Technology: Event Marketing & Management

“Say NO to Will Call”

by Robert Payne

Have you ever found yourself standing in a Will Call line that stretched around the block, while enviously observing carefree patrons stroll up to the Box Office, and thought to yourself, “this is what I get for buying my ticket ahead of time?” When it comes to concerts and events, there is often a clear disconnect between the ability to register for events online, and the clunky procedure put in place for when you arrive. Are pre-printed tickets the end all be all, or have we evolved beyond their physical constraints? And as marketers, are we losing out on a multitude of opportunities that digital media affords us when it comes to planning and marketing an event?

Connecting with Customers

I think most marketers out there would agree with me when I say, now more than ever we are expected to do more – and often times with less. For a lot of folks out there, events and event marketing are the best means of getting ahead of the pack. It is a chance to demonstrate your unique capabilities, align yourself with strategic partners, build a collective conversation about your brand in both online and offline realms, and ultimately forge deep and meaningful relationships with prospects and customers. I know because I’ve done it.

Practicing What We Preach

There is one thing that has always been core to the products and services we provide at Twelve Horses. We practice what we preach. Ever since we launched our ticketing system, we’ve been putting it through its paces in real world scenarios. Sure, clients like the Las Vegas Monorail, Mountain Sports International, and the PGA’s Legends Reno-Tahoe Open use it for transportation and sporting events, but we’ve also used it for a few of our own. What do I like about it?

Keeping Control of Your Brand

For starters, Twelve Horses Ticketing is slick because I control the branding of the event. So many event management software companies have the habit of inserting their brand all over your event. Not so cool. Whether it is the event site, confirmation emails, digital or printed tickets, kiosks, or coupons, I get to control what they look like. If I bring on a new sponsor, or devise a new promotion, I simply log in to the ticketing platform’s content management system and add them. While I’m there I can see how many tickets I’ve sold thus far, the money made, and even create a handy report if the boss wants to see how I am doing.

User-Friendly

Meanwhile, attendees easily cruise through the registration process instead of getting taken offsite to some weird and seemingly unaffiliated payment system. Once they hit Submit, the ticket immediately shows up in their inbox. Sure, they can choose to receive their tickets in the mail if they want, but all they really have to do is print them right at home. Done deal. The 2D barcode that is affixed to each ticket contains all the information the registration system needs to know. In fact, I can even scan the barcode right off their cell phone screen, input their unique code, or look them up by name or credit card. “Sir, Madame, you’re good to go.”

Adding Value to Your Sponsors

As any event marketer worth their salt knows, another way to build a great event is to attract worthwhile sponsors and partners. But we can sometimes struggle to ensure we give them the value they deserve. On top of making sure their branding is on every communication channel the attendee touches, you can also use the ticketing system to orchestrate promotions and lotteries. How about give each attendee a coupon good for a free drink at a local eatery? Or 20% off their next purchase of an applicable product? You can use the lottery system to award one or many lucky individuals with a compelling prize, or put it to work to place people in groups for educational exercises. As you can see, there is a lot of flexibility to customizing your event.

Redemption is Mine

In the end, how did we do? The reporting module is super handy for analyzing redemption. If you used any discount codes then you can see how those performed. If you had unique groups then you can see how many came. In addition, you may want to see which kiosks or mobile scanners registered the most attendees. This information is useful for determining which entrances receive the most flow and at what times, or which day and what presenters were most popular. The scenarios are endless. Of course, we would prefer if you used all of our technology, but if you don’t, and you want to export any of the data or contact lists to be used somewhere else then you can easily do that as well.

Putting on a successful event takes a lot of work, so the last thing you want to deal with is a lot of disparate technology that is difficult to use and doesn’t do what you want. None of us want to be hampered by our event management software any more than we want to stand in a Will Call line.

For more on Twelve Horses Ticketing visit www.thtix.com