Implementing ticket sales and payment processing at events can raise questions and even concerns, but with good planning and the right choices, they can be carried out with minimal effort.
What are the key things to pay attention to in event ticket sales? We have implemented ticket sales with Eventos for a wide range of professional and public events, and in this blog we have gathered some practical tips.
Immediate payment or invoicing?
In public events, ticket purchase and payment usually take place at the same time. In professional and corporate events, however, it is often possible to request an invoice for registration-related services and fees.
We recommend using real-time payment services also for corporate events and collecting payments already at the time of registration. This way, funds become available faster and payment processing costs can be kept as low as possible.
Payment processing in international events
In international events, real-time payment means enabling credit card payments, as not all participants have access to Finnish banks’ payment services.
Credit card payments incur higher transaction fees, which should be taken into account in event ticket revenue. Especially for high-priced tickets, the fees charged by the credit card provider can add up to a significant total amount.
Eventos includes ready-made support for Paytrail’s payment methods, ranging from domestic online banking payments to international credit cards. Paytrail pricing can be found here.
Consider costs if you offer invoicing as an option
If the event requires offering invoicing options to participants, it can also be implemented at reasonable cost and with minimal effort through proper planning. Eventos offers several options for handling invoicing.
For public events, we recommend using Paytrail’s invoicing options, so the event organizer does not need to worry about sending invoices, tracking payments, or collection procedures.
In professional or corporate events, you can collect billing details through the registration form and let Eventos generate a ready-made invoice to be sent to the participant’s email.
You can also collect all invoicing data and transfer it in bulk to your accounting system. This way, all financial data is stored in a single system, and for example accounts receivable management can be handled centrally.
Invoice data can be transferred manually or via an automated interface. Eventos provides ready-made export files for the most common accounting systems in accordance with the Finvoice 3.0 standard, or as customized files for systems such as Fennoa, Procountor, and Netvisor.
We can enable the API service for each customer individually.
Providing invoicing services inevitably involves additional work, and therefore it is sensible to pass at least part of the costs on to customers as an invoicing fee. The invoicing fee also encourages customers to make real-time payments, which benefits all parties.
Encourage early ticket purchases
The most convenient way to encourage customers to buy event tickets early is tiered pricing. In addition to improving early cash flow, early bird campaigns also help event organizers forecast demand.
You can run early bird campaigns either using discount codes or more straightforwardly by increasing the ticket price on a predefined date. Discount codes are useful, for example, when you want to open sales at a special price for specific target groups (such as members of an industry association). A discount code given to a specific group can create a sense of exclusivity, which in the best case leads to a more engaged customer base.
Attract more participants by offering group tickets
Discounted prices can also be used to attract groups and thereby increase event attendance. Group ticket sales should be well coordinated to ensure a good customer experience. Eventos offers versatile options for selling and distributing even large volumes of group tickets.
If a significant number of attendees are coming from the same organization, it is advisable to handle ticket purchases and the collection and storage of participant details using two separate forms. This allows group ticket sales to be opened well in advance, while participants can “register” for the event later using a code provided to them.
Convenient and environmentally friendly mobile ticket
Participant eligibility can be easily verified by scanning a ticket or QR code at the event entrance. In corporate and professional events, a service model has become increasingly common where a participant badge is automatically printed when the ticket is scanned at the entrance reader. At the same time, the system records the person’s arrival.
The requirement for a physical ticket or a self-printed participant badge at public events is no longer justified. A mobile ticket is easy for participants to use and is always readily available. In addition, it is environmentally friendly and often more cost-effective.
What else should be kept in mind?
Many factors affect the success of event ticket sales, so we recommend involving an experienced partner in the planning as early as possible.
The ticketing system must be easy to use for both participants and organizers. Pricing strategy, ticket types, and payment methods should be carefully considered, as they influence purchasing behavior. Data protection and cancellation terms must also be taken into account. Smooth ticket delivery and validation at the event entrance complete a good purchasing experience.
If you are unsure about how to implement ticket sales, get in touch with us. We are happy to help you find the most suitable model for your event. You can also ask us more about exhibition sales.