How do you sell a digital ticket?

Selling tickets digitally is becoming increasingly common in today’s tech-driven world. Whether you’re an individual looking to sell tickets to a small event or a large company selling tickets to concerts and sports games, going digital has many benefits. Some key advantages of selling digital tickets include:

• Lower overhead costs – you avoid printing and shipping physical tickets
• Increased security – digital tickets reduce the risk of counterfeits and fraud
• Improved customer experience – digital tickets are convenient for buyers to store on their phone or print at home
• Flexibility – you can easily transfer or refund digital tickets
• Analytics – digital tickets allow you to track data and see who is attending events

But how exactly do you go about selling digital tickets? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process step-by-step.

Choosing a Digital Ticket Service

The first step is selecting the right digital ticketing service for your needs. There are many options out there, but some key factors to consider include:

• Cost – What fees and commissions does the service charge?
• Features – Do they offer the specific tools and capabilities you need?
• Integration – How easily can you integrate the service with your website, payment system, etc?
• Credibility – Do they have a good reputation and track record in the industry?
• Support – Is customer service responsive in case any issues arise?

Some top digital ticket services to evaluate include:

Take the time to thoroughly assess your needs, budget, and capabilities before choosing a digital ticketing platform. Getting set up with the right service from the start will make the rest of the digital ticketing process smooth.

Setting Up Your Digital Tickets

Once you’ve chosen your digital ticketing service, it’s time to configure the specifics of your event tickets. Most ticketing platforms make it easy to customize and design your digital tickets right from your account dashboard. Here are some key details you’ll want to define:

• Ticket name – Give your ticket types distinguishing names like “General Admission”, “VIP”, “Student”, etc.
• Prices – Set the prices for each ticket type. Think about early bird versus regular pricing.
• Quantity available – Specify how many tickets are available for purchase for each type.
• Description – Add detailed descriptions explaining what each ticket type includes.
• Barcode – Generate a unique barcode for each digital ticket.
• Design – Pick colors, fonts, logos, and images to stylize the look of the tickets.

Most platforms provide pre-made ticket templates you can customize. You may also want to add information like venue, show time, seat numbers, and other event details. Double check everything before publishing your digital tickets.

Selling Your Digital Tickets

Now it’s time for the fun part – selling your inventory of digital tickets! Here are some tips for maximizing sales:

• Promote across all your marketing channels – email lists, social media, website, word of mouth, etc. Share eye-catching graphics and clear event/pricing details.
• Consider targeted Facebook/Google ads to reach interested demographics. You can also advertise on event listing sites.
• Offer early bird pricing or special promo codes to incentivize buying.
• Make the checkout process fast and simple. Allow registration with social media accounts.
• Provide excellent customer service if anyone needs help purchasing tickets.
• Use analytics to identify which promotion channels are working best.
• Send email reminders as the event approaches to nudge lagging ticket sales.

The digital ticketing platforms also provide tools to help sell tickets, like embeddable ticket widgets you can add to your website and social media links to share.

With an effective promotion strategy, you can successfully hit your ticket sales goals and build buzz for your event!

Delivering the Digital Tickets

After someone purchases a digital ticket, the next step is delivering it to them securely. Digital ticket platforms use a few standard methods for this:

• Email – Immediately send digital tickets via email with a PDF attachment and/or QR access code.
• Mobile ticket – Deliver digital tickets directly to users’ smartphones through an app.
• Ticket kiosk – Allow attendees to print tickets at self-serve kiosks onsite.
• Will call – Hold tickets to be picked up at the venue when event starts.

You’ll want to provide clear instructions on how attendees can access, download, and use their digital tickets. Consider including links to customer support in case they have any issues.

For security, only allow transfer of tickets between verified users. Record the purchaser details and ticket barcode to prevent duplication.

Accepting Digital Tickets at the Event

The final piece is actually accepting digital tickets at the event entrance. This requires having proper scanning technology and protocols in place.

• Invest in ticket scanner hardware likehandheld scanners or tablet stations.
• Hire sufficient staff to quickly scan tickets and avoid long lines.
• Check government-issued IDs against names on digital tickets to prevent fraud.
• Scan the ticket barcode/QR code to instantly verify its validity.
• Confirm used tickets in your digital platform to prevent re-entry.
• Troubleshoot any ticket access issues onsite.

Well-run digital ticket scanning keeps events moving smoothly. Make sure staff is trained on using the technology and identifying valid tickets. With digital tickets, meticulous verification is essential.

After a successful first event, you can review analytics to identify areas for improving the digital ticketing process going forward.

Key Benefits of Digital Tickets

Shifting from paper to digital tickets comes with many significant upsides:

• Lower costs – No expense for physically printing and mailing tickets.
• Environmentally friendly – Digital tickets reduce paper waste.
• Prevent fraud – Difficult to counterfeit or duplicate digital tickets.
• Easy transfers – Tickets can be securely reissued to new buyers.
• Integration with CRM – Digital data gives customer insights.
• Simplified inventory – You can instantly see unsold ticket quantities.
• Mobile convenience – Let customers access tickets on smartphones.

There are so many ways to benefit by ditching paper tickets and managing everything electronically. While it does take some adjustment, digital ticketing ultimately allows events to run more efficiently while improving both organizer and customer experiences.

Potential Challenges

Transitioning to digital ticketing comes with some potential hurdles to be aware of:

• Customers may be unfamiliar with digital tickets and unsure how to use them.
• Scanning large quantities of digital tickets quickly can be tricky.
• Wi-fi or internet issues can disrupt digital ticket verification.
• Fees involved with using digital ticketing platforms.
• Must implement strong security measures against fraud/hacking.
• Could face backlash from customers who prefer paper tickets.
• Requires staying on top of updates from digital platforms.

With careful planning and preparation, these challenges can be minimized. Having backup contingencies is important when relying on digital systems. Provide exceptional customer service and education around the digital ticket experience.

Top Digital Ticketing Tips

Follow these tips for digital ticketing success:

• Research platforms extensively and choose one fitting your needs.
• Make digital tickets visually appealing with great design.
• Market across diverse channels and promote early sales.
• Ensure the purchase process is seamless for customers.
• Set up scanners and train staff to verify digital tickets efficiently.
• Have backup options in case of tech issues like printed tickets or will call.
• Provide ample customer support via FAQs, chat, email, etc.
• Use data insights to improve operations over time.

Conclusion

Selling digital tickets provides huge advantages like cost savings, improved analytics, and better customer experience. However, it does require learning new technology and adjusting old processes. By partnering with a trusted digital ticketing platform, promoting effectively, and implementing tight controls, you can successfully sell digital tickets for your next event. Just focus on making the transition easy for buyers and providing excellent support. In time, digital tickets will become the new normal as innovation keeps redefining the live events industry.