Ticket Platforms
The ticket platform controls part of the customer’s experience and part of your cash flow.
Compare total fees
Processing, facility, service, payout, refund, chargeback, and transfer fees can change the effective ticket price.
Look at the buyer's checkout total, not just your face value.
Choose a ticket platform for the whole transaction, not the prettiest event page.
Online Ticket Sales
Online sales create a live signal of demand if you watch them instead of waiting until show day.
Track pace
Tickets sold per day or week, not just total sold, tells you whether promotion is accelerating or stalling.
Compare equivalent lead times across cities.
Ticket count is not just a result; it is a planning signal.
Presales
Presales can reward core fans and give you an early read on demand before the general on-sale.
Give a real reason
Early access, preferred seats, limited inventory, or a brief discount can make a presale meaningful.
Do not manufacture fake scarcity.
A presale is both a benefit to fans and a demand test for you.
Discount Codes
Discount codes can track promotion and move seats, but careless discounting teaches buyers to wait.
Use codes for a reason
Local partner, podcast, student, military, early-bird, last-minute, or sponsor codes can target specific groups or measure channels.
Random permanent discounts undermine the face price.
Discounts are a tool for demand, not a substitute for demand.
Comp Tickets
Comp tickets are free seats controlled by agreement, policy, or both.
Set the number
Artist comps, promoter comps, venue holds, media seats, sponsor seats, and production kills reduce sellable inventory.
On small rooms, ten seats matter.
Every comp is a seat you chose not to sell.
Guest Lists
Guest lists turn relationships into operational details at the door.
Use one list owner
Multiple people texting names to multiple staff members creates confusion. Centralize additions when possible.
Freeze the list at a stated time.
Make the guest list boring for the door staff.
