Beyond the Box Office: Six Strategies for Selling Tickets Online

Beyond the Box Office: Six Strategies for Selling Tickets Online

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Ticketing

July 12, 2024

Beyond the Box Office: Six Strategies for Selling Tickets Online

Online ticketing platforms changed the game for event ticket sales forever. No longer restricted to box offices, concert venues and performing arts groups can now reach wider audiences than ever before. Digital ticket sales open up more avenues for event promotion, but playing in a more saturated space means you need the right tools in your kit to get attention online.

Buying tickets at home on a mobile phone
Buying tickets at home on a mobile phone
Buying tickets at home on a mobile phone
Buying tickets at home on a mobile phone

What is online ticketing?

Online ticketing platforms allow businesses to sell show tickets online. They consolidate the administrative tasks behind ticket sales, registration details, and online event marketing. Advanced ticketing platforms will integrate smoothly with your other systems and offer flexible payment options and customer analytics. 


Six of the best ways to sell tickets online 

  1. Start online event marketing early 

  2. Optimise your event page

  3. Make it easy to purchase

  4. Create a sense of urgency

  5. Re-engage customers with segmentation

  6. Get personal with your marketing

Here are six of the best online ticket sales methods to help you drive attendance.


1. Start online event marketing early

Once you’ve confirmed an event or show, start the promotion early. It’s not only helpful to give yourself the runway to sell tickets. Starting swiftly gives you the opportunity to offer early bird discount rates or limited time offers You can also use this opportunity to encourage people to sign up for a wait list or be notified for pre-sales. 


2. Optimise your event page

Your event page has a lot of heavy lifting to do. It’s the marquee on the internet, telling your customers about the show and attracting attendees. Help your page climb the ranks of search engine results pages by following best practices for search engine optimisation. Use keywords relating to the act and showcase visually engaging content like evocative videos to increase visibility and anticipation. Highlighting positive reviews can help encourage people to take the next step and buy tickets.

It’s also important to ensure that your event pages align visually with the rest of your website. Tixly’s seamless integration with venue websites ensures event pages align with your brand while providing customers with a streamlined ticketing experience.


3. Make it easy to purchase

It may sound obvious, but it’s worth a reminder that it needs to be easy for customers to purchase tickets, when and where they want. Make tickets available across different channels with 24/7 availability. Smooth mobile-friendly checkout processes with easy seat selection are important to helping customers feel confident and comfortable buying tickets. 

Don’t forget to promote add-ons. Let your customers add refreshments or parking to their purchase during the checkout process or via follow-up emails. Audiences appreciate intuitive, mobile-friendly checkout experiences, making them more likely to complete purchases and return for future events.


4. Create a sense of urgency

No one likes missing out on the show of the season. Start your ticket sales with a bang and maintain momentum with limited time offers and messaging around limited availability. Consider offering special incentives for early registrations. 

As the date approaches, send targeted SMS and email campaigns from your ticketing platform. For example, you could send last-minute promotional offers to buyers within a 50km radius of your venue to target nearby customers.


5. Re-engage customers with segmentation

Use your online ticketing platform to segment your previous customers and send out personalised emails and offers based on their prior searches and purchases. Categorize customers by genres, demographics, and address to make sure you get the right shows in front of the right people. Tixly’s customer relationship management (CRM) tools support advanced segmentation and communication.

Imagine a concert hall has a symphony performance in two weeks with seats still available. Using Tixly, the venue could segment the audience to identify ‘impulse buyers’–customers who purchase tickets within 14 days of an event. The venue can send a targeted email campaign offering a limited-time discount or a complimentary drink with their ticket. Then, they could also segment a different group: high-spending customers who frequently attend premium seating sections. These customers could receive personalised offers via SMS for an upgraded VIP package that includes exclusive pre-show access and premium seating. By combining segmentation and upselling, the concert hall drives revenue by filling unsold seats while enhancing the audience’s overall experience. 

Segmentation is also helpful for managing multiple venues and organisations. De Singel, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Ballet Vlaandaren were able to collaborate on shared subscriptions without losing control of individual customer data thanks to TIxly’s segmentation.


6. Get personal with your marketing

In today’s era of e-commerce, consumer expectations are greater than ever. 70% of consumers spend more with companies that offer fluid, personalized, and seamless customer experiences than those who don’t. Use Tixly’s insights and analytics to send personalised emails and SMS messages based on customer preferences and previous interactions with your venue. 

Musikhuset Aarhus used Tixly’s ‘Personal Welcome on SMS’ feature for targeted audience engagement. Thanks to their personalised messages, they saw an impressive 89% open rate and were able to increase sales.

Discover how Tixly’s CRM tools can help your venue sell more tickets. From advanced segmentation to branded event pages, Tixly empowers your team to sell tickets online with ease. 


Online Ticketing - FAQ

What is the best way to sell concert tickets online?

Sell concert tickets online by using an online ticketing platform to highlight and promote the concert. Showcase the performers on social media and use email marketing and digital advertising to get in front of your audience.

What is the best way to sell tickets for musicals online?

When selling musical tickets online, highlight reviews and promotional footage on your social media and events page. Use an online ticketing platform to promote the musical to previous customers and offer limited time pricing to create a sense of urgency.

What are the most effective strategies for selling tickets online?

Effective strategies for selling tickets online include creating a sense of urgency with limited time pricing, remarketing to previous patrons, promoting via email and social media, and digital advertising. 

What are the benefits of using online ticketing platforms?

Online ticketing platforms help you reach a wider audience and make it more convenient for them to purchase. You’ll boost your sales and revenue and save money with centralised ticket management, reduced turnaround time, and better attendee experiences.

Sindri Már Hannesson
Sindri Már Hannesson
Sindri Már Hannesson

Sindri Már Hannesson

Sindri Már Hannesson

Sindri Már Hannesson

Marketing Director

Marketing Director

Marketing Director