Struggling to sell tickets in today’s crowded live events market? If you’re looking for ways to outshine the competition, you’re in luck! Our friends at Bauer Entertainment Marketing have shared their top ten SMS and email marketing tips to help maximize your ticket sales. From click-worthy subject lines to attention-grabbing graphics, these tips will help ensure every event is a hit.
1. Try sending from the artist
“An email from Beyoncé? No way!” Updating the “From” field of your promotional emails with the artist’s name is a creative way to generate excitement for your upcoming event. It can help capture attention and makes fans feel special when they see an email from your headliner. BEM’s President, Brian Bauer, notes that “clients have seen increased open rates and more ticket sales” when the message appears to be from the artist.
2. Lean into urgency
Capitalize on the fact that people don’t like missing out. Creating a sense of urgency by emphasizing time or scarcity can convince fans to buy tickets now rather than later. BEM’s copy editor, Kez, says, “Subject lines and texts that convey urgency (e.g., ‘LAST CALL,’ ‘Tickets are going FAST!’) are good eye-catchers that can push people to open messages and engage.”
3. Limit ctas
Calls-to-action (CTAs) are important design elements to guide your subscribers to take action. But, too many can be distracting or overwhelming. Advertising Specialist Callie Donovan suggests, “Eliminating multiple options allows people to act on a specific CTA.” Carefully design and limit your CTAs by using capital letters, bold fonts, italics, or bright colors to attract readers.
4. Make your first line strong
Your title and first line need to be engaging. Senior Account Manager Brittany Kenner says, “For SMS, similarly to an email’s preview text, the first line of copy has to draw the reader in without feeling spammy. Fans are constantly being bombarded with marketing messages, so starting your first line strong is a must.” Keep your audience guessing and interested in your message so there’s a larger chance they’ll want to learn more.
5. Add a profile avatar
A picture is worth a thousand words, and adding an avatar is a simple way to stand out within your audience’s inbox. It also makes your company look more recognizable and personable. KB, BEM’s Content Marketing Manager, says, “Whether it’s a profile pic, your company’s logo, or an animated logo, the purpose is to differentiate your brand.”
6. Keep it short n' sweet
Who has time to read a novel in an email? Keep it snappy, and make them want more. Account Coordinator Jared Berlin advises, “Give just enough info to make people curious about your webpage rather than info-dumping in an email.” Get them curious enough to click through to your site and watch those traffic numbers rise.
7. Make copy fun
Add some sparkle to your copy to keep readers engaged. Faith Galloway, BEM’s Director of Operations, suggests, “Don’t be afraid to be playful with your copy if it fits with the tone of your brand.” Injecting fun can make your messages more memorable, keeping your audience interested and excited about attending more events.
8. Use gifs
People get tons of marketing messages every day so you want yours to be one of the few that stands out. Email blasts and texts can go from drab to fab in just a few seconds with GIFs. Account Coordinator Cam Elkins says, “GIFs cycle through images, presenting an engaging way to make email blasts pop.” Try adding a GIF at the start of your copy to catch your audience's eye from the get-go.
9. Personalize your content
Want people to actually read about your events? Tailor your content for different audience segments. Account Coordinator Alexis Loebick explains, “Brands often send overly general content. We've found that personalized content to segmented audiences boosts metrics.” For example, create two versions of your newsletter: one for current ticket buyers and one for non-buyers. Buyers care about on-site experiences, while non-buyers need reasons to purchase the ticket.
10. Always use A/B testing
A/B testing is essential. Split test subject lines, offers, emojis—whatever you want. Account Coordinator Joscelyn Raya says, “Split testing is the best way to gather clear evidence if one approach works better.” Bauer Entertainment Marketing suggests testing with 20% of your audience and picking the winner based on open rates within four hours. Split testing can seriously boost your email performance.
Wrap up
Wrapping up your marketing strategies with the right mix of SMS and email can significantly improve your ticket sales. By leveraging these tips from Bauer Entertainment Marketing, you'll be ready to create engaging, click-worthy campaigns that stand out in today's crowded live events market. Just remember, it's all about personalization, urgency, and making your content visually appealing and fun.