Client Highlights

How Theatres can Boost Profits and Save Time with Instant Gift Certificates

  • Aron Kansal
    by Aron Kansal • January 7, 2016

Founder & CEO of SimpleTix.com, the World's most flexible e-Ticketing Platform. Entrepreneur and software developer by trade. My current role is SimpleTix is to seek out partnerships with other e-commerce platforms, payment gateways, and channel partnership opportunities.

In the competitive world of live, interactive theatre and entertainment, finding new ways to entice your audience is crucial.

Not only do you have to produce cutting-edge entertainment that keeps audiences coming back for more; you have to develop a seamless ticketing experience on your website. With more and more audience members searching for entertainment and booking tickets online, it’s imperative to provide exciting offers that are easy to take advantage of right from your website.

One of the most effective ways to increase profits is by offering digital gift certificates during checkout. Gift certificates inspire ticket buyers to consider friends and family when making their purchase. Tickets to a live show are a wonderful gift for birthdays, anniversaries, retirement and bachelor/bachelorette parties.

Boy enjoying watching a 3D movei

The simple act of offering a gift certificate during the checkout process makes your audience start thinking about all the people in their life who would enjoy seeing a show. Your job, as a dinner theatre or interactive entertainment group with a growing web presence, is to make gift certificate purchases easy to process for your staff and easy to purchase for your audience.

One of the best ways to do this is with SimpleTix gift certificate codes. SimpleTix allows you to sell gift certificates on your website in the same way that you sell tickets to shows. This automatic, error-proof feature generates a unique gift code at checkout, which clients can immediately share as a gift with their loved one or colleague.

With gift certificates, there’s always room for error. Staff might accidentally enter a code twice, or enter the wrong code altogether. What’s more, it can take hours out of your staff’s already-busy day to manually process gift certificate orders.

Because SimpleTix instantly generates a unique & single use gift certificate code at the time of purchase, theatre staff is freed to focus on more important aspects of production like touring, marketing, and season ticket sales.

SimpleTix can also create gift certificates based on seasonal deals being offered on your website such as “Black Friday” or “Cyber Monday”. For instance, let’s say your company is producing a holiday-themed show and you want to offer $50 gift certificates for just $25 each. The SimpleTix software will automatically recognize and offer the correct gift value to your customers as they check out, with zero heavy lifting for your sales staff.

Some of the most popular interactive theatre groups in the world are using SimpleTix to streamline gift certificate sales right from their websites.

The Jazz Academy of Music, a Maryland-based nonprofit that produces the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival along with dozens of live jazz events throughout the year, uses SimpleTix to simplify eticketing and sell gift certificates online. Users can choose gift certificate denominations from $5-$500, and easily share the automatically-generated, one-time use gift code with friends or family.

Interactive Theatre International (ITI), the production company behind the international sensation Faulty Towers The Dining Experience, is also using SimpeTix gift certificates to great effect. Theatre fans throughout Australia and the U.K. are using SimpleTix’s gift certificate feature to instantly gift theatre tickets and other ITI products to their friends, loved ones, and business associates.

According to Alison Pollard-Mansergh, Executive Producer and Artistic Director of ITI, “this new feature saves staff hours of time because they don’t have to manually create new codes.”

Offering online gift certificates is a fantastic way to boost profits and free up your staff’s time to focus on increasing ticket sales and building event buzz.

To find out how your theatre company can get started with SimpleTix gift certificates today, visit https://www.simpletix.com/blog/for-live-performances/.

Latest News

Related Articles

Event Planner

Religious Organizations

  • Aron Kansal
    by Aron Kansal • April 24, 2025

Overview Religious organizations have unique event needs—from weekly services and fundraisers to High Holy Day events. SimpleTix offers a comprehensive, affordable event ticketing system that simplifies registration, integrates online donation options, and enhances communication with your congregation. This lets you focus on your mission while managing events efficiently. Onboarding Process Create Your Account & Connect Your Payment Processor: Sign up for SimpleTix and integrate with Square, Stripe, or Authorize.net. Create Your Event: Enter event details, select ticket types (General Admission, Member, Guest), and add donation options. Customize Your Event Page: Reflect your organization’s branding and mission using logos, images, and compelling narratives. Integrate Communication Tools: Connect Mailchimp to automate email updates and engage your congregation. Download the Organizer App: Use the Organizer app for efficient on-site check-in and sales. Run a Test Event: Validate the complete process before going live. FAQs Can free events be managed? Yes, free events incur only a nominal fee. How do I handle reserved seating for High Holy Days? Use the seating chart designer for accurate seat assignments. How are donations processed? Donations are integrated directly into the ticketing flow. What if an attendee forgets their ticket? Check in attendees manually using the Organizer app.

Inspiration

Comedy Clubs

  • Aron Kansal
    by Aron Kansal • April 24, 2025

Overview Comedy clubs thrive on energy and engagement. SimpleTix provides a ticketing solution that supports both general admission and reserved seating, along with mobile check-in and seamless integration with Square for secure payments. Our system helps you maximize ticket sales and create a hassle-free experience for your audience. Onboarding Process Create Your Account & Connect Square: Sign up for SimpleTix and integrate your Square account. Launch Your Event: Enter show details, choose ticket types (General Admission, Reserved, VIP), and set pricing. Customize Your Event Page: Add your club’s logo, images, performer bios, and special offers. Set Up Promo Codes & Upsells: Create exclusive promo codes and add upsell items like drink packages through Square. Enable Mobile Check-In: Download the Organizer app for efficient on-site ticket scanning. Promote Your Show: Utilize social sharing, QR codes, and email campaigns to drive ticket sales. Run a Test Event: Confirm that the entire process works seamlessly before going live. FAQs Can I offer both reserved and GA tickets? Yes, simply create separate ticket types. How are on-site sales processed? Through the Organizer app with a Square card reader. How do I set up promo codes? Use our platform to create unique codes for discounts. What is the refund process? Refunds are processed directly via SimpleTix.

Event ticketing

Educational Workshops & Seminars

  • Aron Kansal
    by Aron Kansal • April 24, 2025

Overview Educational workshops and seminars demand a system that not only sells tickets but also facilitates learning. SimpleTix supports both in-person and virtual sessions with customizable registration forms, multiple pricing tiers, and seamless Zoom integration—allowing you to focus on delivering impactful educational experiences. Onboarding Process Create Your Account & Connect a Payment Processor: Sign up and integrate with Square or Stripe. (Optional) Connect Your Zoom Account: Enable virtual session integration. Create Your Event: Choose the event type (General Admission for in-person, Online Webinar for virtual) and input event details. Configure Ticketing Options: Set different pricing tiers (e.g., Standard, Student, Early Bird). Customize Registration Forms: Add custom questions to capture detailed attendee information. Integrate Mailchimp: Connect with Mailchimp to automate targeted email campaigns. Promote Your Event: Use social media, QR codes, and website embeds. Download the Organizer App & Run a Test: Ensure the complete setup is smooth before going live. FAQs Can I host hybrid events? Yes, SimpleTix supports both in-person and online sessions. How does Zoom integration work? Connect your Zoom Pro account under Settings > Plugins. Can I offer multiple pricing tiers? Yes, create separate ticket types for each pricing level. How do I handle cancellations? Refunds and cancellations are managed directly through the platform.

Sell More Tickets—More Easily

Attractions, seasonal events, performing arts centers and festivals love SimpleTix because it makes selling tickets… Simple!

GET STARTED FOR FREE