The event ticket market is growing steadily, with a projected 4.0% revenue bump in 2025. But here’s the thing — even in a thriving market, getting people to actually buy tickets takes more than just setting up an event page and hoping for the best.
If you’re tired of the same old “post it and pray” approach to ticket sales, you’re in the right place. We’ve packed this guide with six strategies that’ll put your event on the map and have people scrambling for those “Buy Now” buttons. We’ll explore everything from smart pricing techniques to email campaigns that connect with your audience, plus ways to optimize your event page to make purchasing super intuitive.
FYI, these aren’t theoretical tips. We’ll be showing you how to put them into action using The Events Calendar toolkit, so you can hit the ground running. Here are some ways to fill those seats faster!
6 proven strategies to rapidly increase event ticket sales
Looking at your ticket sales numbers and wishing they were higher? We get it. That’s why we’ve focused on these six field-tested methods that work particularly well with The Events Calendar toolkit. Each one tackles a different aspect of the sales process, so you can pick what makes the most sense for your event right now.
1. Create irresistible offers with pricing strategies and discounts
Smart pricing can make the difference between a sold-out event and empty seats. Here’s how to structure your ticket prices to maximize sales while maintaining profitability:
- Early bird pricing for your first sales boost: Start with attractive early bird rates to get those initial ticket sales flowing. Not only does this secure early revenue, but it also creates natural buzz around your event. When people see others buying tickets months in advance, they’ll want to know what the excitement is about.
- Tiered pricing that drives action: Instead of just offering standard tickets, create different tiers that appeal to various audience segments. For example, the End of the Road 2025 festival offers “early supporter” tickets with exclusive perks at a premium price, while maintaining standard options for general admission.
- Group discounts that multiply sales: Make it worthwhile for people to bring their friends. Structure your group discounts to encourage larger purchases — try offering 10% off for 5+ tickets, 15% off for 10+, and 20% off for groups of 20 or more.
- Offer streak pricing for added incentive: Set up your pricing to increase after every X number of tickets sold. This creates a natural urgency without feeling pushy — people will want to buy before the next price jump. You can use Event Tickets Plus’ countdown feature to show how many tickets remain at the current price point.
- Time-based increases: Gradually raise prices as your event date approaches. This rewards early buyers and motivates fence-sitters to make their decision sooner. Display a countdown timer to make these deadlines more impactful.
- Strategic last-minute offers: Need to fill those final seats? Consider offering targeted discounts to your email subscribers or social followers. These flash sales can help you reach capacity while making your loyal followers feel special.
Test different price points and strategies as what works for one event might not work for another. The Events Calendar makes it easy to adjust these pricing strategies and track their effectiveness in real time.
2. Simplify ticket purchases with Event Tickets
In 2024, the share of online shopping carts being abandoned sits at 70%, the highest it has been since 2014. That’s a lot of potential sales slipping away. The good news? A smooth ticket-buying process can help you avoid this common pitfall.
This is where Event Tickets Plus comes in handy. Instead of sending your visitors to third-party platforms (and crossing your fingers they’ll complete their purchase), you can sell tickets directly on your WordPress site. No commissions, no redirects, just a clean, professional checkout process that keeps buyers right where you want them.
For example, take Hospitality TitansTM, a UK-based membership forum designed to bring together industry experts, foster collaboration, and drive progress across the hospitality sector. They offer a dynamic schedule of innovative events and engagements to build a supportive environment for professionals to share ideas, nurture talent, and develop solutions for the industry’s challenges.
Their events page lists all upcoming events by default, which can be further sorted by day and month. Users can easily register for events and meetings directly through ticket links on the event pages. With Event Tickets’ features, like the ticket stock countdown and custom tickets for members, they successfully build excitement around the event and get potential attendees interested in becoming members.
One of the best things about Event Tickets Plus is that everything works perfectly on mobile devices — crucial when most people are browsing and buying on their phones. You can also set up different ticket tiers, apply discounts, and manage sales from a single dashboard — and these are just a few features that make Event Tickets Plus convenient for website owners and customers!
3. Optimize your digital marketing for maximum impact
Smart digital marketing can turn your event from a hidden gem into the hottest ticket in town. Here’s how to make your marketing efforts count:
- Social media that actually works: Skip the basic “buy tickets” posts and create content that gets people talking. Run polls about what attendees want to see at your event, host Q&As with speakers or performers, and share behind-the-scenes peeks at your planning process. Match your content to each platform; save the professional updates for LinkedIn and get creative with TikTok for younger audiences.
- Turn attendees into promoters: Make sharing fun and rewarding. Launch photo contests with event hashtags, encourage “Why I’m Excited” video submissions, and offer early access to future events for your most active sharers. The more your audience talks about your event, the more their networks will want to join in.
- Smart advertising that converts: Don’t boost posts randomly. Use targeted social media ads to reach people who’ll actually be interested in your event. Better yet, set up retargeting ads that show real-time ticket availability to people who’ve visited your event page but haven’t purchased yet.
- Partner with the right influencers: Focus on quality over quantity. Look for micro-influencers (5K-50K followers) who have solid engagement rates and a track record with similar events. Set up a tiered commission structure (10% for first 10 tickets, 15% for 11-25 tickets, 20% for 26+ tickets) and give them unique discount codes to share with their followers.
- Build a referral program that works: Create a multi-level rewards system. For instance, you can offer a free ticket for direct referrals, a 30% refund for second-degree referrals, and 10% for third-degree. Add a competitive element with a leaderboard for top referrers.
- Run giveaways that drive sales: Instead of simple “follow and share” contests, structure your giveaways to encourage ticket purchases. Potentially, you could:
- Give 1 entry for following.
- Give 5 entries for buying a ticket.
- Give 10 entries for buying a VIP ticket.
- Give 3 bonus entries for each friend who buys using their referral.
This way, buying tickets becomes the fastest route to winning exclusive event experiences.
4. Leverage email marketing for immediate results
In 2023, 52% of consumers made a purchase directly from an email they received. Here’s how to tap into this potential using The Events Calendar’s Promoter tool:
- Create a smart email timeline: Start with early bird announcements, move into regular ticket promotions, and finish with last-minute offers. Promoter makes this easy by syncing directly with your event data, so your emails always have current ticket information and pricing.
- Personalize every message: Use the custom registration fields in Event Tickets Plus to collect valuable attendee information. Then, put that data to work. Address subscribers by name, reference their past attendance, or mention events they’ve shown interest in. Promoter automatically pulls in these details, making personalization a breeze.
- Build loyalty that lasts: Create special campaigns for past attendees — they’re already familiar with your events and more likely to return. Set up different messages for first-timers versus regular attendees. Offer exclusive pre-sale access to loyal customers, or create special packages for those who attend multiple events.
- Track what works: Promoter shows you which emails drive the most ticket sales. Use these insights to refine your approach: Maybe your early bird announcements are killing it, but your last-minute reminders need work. Each campaign teaches you something new about your audience’s preferences.
Pro tip: Set up your email campaigns when you first create your event marketing plan. This way, your promotional timeline runs automatically while you focus on other aspects of event planning.
5. Amplify your event’s appeal through influencers and partnerships
Want to expand your event’s reach? Partner with people and businesses who already have your ideal audience’s attention. Here’s how to build partnerships that actually sell tickets:
- Work with the right influencers: Skip the mega-influencers and focus on micro-influencers in your event’s niche. Give them behind-the-scenes access and exclusive experiences they can share with their followers. Create unique discount codes for each influencer so you can track which partnerships drive the most sales.
- Turn speakers into promoters: Your speakers aren’t just content providers — they’re powerful marketing partners. Make it easy for them to promote your event by providing ready-to-use social posts and email templates. Set up Instagram Live sessions where they can preview their talks and interact with potential attendees.
- Partner with complementary businesses: Find businesses that share your audience but don’t compete with you. Create special ticket bundles that combine your event with their products or services. For example, if you’re running a music festival, partner with local hotels for “ticket + stay” packages.
- Build a community around your event: Launch an Event Ambassador program with your most enthusiastic past attendees. These authentic voices can share their experiences and build excitement for your upcoming event. Give them exclusive perks and early access to create a sense of belonging that attracts new attendees.
For instance, you can try running a “content creator challenge” where influencers compete to create the most engaging event content. The winner gets VIP treatment at your event, and you get a variety of authentic promotional content to share.
6. Create compelling content that drives ticket sales
Good content attracts attention; great content sells tickets. Here’s how to create content that turns viewers into attendees:
- Show, don’t just tell: Create short, exciting video teasers that capture your event’s energy. Show behind-the-scenes preparations, preview speaker presentations, or highlight past event moments. The Events Calendar makes it easy to embed these videos directly on your site, whether they’re pre-recorded or streaming live from YouTube or Facebook.
- Spotlight your speakers: Help potential attendees connect with your speakers before the event. Share their expert insights through Q&As, feature their success stories, or publish mini-interviews about what they’ll cover. When people know what they’ll learn and who they’ll learn it from, they’re more likely to buy tickets.
- Let past attendees do the talking: Nothing sells tickets like happy attendees from previous events. Share their stories, testimonials, and experiences. Better yet, create short video testimonials that capture their genuine excitement and the real value they gained.
- Get your audience involved: Launch polls about what content people want to see, create quizzes about your event’s theme, or run contests that get people excited about attending. This interaction helps you understand what your audience wants while building buzz around your event.
- Give them a taste: Share previews of session content, workshop materials, or entertainment lineups. These sneak peeks show the concrete value of attending and build anticipation for the full experience.
Make sure to track which content gets the most engagement. Your tech conference audience might love detailed speaker bios, while your music festival crowd might prefer backstage glimpses. Use these insights to fine-tune your content strategy and sell more tickets.
Increase your ticket sales with The Events Calendar toolkit
Ready to put these strategies into action? The Events Calendar’s suite of tools works together to boost your ticket sales.
Events Calendar Pro helps you create flexible ticketing options with recurring events and multiple calendar views. Pair it with Event Tickets Plus to set up tiered pricing and VIP packages, plus collect valuable attendee information through custom registration fields.
Want to reach more potential buyers? Use Event Aggregator to import and promote partner events, while Filter Bar helps attendees quickly find events that match their interests. Top it all off with Promoter‘s powerful email marketing features to keep your audience engaged and ticket sales flowing.
Think of these tools as your event marketing command center — each one amplifies the effectiveness of your sales strategies.
Implement these strategies to sell more tickets today
Success in ticket sales doesn’t come with trying everything at once — the trick is to choose the right strategies and implement them well. Start with the basics: optimize your event pages and set up smart pricing tiers. Then gradually add email campaigns and social media promotion to build momentum.
The Events Calendar makes this process smoother by giving you all the tools you need in one place. From customizable event pages to automated email campaigns, you can implement these strategies without juggling multiple platforms.Every event is unique, so test different approaches to see what works best for you. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll discover your winning combination for selling out events. Don’t wait — start implementing these tactics today and watch your ticket sales soar. Your next sold-out event is just around the corner!
The post How to Increase Ticket Sales for an Event: 6 Strategies for 2025 appeared first on The Events Calendar.