Let’s be honest, as event planners and producers, your job isn’t simply to order catering and hire some hype-worthy speakers. While it may seem like that to the outside world, planning a hybrid event is tough freaking work. And it doesn’t end at planning the logistics or content. Many times, it is also your responsibility to get butts in seats—both virtually and in-person during the ever-growing popularity of hybrid events. It’s hard to do it all. So, know that if you’re struggling to sell tickets to your hybrid event, you’re not alone. Here are a few ways we help our clients increase their ticket sales when they’re struggling to sell tickets to their hybrid event.
Ensure Your Event Pricing Strategy is Diversified
Whatever you do, don’t offer one ticket price for your event.
You need a diverse event pricing structure that offers tiered pricing levels offering unique benefits. This needs to be offered for both in-person attendees and virtual attendees when it comes to a hybrid event.
Create an event pricing strategy that incorporates things like:
- Team pricing
- BOGO options
- Early-bird discounts
- VIP add-ons
- Training add-ons
- Merchandise add-ons
- Exclusive access passes
- … And more
The more add-on options you monetize, the more money you will make off the tickets you do sell.
Since 80% of virtual events are free, your virtual event pricing needs to be significantly less than your in-person pricing. However, the good news is the average price for a paid virtual event is $443, so you can charge even higher for your in-person attendees.
Keep in mind though, that means you need to ensure your attendees see the value of attending in-person to pay the premium.
What’s your value-add for on-site attendees? Maybe only in-person attendees receive the on-demand presentation access, or they get a signed copy of your latest book with a live Q&A session with you. Something invaluable, that you can place a value on.
Offer an Incentive or Gift Item for Registering
People love freebies.
How many times have you pre-ordered a book just to gain access to the free e-learning course for those that purchase early? Or how many times have you registered for a 5K even though you don’t want to run, just to get the super nice Adidas shirt and medal when you cross the finish line?
No matter what the event or launch is, provide a gift or incentive for registrations. For your in-person attendees, offer exclusive access to a VIP speaker reception. For virtual attendees, give them a discount on one of your upcoming masterminds or a surprise gift box shipped to their house with newly launched products that will prompt them to register. Things like that can help increase your registrations overnight!
Here are a few other ideas:
- Entry into a cash or prize drawing for all in-person attendees
- A high-quality webcam for virtual attendees (even better, get them as an in-kind sponsor donation)
- Food vouchers to enjoy a meal while they watch the event for virtual attendees
- A signed book from a speaker for all attendees
- Annual access to your content portal for all attendees
Revise Your Pre-Event Marketing Messaging
Event attendees register to gain knowledge and exclusivity.
The top reasons someone is going to register for an event is because they’re going to learn something or they’re going to gain access to an experience they wouldn’t get otherwise. If you’re not addressing those two things in your promotional messaging, you’re leaving money on the table. Convince your target audience you’re going to give them something they can’t live without and can’t find elsewhere—whether that’s exclusive access or unparalleled knowledge. Create a little FOMO and convince them that your event is the one they need to be at. It’s all in the messaging!
Real-Time Exercise:
- Look at an event promotion from an event you attended recently.
- What piqued your interest?
- What made you hit that “register” button?
- Now, put yourself in your attendees’ shoes and do this activity in reverse.
- Use this and implement it in your own messaging.
But Remember, Ticket Sales Aren’t the Only Way to Monetize Your Hybrid Event
While registrations and ticket sales are a huge revenue channel for your hybrid event, remember it’s not the only channel. There are sponsor opportunities and merchandising opportunities you can capture as well—we wrote another blog about it. If you want help increasing your ticket sales or designing a hybrid event strategy that’s profitable, let’s chat about how Eventistry by Alecia’s team can help you.
