The Holiday Season Performance Program

Tips to Optimize Your Online Box Office
Leveraging a few simple design elements and features on your venues’ website and e.Venue site will increase online ticket purchases, enhance customer service, and create a conduit to get closer to patrons.

Try these tips:

1. Make it Easy to Buy Tickets
Keep it simple: each additional step patrons are required to perform to buy tickets is one step away from not purchasing! Turn these web-browsing patrons into online ticket buyers by getting them to the ticket purchase quickly.

• Feature a prominent, easy-to-find link to your online box office (aka e.Venue site) from your venue’s home page
• Showcase four to six major performances in the body of your homepage, with links directly to the purchase process
• Display a supporting marketing/branding image with your prominent shows to increase appeal and interest for your patrons
• Showcase your best-seller list to draw your patrons’ attention to “hot performances”
• Include a link to a calendar of events
• Feature links to “Today’s,” “Tomorrow’s” and “This Weekend’s” performances to drive timely ticket sales
• Offer a link to your “purchase a gift certificate” page

2. Present Essential Information for All of Your Performances
Eliminate confusion and reduce phone calls to your box office by highlighting essential details..

• Provide a short, yet compelling description of your performances to entice patrons to purchase tickets immediately or click-thru for more info
• Include the time, date, venue name, price, and the venue email address in the event summary
• If no more tickets are available for a performance, mark it as “sold out” or “no more tickets available”
• Provide a review alongside the performance listing to pique interest

3. Make the Purchase Process a Breeze
Increase online adoption rates and drive patron loyalty by offering a faster, more convenient alternative to the phone or box office.

• Make every show available and easy to find for purchase online, 24/7
• Clearly display all steps in the checkout process to eliminate confusion (e.g., “1 – Select Show, 2 – Purchase Tickets, 3 – Verify Order, 4 – Complete Order”)
• Include a confirmation page in your order process that lists show purchased, number of tickets, date/time, patron contact data, and shipping/billing address
• Offer multiple ways for your patrons to receive their tickets (e.g., mail, FedEx, will call, print-at-home, credit card)
• Implement a post-purchase email confirmation that provides order details and communicates important performance information including: parking tips, sold out situations, or other promotional messages

4. Gather Feedback
Establish an online communication channel to help foster and enrich your patron relationships.

• Add a “Give Us Your Feedback” link encouraging patrons to offer comments about your site
• Create a form for patrons to make requests about shows they would like to see
• Add online polls to measure interest about specific shows or packages
• Make it easy to find your contact information – patrons often need to clarify a simple issue before making their purchase, or want to pick up the phone while browsing and ask a question.
  
  

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