Set Up Your School for a Sell-Out Crowd with Digital Ticketing
With the fall season in full swing, high schools around the country have been kicking off their big games in front of huge crowds. Football games bring the community together through school spirit and pride. What can you do when you are expecting a sell out for the big rivalry game and want to make the process as smooth as possible? Sell out more events Through digital ticketing, schools can monitor ticket sales in real-time. They can communicate with their fanbase via social media when they reach certain thresholds that an event is nearly sold-out. The best examples of posts like these inform fans of the large expected crowds, urge people to buy their tickets early, and provide the link to their box office in the post. Related post: Increase Ticket Sales by Using Social Media Use reporting tools to be proactive If a large crowd is expected for your event, it’s important to have fans purchase their tickets as early as possible. This prevents your gate workers from feeling overwhelmed with ticket purchasers at the gate, and fans can easily get into the game. Tracking attendance in real-time as game day approaches allows you to be proactive by opening up additional entrance gates, adding staff members or volunteers, and even increasing concession stand inventory. Use your seat map to show available seats If you’re using reserved seating or seat maps provided by HomeTown, you can show which seats are still available. Take a screenshot of the seatmap in your box office and post a message such as, “Seats at the 50 yard line are selling out fast!” or “Get your general admission seats before they’re gone!” Related post: 5 Ways to Promote Your Events Be proud and create some hype It’s also important to let fans know on social media when a game is officially sold out. Not only does this inform your fans that tickets are no longer available, but it also creates hype and excitement for the big game. It can even create urgency for fans to purchase tickets early for future games as well. Related post: 4 Tips for using Digital Ticketing for Event Planning
HomeTown Ticketing Acquires Ticket Spicket to Accelerate Modernization of Event Ticketing
Strategic combination, backed by Nexa Equity, creates the leading community-focused ticketing and event management platform supporting more than 16,500 K–12 schools, community organizations, associations, and conferences. COLUMBUS, OH – October 20, 2022For Immediate Release HomeTown Ticketing Inc., the leading provider of digital ticketing for schools, districts, conferences, and associations, and a Nexa Equity portfolio company, announced today it has completed the acquisition of Ticket Spicket, a Virginia-based digital ticketing platform focused on the K-12 market. The acquisition expands HomeTown’s capabilities and broadens the company’s geographic presence across the United States. The combined company will serve more than 300,000 events annually and 40 million fans in all 50 states. The move to digital payments has transformed the way K-12 schools, colleges, athletic conferences, and associations conduct business at events and tournaments. Further, the adoption of virtual ticketing and payment solutions allows athletic directors and school administrators to more efficiently manage, promote, staff, and execute events and extracurricular activities than ever before. HomeTown’s acquisition of Ticket Spicket will enable even more schools and associations to take advantage of the benefits of digital-first ticketing solutions, including increased time savings, more automated processes, and real-time data reporting and communication tools. “We are thrilled that Ticket Spicket is joining the HomeTown Ticketing family,” said Ryan Hart, Chairman of HomeTown Ticketing. “The acquisition brings together the two fastest-growing leaders in the virtual ticketing space under one roof and translates to immediate value for our customers as a result of an even more robust and feature-rich platform.” Both HomeTown and Ticket Spicket customers will benefit from near-term product enhancements, future innovation, and improved customer service, with no disruption to their service or offerings. Together, HomeTown and Ticket Spicket will have 250 employees dedicated to more than 16,500 K-12 schools, community organizations, associations, and conferences across the country. Ticket Spicket Co-Founders Russell Hertzberg and Donnie Schemetti, who will join HomeTown and continue to support the Ticket Spicket platform, said, “We’re excited to partner with HomeTown Ticketing, a fast-growing company that shares our values and commitment to customer service. We look forward to continuing our mission with expanded resources as part of the broader HomeTown team.” Ticket Spicket is HomeTown’s first acquisition since Nexa Equity, a private equity firm focused on rapidly scaling software and fintech companies, invested in the company earlier this year. Vlad Besprozvany, Managing Partner at Nexa Equity, said, “We are thrilled to support both HomeTown and its management team in the strategic acquisition of Ticket Spicket.” Todd Cramer, Principal at Nexa Equity, added, “This acquisition enables both teams to further execute on their combined goals of bringing digital-first solutions to schools and organizations.” About HomeTown Ticketing HomeTown Ticketing is the leading digital ticketing provider in both K-12 and collegiate spaces, serving schools, districts, conferences, and associations. A professional-level and fully automated ticketing solution, HomeTown’s in-house developed, proprietary ticketing platform offers unmatched value with easy-to-use purchasing and redemption options, custom box-offices, event and fan specific reporting tools and secure financial management features. Intuitive and easy-to-use for both event organizers and ticket buyers, HomeTown never touches the event organizer’s funds. Learn more about HomeTown at hometownticketing.com or follow HomeTown Ticketing on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. About Ticket Spicket Ticket Spicket’s pro-level digital ticketing platform has changed the game for high school athletic departments and student activities programs since launching in early 2016. As the official ticket partner of the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA), Ticket Spicket is proud to be working together with customers in nearly 50 states across the U.S. For more information, visit ticketspicket.com or follow Ticket Spicket on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. About Nexa Equity Nexa Equity is a San Francisco, California based private equity firm that partners with founder-led, rapidly scaling SaaS and fintech companies that address markets underserved by technology to create enduring value for the benefit of its investors and portfolio companies. The firm has more than $250 million in private equity capital under management and is focused on continuing to grow its portfolio of companies. The Nexa Equity team brings substantial investing and operational experience to the table and helps management teams professionalize and scale their businesses and drive long-term sustainable growth. For more information, please visit nexaequity.com. Media ContactAmy Christieamy.christie@hometownticketing.com
4 Tips for using Digital Ticketing for Event Planning
When you’re planning important events, ticketing should be stress-free. Here are four simple tips that will help you plan ahead for a smooth, successful event. 1. Track Real-Time Ticket Sales in Your Box Office Predicting event attendance is crucial to event preparation. Our cloud-based platform monitors real-time sales to track planned attendance, so you know when to ramp up staff or onsite capabilities to accommodate larger crowds. Quick tip: Want to make sure your guests get to the right location? When setting up your event, copy and paste the address directly from Google Maps. In the order confirmation email, purchasers will receive a Google Map link with directions to your venue. This step will ensure that your fans receive the correct directions. 2. Provide Link for Online Tickets to Social Media Followers One of the most effective ways to promote your event is by sharing the link on social media. Your built-in audience will see the reminder about the event and be able to click your post to go directly to your Box Office. Related post: Increase Ticket Sales by Using Social Media Quick tip: Facebook and Twitter will allow you to link directly to other websites, however, Instagram does not offer links within posts. One workaround is sharing links through their Stories feature. 3. Offer Exclusive Access with Pre-Sale and Passcode Features Do you have an exclusive event that’s likely to sell out? Provide a VIP experience to proud families, supportive friends, and loyal fans with our passcode-protected presale options. You can also set a ticket limit per ID number or use promo codes to promote early ticket sales. Related post: Set Up Your School Dance Tickets Online Quick tip: Using student ID numbers as passcodes is the easiest way to secure your events’ tickets and make certain that only your students have access to purchase. This is a great option for student-only events, such as school dances. 4. Avoid Lines and Enhance Guest Experience No one wants to wait in a long line! Online presale tickets, fast-scanning entries, and in-app ticket purchases all help avoid an overwhelmed box office. Guests will appreciate how quick and easy the experience is, and they can focus on celebrating your big event. Related post: Scanning, Security, and a Professional-Level Ticketing Experience Quick tip: Offer cashless payment options, like credit cards, for attendees and avoid having your staff handle cash. This will streamline the process even further and keep your staff focused on a successful event, rather than counting money and making change. Using QR code posters at the gate of your events allows fans to access tickets onsite through their mobile device.
