Event ticketing is one uphill work for event planners when ticket sales are the lifeblood of any event. And that’s why, to build a buzz about an event and ensure an early infusion of revenue, many organisers attempt to apply early-bird discounts or what many call pre-registration discounts.
When an organiser uses the early bird discount strategy to bring a spike in ticket sales from the beginning and make the attendees register earlier, an attendee gets ready to commit early and rush to sign up as he/she can complete the registration at a reduced price, after all, who doesn’t love a discount!
So, if you have never thought about this early bird registration promotion, read on to learn more and decide whether it will be advantageous for your next online events.
What is early bird ticketing?
Early bird ticketing is one ticketing strategy that marketers use to reward early bird attendees by granting them the opportunity to purchase event tickets at discounted prices ahead of an event. So often, promotional offers like ‘20% discount for the early birds’ or ‘early bird tickets end in two days’ catch our attention, and we feel the urge to explore the event, right?
This is exactly how early bird ticketing works; it captures prospects’ curiosity and also pleases the earlier customers by offering pre-event sales on ticket prices, even sometimes before starting the sale to the public. Just as the saying goes, “the early bird catches the worm, ” the attendees booking early get the discount price as a return for their commitment.
Does all early bird ticketing offer the same?
No, the offer of an early bird ticketing promotion differs from event to event. Depending on the deadline, restriction, targeted audience, and reward types, all the offer details cannot be put in the same box.
Targeted audiences
When some event marketers focus on past attendees or subscribers and fix the offers, many planners prioritise new attendees and make the tickets available exclusively with discounts. While others offer a discount for all, encouraging their commitment.
Early bird reward type
Providing discounts on the ticket price is one major way most marketers choose to reward the early birds. However, not all marketers walk the same way, as many offer coupons or discount codes as a reward. For example, any festival marketers might provide discount codes for their next event in advance, while other event organisers might offer promotional items to the early birds.
Offer timeline
The timeline for the early bird discount is not bounded; it can be planned for two months or just one week. Marketers choose the deadline for their early bird offers depending on their marketing strategy.
Gaining revenue is not the only concern
In brief, early-bird registration leads to early ticket sale processing since offering discounted prices immediately builds some sense of insistence and scarcity among the attendees. In consequence, you, as an event organiser, get attendees who are all set to beat a path to your door, all signed up and paid up much before your event day.
But an early bird promotion improves an event more than just giving ticket sales an extra boost.
Attendees love it
Who doesn’t love to avail of a discount offer? Hence, early bird discounts are always a great choice for the attendees that no one chooses to omit. For example, when an organiser announces an offer or coupon code for their existing attendees for a limited timeframe, the anticipation of missing out on the offer will make the attendees buy the tickets early to secure their seats in the event. Also, this early bird can turn the previous participants into committed participants as they will appreciate the gesture.
To collect the target audience’s data and information
When it is about digital marketing, data is king. When the early buyers book their tickets, they provide all the necessary information that an organiser can utilise as a general guideline to understand their marketing strategy. For example, organisers can evaluate the hype of their event to understand where their target market is coming from or what age group is responding to their offer.
Build buzz for an event
Announcing early bird promotions will help an organiser generate buzz before the event begins and attract many attendees. When they promote their event in the newsletter or on their website, the ‘discount’ level will grab their prospects’ eyes. And by registering early, the talk about the event and sharing their word on social media will happen fast.
Win over new attendees
Early bird offers will let the organisers reach out to the new prospects. They can encourage the possible attendees to do a new trial by providing an offer. Even though the attendees might not have planned to join any live virtual or in-person event, the early registration offer can boost their interest and nudge them to register for the event. After all, they are paying less while experimenting with a new experience.
To experience the many advantages, one should also know the tricks to utilise early bird strategies properly.
Early bird marketing strategies
So, if you have decided to apply for an early bird registration promotion for your next event, here are some useful tips to use the strategies effectively to boost your sales tickets for your event.
Set a realistic price
Plan your pricing in a way that will encourage your guest to book earlier. Also, be mindful of the point that you are making enough profit by ensuring a higher profit margin. Otherwise, setting your pricing too low, you will struggle even to cover your minimum event costs.
Give your focus to the repeat attendees
Encourage the participation of your repeat attendees. Continue communicating with them and acknowledging them first if any offers or changes occur. Be it via discounts or additional rewards, build customer loyalty by allowing them to secure their spot first.
Use event ticketing system
The availability of an online event ticketing system makes the process of organising events much smoother. If you plan to offer your attendees an early bird discount, utilise the event ticketing software tools to speed up the process. With this, attendees can also book their seats effortlessly online with no hassle.
Promote it on your event page also on social media sites
Direct your website visitors to your custom-made event page to promote the offer in detail. Mention all the rules to avail of the discount offer and encourage them to refer others to expose your event to many attendees. Also, select any popular social media platform where your targeted customers are most active and create a social media event page.
Apply email marketing
Do an email promotion and let your prospects know how to save money by registering for your event early. Mention the limited deadline to create a fear of missing out on the plot. For example, as a subject of the email, use phrases like ‘2 days left to join the exclusive event’ or ‘5 more spots remaining, do hurry’ to make your guests rush to book the remaining seat.
Sell advance tickets for your upcoming event
Provide incentives to offer your attendees a pre-sale ticket. Those who had a good time at your event will definitely like to join again. So, to secure their presence for your next event, offer VIP access, gifts, and coupons for acquiring your early bird tickets.
Set a clear deadline rather exceeding it
Announce a certain time and hang in there. But don’t exceed it unless you wish to impose gut feeling among your attendees about the effectiveness of your event. When you can’t stick to your word about the deadline, the audience will assume that no one has signed up or registered for your event and will change their direction to find an alternative event.
By far, if you were on the fence about whether or not to announce the early bird registration offer for your event, you got an answer, right? Undoubtedly, early-bird registration offers various edges and is a great way to drive ticket sales while diverting all the attention of the attendees. So why delay more? Give it a try and be a witness to your event’s success.
