Pre-Sale vs. General Admission: How to Build Anticipation and Drive Sales

TicketBlox Merlin December 30, 2024 4 min read
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One of the most powerful tools in an event promoter’s arsenal is the pre-sale strategy.

By creating exclusivity and building anticipation, pre-sales not only generate early revenue but also set the tone for the rest of your ticketing campaign.

However, balancing pre-sale tickets with general admission availability requires careful planning to ensure a successful event.

In this post, we’ll dive into the benefits of pre-sales, how to create a sense of exclusivity, and strategies to balance pre-sale and general admission ticket allocations.

What Are Pre-Sale Tickets?

Pre-sale tickets are offered to a select group of customers before general admission tickets go live. These sales are often targeted at loyal fans, email subscribers, or specific partner audiences, giving them early access to secure their spot.

Benefits of Pre-Sales

  1. Early Revenue Boost
    Pre-sales generate upfront cash flow, which can be reinvested into event production, marketing, or other critical expenses.
  2. Predicting Demand
    Early sales provide insight into the popularity of your event, helping you adjust marketing efforts or release additional tiers if demand is high.
  3. Building Momentum
    A successful pre-sale creates buzz around your event. Sharing milestones like "50% of tickets sold during pre-sale!" can drive FOMO (fear of missing out) and push undecided buyers to act during general admission.
  4. Rewarding Loyal Fans
    Offering early access is a great way to thank your loyal customers and nurture long-term relationships.

How to Build Exclusivity in Your Pre-Sales

Exclusivity is the key to a successful pre-sale. Here’s how to make it work:

  1. Create VIP Access Opportunities
    Limit pre-sale tickets to a specific audience, such as:
    • Email subscribers
    • Followers on social media
    • Previous attendees
      This makes pre-sale access feel like a reward.
  2. Leverage Limited-Time Offers
    Add urgency to your pre-sale by setting a clear time limit, such as 48 or 72 hours. Promote this deadline heavily to encourage quick action.
  3. Bundle Pre-Sale Tickets with Perks
    Incentivize pre-sale purchases by including perks like:
    • Exclusive merchandise
    • Discounted add-ons (e.g., parking or VIP upgrades)
    • Early entry to the event
  4. Use Pre-Sale Codes
    Provide unique codes for early access to create an additional layer of exclusivity. This works well for sponsors, partners, and influencers.

Balancing Pre-Sale and General Admission Tickets

While pre-sales are great, they shouldn’t overshadow your general admission strategy. Here's how to maintain balance:

  1. Limit Pre-Sale Inventory
    Allocate a portion of tickets (e.g., 30-50%) for pre-sale, leaving the majority for general admission. This ensures there’s enough availability for later buyers.
  2. Keep Pricing Consistent Across Phases
    Avoid pricing confusion by maintaining consistent ticket prices between pre-sale and general admission. Instead, offer pre-sale buyers perks or early access as the incentive.
  3. Communicate Ticket Tiers Clearly
    Clearly outline what’s included in pre-sale vs. general admission tickets to avoid confusion. Transparency builds trust and prevents buyer frustration.
  4. Monitor Demand in Real Time
    If pre-sales sell out quickly, consider releasing an additional pre-sale batch or opening general admission earlier. Conversely, if pre-sale tickets underperform, focus on ramping up your general admission marketing.

Maximizing General Admission Sales

Once pre-sales close, it’s time to shift focus to general admission. Use these strategies to capitalize on momentum:

  1. Announce Sold-Out Pre-Sale Tickets
    Highlighting a sold-out pre-sale creates urgency and positions your event as a hot ticket. Use language like “Pre-sale tickets sold out in record time. Don’t miss your chance to grab general admission!”
  2. Ramp Up Marketing Efforts
    Use email campaigns, retargeting ads, and social media posts to drive awareness and excitement for general admission.
  3. Tier General Admission Tickets
    Offer staggered pricing (e.g., early bird, standard, and last-minute) to encourage buyers to act sooner rather than later.
  4. Keep Communicating Availability
    Regularly update potential buyers on ticket availability to create FOMO. For example, “Only 100 tickets left at this price!”

Final Thoughts

Pre-sale and general admission are two sides of the same coin in a successful ticketing strategy. While pre-sales help you secure early revenue and build buzz, general admission ensures your event reaches its full capacity. By creating exclusivity during pre-sales, maintaining balance between ticket tiers, and maximizing general admission opportunities, you can build anticipation and drive ticket sales at every stage of your campaign.

Remember: the key to success lies in understanding your audience, managing inventory carefully, and communicating clearly. Get these steps right, and you’ll not only sell out your event but also create a loyal base of attendees eager for your next big announcement.

Ready to start your ticketing journey? Start planning your pre-sale strategy today and set the stage for a sold-out event!