Selling Tickets – A Few Tips

Very few of our members are involved in a sales or marketing profession but we all want to sell tickets for our show to ensure that the audience is packed with friends and family. Here are a few tips for our members to help build up those all-important sales:

1/ Use the marketing materials provided by the club. Pin up posters and place flyers in as many places as possible. Wherever possible attach you name and contact details to ensure that the ticket sales are processed in your name and you get credit for the sale! Remember to ask permission before posting any advert in a public place.

2/ Approach family and friends first. They are less likely to need ‘persuading’ and will build your confidence in selling tickets. Remember that the prices charged are very reasonable for a night at the live theatre – there is no need to feel guilty for asking!! Use a family gathering as an occasion to bring the subject up – they may like to come to the show as a group.

3/ Make sure that you let everyone at work know that you are involved. If you work in a large office use email as an initial advert but do follow up with a personal visit – this can be very effective. Post flyers / posters in common areas like next to a drinks machine, the cafeteria or at the photocopier.

4/ Block bookings can really boost sales and are surprisingly easy to organise. Approach a church, a choir, a rival theatre group, an old folks home . . . basically any organisation that might be interested in arranging a social function. All you need to do is sell the idea to their social organiser and he or she will do the rest for you – EASY!!

5/ Remember to complete the ticket orders fully before handing them to the ticket convenor at a rehearsal and to keep a separate note of your ticket orders to make sure that all of your orders are delivered. All orders should be returned to you within 2 weeks.

6/ Gather ticket money from your customers as soon as possible and return it to the committee before the show begins to run. MOST IMPORTANT – never give a customer their tickets without first receiving their money (you may be left to pay their bill!!). It says clearly on the flyer and on the ticket that tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded. All outstanding ticket monies must be paid to the committee no later than the Tuesday following the show.

7/ The committee award a prize each year for the person who sells the most tickets . . . not that this should be your main motivation . . . you’re selling tickets for a great show!

Good luck and "SELL, SELL, SELL"!

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