Three Big Ideas to Make Your Recital More Profitable

Notas del editor

1. Many studio owners ask: "Should I charge a recital fee or just do ticket sales?" The answer is BOTH. The recital fee is great, because it allows you to capture revenue at the first of the year. But a ticket sale is preferred because it presents an opportunity, further in the year, closer to the recital, for the credit cards to come out again. We’ve seen this common theme among the most profitable studios we deal with. They combine these two concepts. They collect a recital fee early in the year, then have an official ticket onsale date, closer to the recital. And that leads us to BIG Idea #1…
2. Now, I put BUNDLE first in this phrase just to preserve the BIG acronym, but we can’t overlook the importance of selling online. Journal of Consumer Research  found that how consumers pay for a product changes their mindset after the purchase. When consumers use credit cards, the cost is overlooked and euphoria sets in. The same study discussed “the credit card premium,” which means consumers spend more when they use a credit card than when they make purchases with cash. What that means for you is that you can present purchase options at this phase and customers will be more likely to buy, especially if they perceive that there is a bundle. The bundle doesn’t even have to be discounted!
3. ALL of our clients who sell merch online in advance report higher merch sales, with some reporting a 2x increase over previous years when they would accept cash only at the event. In addition, online sales enable you to more closely approximate the amount of merch you need to have on hand, so you have less inventory that goes unsold.
4. Recognize that your seats are your inventory, and sell them in the most appropriate way to make more money. Seats in the front are worth more than seats in the back. If ticket buyers complain about a change in prices this year, explain that prices for the seats in the back are the same, but seats in the front are worth more, and therefore cost more. So, why should you price seats according to their value? Better experience for the ticket buyer = higher perceived value. Offer perks for more loyal families. Increases urgency to get the ticket = you get the money in hand sooner. 
5. Reserved seating is a type of seating setup in which the ticket buyer can choose specific seats they want to sit in. Now, why is this important? The average price paid in 2016 for a general admission ticket to a dance recital nationwide was $10.80, vs. $14.03 for a reserved ticket! That's a 30% difference!
6. Moreover, the average gross per event with general admission seating was $1,715, while the average gross per event with reserved seating was $5,370! Don't leave money on the table!
7. Owners put forth an inordinate amount of effort into producing a recital, and most of the time, the only people exposed are the ones who already know how great their studio is! That’s such a waste! Your RECITAL is a prime opportunity to SHOWCASE your studio to prospective families and the community. Invite “warm” prospects to your recital Donate Tickets to Community Charities Leverage local schools / end of year activities
8. BUNDLE and sell online Manage your INVENTORY wisely Use your recital to GENERATE LEADS So you want to sell tickets and merchandise online—now what?
9. TutuTix: The Easiest Way to Sell and Distribute Tickets to Your Dance Performances
10. It's easy to get started with our easy online sign-up form. We just need some basic information in order to set up your events, including: Your event info The ticket prices The date you want your tickets to go on sale Your seating chart (if you plan on using assigned seating) Your dedicated relationship manager will walk you through the process and help you fill in the blanks, and answer any questions you may have. After we have your information, our staff sets up your event, and you'll get a final opportunity to review your event before we make tickets available to the public.
11. Codes? Comps? No Problem! With more than 1,200 clients nationwide, chances are, we've done every kind of presale setup there is. We can do: Reserved seating, general admission and mixed reserved/general seating. Promo codes, discount codes and comps. Password-protected onsales. Shopping cart for multiple performances or merchandise sales.
12. When your tickets go on sale, your patrons can buy them: Online at tututix.com/yourstudioname On their mobile devices On your Facebook page From our toll-free call center
13. For reserved seating, online ticket buyers can select their own seats with our easy-to-use seatPower seat selector.
14. To Your Patrons - Your patrons can choose to get tickets delivered instantly to their email or smartphone, or to have souvenir tickets mailed to them. Tickets are mailed out immediately, and usually arrive within one week of purchase. And to You - A few days before the event, we print any unsold tickets on the same keepsake ticket stock and ship them directly to you for FREE as part of our Door Ticket Kit so that you can have tickets on hand for door sales.
15. We deposit ticket proceeds into your account weekly, giving you the flexibility to use those funds when you need them.
16. Your patrons can choose to have full-color, foil-embossed barcoded keepsake tickets mailed to them. We even print the dancer's name directly on the tickets! Tickets are mailed out immediately, and usually arrive within one week of purchase.
17. Our print-at home tickets are customizable! You can promote upcoming classes, workshops or performances, or even sell advertising to your event sponsors!
18. Our FREE door ticket kit makes it easy to sell any remaining tickets on the day of your event.
19. Need an easy way to scan tickets at the door? Our free scanner apps are available for iPhone and Android.
20. Send us your questions at tututix.com/contact-us. If you're ready to get started, simply fill out our easy online sign-up form.