events and experiences you offer tickets for, and the demographics and interests of those most likely to purchase them. The more precisely you can define your target audience, the better.
Build Your Brand Identity
Establish a strong brand identity that resonates with your target audience. This includes choosing a memorable business name, creating an eye-catching logo, and developing branded visual assets like fonts, colors, and images that define your brand style.
Your brand identity will convey what makes your ticketing business unique. Promote brand consistency across all marketing materials, your website, social media, signage, uniforms, printed collateral, and any other customer touchpoints. This helps boost recognition and trust in your business.
Create a User-Friendly Website
Your website is often the first impression potential customers will have of your business. Invest in a professionally designed site that quickly communicates what you offer and makes it easy for visitors to find and purchase event tickets.
Some tips for an effective ticketing website include:
- Optimized design across desktop and mobile
- Intuitive navigation and calls-to-action to browse tickets
- Powerful event search and filters
- Descriptions, images, and seating charts to showcase live events
- Shopping cart for easy multi-ticket purchases
- Secure online checkout process
- Prominent customer service contact options
Also ensure your site is search engine optimized (SEO) so customers can easily find it through Google searches related to local events and attractions.
Offer Multiple Ticket Sales Channels
The more ticket sales channels you leverage, the easier it is for customers to purchase from your business. Options to consider include:
- Your website for convenient online ticket sales 24/7
- Mobile ticketing app to facilitate purchases on smartphones
- Physical ticket office location for walk-up sales
- Ticket kiosks placed in high traffic areas around town
- Partnerships with local retailers, hotels, etc. to sell your tickets on consignment
- Phone sales agents to support ticket purchases over the phone
Evaluate which sales channels align best with your target audience. Offering diverse options caters to different customer preferences for how they want to buy tickets.
Promote Your Ticket Inventory
Actively promote your available ticket inventory to boost sales. Marketing tactics may include:
- Search ads so your ticket website appears at the top of Google results for relevant event searches
- Retargeting ads that follow website visitors with ads on other sites reminding them to complete their ticket purchase
- Listings and ads on local event calendars and tourism sites
- Cross-promoting popular events or last-minute deals on your website and social media
- Leveraging email marketing with segmented campaigns tailored to different customer interests
- Offering exclusive ticket presale opportunities through email and text message alerts to loyalty program members
When launching new ticket inventory, create a coordinated promotion strategy across multiple platforms. This generates excitement and drives early sales for the event.
Partner with Local Businesses and Venues
Strategic partnerships provide an opportunity to expand your ticketing business. Potential partners may include:
- Event venues wanting help managing their own on-site ticket sales
- Local attractions looking to bundle event tickets with their offerings
- Hotels seeking commissionable tickets to recommend to guests
- Corporations that need tickets for employee events and rewards programs
- Membership and loyalty programs needing ticketing services for members
- Travel agencies wanting to resell tickets for local tours and attractions
Partnerships give you access to new distribution channels and customers. Negotiate competitive commission rates and promotional opportunities that benefit both partners.
Offer Customer Membership Programs
Membership programs encourage customer loyalty by providing exclusive perks and discounts. Popular benefits may include:
- Advance ticket access to hot events before general public sales
- Discounted member-only ticket pricing
- Free ticket vouchers for signing up
- Earning points redeemable for future ticket purchases
- Priority seating upgrades
- Merchandise discounts
- Signed up members for last minute ticket offers by email and text alerts
Tiered programs with increasing rewards for higher membership levels incentivize customers to keep purchasing tickets with your business.
Provide Excellent Customer Service
Positive word-of-mouth happens when you deliver exceptional service. Train ticketing staff to be knowledgeable, friendly and helpful whether assisting customers by phone, in-person or online.
Quickly respond to customer emails and social media messages. Have an efficient process for managing ticket inquiries, exchanges, refunds, and other special requests.
Thank customers after ticket purchases and solicit feedback through surveys to guide your business improvements. Delivering consistent and thoughtful service earns customer loyalty and referrals.
Utilize Social Media
An active presence on social media platforms popular with your target audience helps attract new ticket buyers and foster engagement. Ways to leverage social media may include:
- Facebook and Instagram accounts showcasing upcoming events with photos, videos and special promotions
- Snapchat and TikTok for “behind-the-scenes” event content
- Twitter to announce new events, last-minute deals, and share blog content
- Pinterest boards for “pinning” different local experiences
- YouTube channel with branded videos and event highlight reels
- Live streaming concerts, sporting events, and other exclusive content
Promote your social media on all marketing materials. Respond promptly to comments, questions and feedback. Create shareable content fans want to engage with and spread.
Offer Referral Programs
Referral programs reward existing customers who recommend your ticketing business to friends and family. Popular incentives include:
- Referrer receives a promo code for ticket discounts or other perks
- Referred friend gets a discount coupon or free ticket voucher
- Both parties are entered into prize drawings when referrals convert to sales
- Earning referral points redeemable for future ticket purchases
Referrals convert at higher rates given the built-in trust between friends. Satisfied customers can become powerful brand advocates through referral marketing.
Analyze Important Metrics
Key performance indicators help gauge the health and growth of your ticketing business. Metrics to track may include:
- Total monthly/annual ticket sales revenue
- Sales revenue by event type and category
- Average order value and tickets per order
- Top-selling events generating the most revenue
- Percentage of visits resulting in purchases
- Bounce rate measuring website exits
- Traffic sources driving the most website visitors
- Conversion rates across sales channels
- Customer lifetime value and repeat purchase rates
Software tools like Google Analytics provide data to measure marketing campaign performance. Identify trends to continually refine strategies and allocation of resources.
Conclusion
Marketing a ticketing business requires a multi-channel strategy focused on driving ticket sales. By defining target audiences, honing brand identity, optimizing online platforms, utilizing promotions and partnerships, providing excellent service, engaging social media followers, encouraging referrals, and measuring key metrics, ticketing companies can attract more customers and grow a loyal fan base. Consistent and creative marketing is crucial for establishing a thriving and profitable ticketing enterprise.