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Festival Software That Can Help You Run a Great Event
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Orchestrating any event can be a major undertaking. Pulling off a great festival presents unique challenges, especially since some festivals take place over multiple days. Whether your festival is something as laid back as an outdoor harvest festival, as intense as a big-stage rock concert, or you happen to be hosting one of the world’s biggest food fights, the backend logistics can be overwhelming to say the least. One thing that shouldn’t be overwhelming is selling your tickets. A seamless ticketing experience is crucial to your event’s success. The right festival software gives you all the tools you need to sell your tickets digitally, drive revenue, and make sure your festival will be an awesome experience for everyone. The fact is that festivals are a crucial part of the culture in many cities across the country, and venues have once again begun to fill with festival goers. Event ticketing software helps you meet their expectations with easy, contactless ticket sales for multiple days’ events, the ability to offer unlimited ticket types, upselling with addons like concessions and special parking, event reminders and personalized email campaigns, and many other features to optimize the festival experience. Here’s everything you need to know about how SimpleTix’s festival software can help you run a great event. Table of Contents: 1. Festival Software That Streamlines Ticketing 2. Promoting Your Festival with Mailchimp 3. Post-Event Reconciliation with Quickbooks Festival Software That Streamlines Ticketing There are many software platforms on the market for digital event ticket sales, but few offer the user-friendly customizability festival coordinators and their attendees need. SimpleTix is an event ticketing app built for you to maximize festival ticket pre-sales and customize your entire ticketing process easily. Several key features of SimpleTix make this possible. Festival Mode Most apps treat festivals as an afterthought,...
Pay with Square Gift Card… is now here!
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The #1 Request we've had in 2021 - When will you support Square Gift Cards? Square Gift Cards give venues so much flexibility. Want to buy your best friend tickets to the zoo? You’re just not sure what date and time would be best for them.Get ’em a Gift Card! They can later use it online to buy the tickets and pick the best time slot of their schedule. Next time you need to refund an order, make it an opportunity! Imagine the next time you need to refund an order, you can instead ask the patron if they would be interested in supporting your organization and take their refund as a gift card. Thus they can use it for a future event. After enabling Square Gift Cards as a checkout option, the next time you do a refund you’ll have the option to create a Square Gift Card for the order’s amount. This helps keep your cash flow positive. Canceling an event is devastating. Turn it into an opportunity! This August 2021, the COVID-19 Delta variant is starting to spread and jurisdictions are requiring event organizers to postpone or cancel their events. If you have to cancel an event with over 25 orders SimpleTix can offer a special type of bulk refund option for you. Want to simply give all of the attendees a full refund – we can still do that. However, we can offer you a better option now. We can send an email to all ticket buyers and offer them a quick link where they can click and get a full refund. Below this, we’ll include a message, written by you where you explain the reason for the event’s cancellation and how taking a Square Gift Card instead of a refund help your organization stay afloat. The ticket buyer can then click a button to create their Square Gift Card. They can use this...
5 Ways Zoo Software Can Simplify Ticketing
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Purchasing a ticket will most likely be a visitor’s first interaction with your zoo, and a smooth and simple ticket purchasing experience will have you off to a good start. Zoo software facilitates a more positive overall experience for both visitors and staff during your ticketing process. Why is it important to create a good customer experience? Because good experiences make your customers more valuable. They are more likely to spend more in the gift shop, return for another visit, and spread the word about how stellar your zoo is. Every good experience makes the case for your zoo's cause, and when visitors see the value of your cause and believe in it, they are more likely to become members. Most people believe memberships are superior to a donation in supporting a nonprofit's mission. Members are more likely to donate more on top of their membership fees, and they may even champion your cause in their corporate and personal lives. This is a broad view, but it's true. Your most loyal members start out as satisfied visitors. And every visit begins with a ticket. Table of Contents 1. Purchasing Tickets Online Enhances the Process for your Visitors 2. Zoo Software Integrated with Square Boosts On-Site Ticketing 3. Your Staff and Visitors Save Time with Zoo Software 4. Zoo Software Offers Flexible Ticketing 5. Streamline Entry with Zoo Software Purchasing Tickets Online Enhances the Process for your Visitors With zoo software, your guests’ zoo visits start at home. They can conveniently purchase their tickets at home any time of the day, any day of the week. When visitors arrive for their much-anticipated zoo day with their tickets already purchased, they can skip the line at the ticket booth and head straight to the entrance, tickets in hand. These advance tickets will...
The Event App Similar to Eventbrite – but Simpler
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As an event manager or organizer, you have tickets to sell, social distancing guidelines to follow, and an event to run. Keeping everything organized from start to finish helps you create a memorable event. However, certain event management apps, such as Eventbrite, aren’t as streamlined as they need to be and cost a lot of money. Using an app similar to Eventbrite is the solution you didn’t know you needed. SimpleTix offers a streamlined alternative to Eventbrite. It’s the less complicated solution for running your event. You get improved: Event organization Ticketing functionality Social distancing ticketing Payments for better budgeting Communication with event attendees Integration with 20 payment gateways Effortless Event Organization Alternative to Eventbrite Event management requires a huge investment of time. To get it right, you have to see the big picture as well as the details. Going back and forth with a complicated event platform takes the event specialist’s attention away from creating a memorable, well-organized event. If you’re an event specialist, you have almost certainly heard of, and possibly used, the Eventbrite platform. Similar to Eventbrite, many ticketing apps let you create a website for your event, but few of them give you much control over branding and other elements. You may have noticed the clunky aspects of Eventbrite’s user interface, and that your main page is covered in their branding. It’s pretty hard amid all that visual noise for your potential event participants to find the one thing they came for—tickets. Using a fully integrated platform similar to Eventbrite, like SimpleTix, takes the chaos out of event organization, giving you more control and flexibility over ticket prices, capacity limits, discounts, and more. With SimpleTix, you get access to a straightforward event website designed to help you sell tickets to your event. What’s even better is...
The Simplest Alternative to Eventbrite for Running Your Event
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You’ve got your event planned, your venue secured, and your dates locked. Your initial thought may be to sell tickets through the ubiquitous Eventbrite; however, with a high cost burden and lack of control, it will be in your best interest to seek an Eventbrite alternative. The ideal ticketing platform should be easy to use, accessible to all, and puts the event organizers and attendees first. An alternative to Eventbrite will make pulling off your event easier than before, because you get to throw your event your way. With the right ticketing platform, you can save money and pull off the perfect event for your attendees. Table of Contents 1. Organize Your Event with Ease 2. Events Should be Fun for Everyone - Including the Organizers 3. An Alternative to Eventbrite Pays Out Instantly with Lower Fees Organize Your Event with Ease An alternative to Eventbrite should give you more control for different aspects of your events while still being user-friendly. Ticket Customization Custom ticket prices, bundles, and discounts will give your event an edge to potential guests. With infinite options and add-ons, ticket purchasers can find the right fit for their wants and needs. SimpleTix allows for an infinite number of custom ticket discounts, bundles, and other modifications. Your event is unique, and you should be able to structure ticket pricing as you choose. Event Website or Widget SimpleTix offers users a straightforward event website to sell tickets or a widget to embed on their own page. Guests don’t need to download an app or look at branding that is not your own, or events you are not advertising like other platforms will do. You can also update the website yourself should anything change. Purchasing tickets will often be the attendees’ first point of contact with your event, so...
Labor shortage leaving you short-handed? SimpleTix helps you cover the gaps.
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If you've driven past a strip of fast food restaurants lately, you've probably noticed how many of them have "HIRING NOW" signs in the window. Some may have even reduced their operating hours due to being so short-staffed. The restaurant industry isn't alone. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the number of job openings in America hit an all-time high of 9.1 million in June. Trucking companies, farms, manufacturers, retail stores —businesses of all types are struggling to attract workers following the COVID-19 pandemic. Colin Davis helps run the Chico Hot Springs Resort, just north of Yellowstone National Park. During the pandemic, he was forced to shut down the resort for three months and lay off 150 of his 180 employees. As the world opens up again, the boom season he looked forward to has become a challenge all its own. "The stats from Yellowstone National Park pointed to probably the best financial year we would have ever had. I was like, 'Wow, we're going to come back rolling out of this' and we're just going to crush it... Everyone needed a win, then we phased into this labor crisis, Davis told The Daily podcast for its August 3 episode. "It's honestly more stressful and harder to manage than COVID was." Shannen Tune, chef and owner of Craft Burger in Houston, has had to re-think his business model to survive the changing dynamics of his industry. Before the pandemic, Tune paid inexperienced, entry-level staff $12 per hour. Now applicants want $20. "I'm not a big corporate restaurant. I don't have the funding and backing to where I can offer people $500 for interviewing or taking a job," he said, in the same podcast. "One thing the pandemic taught a lot of restaurant owners is that your margins are...
Buncombe County Switches to Local Event Tech Provider, Saves Hundreds and Sees...
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Buncombe County switched to SimpleTix, a local tech company, for the county’s annual Lake Julian Festival of Lights celebration. Ultimately, the county saved hundreds of dollars in fees and saw a record turnout for opening weekend attendance. Asheville, North Carolina December 9, 2019 – Buncombe County’s annual Lake Julian Festival of Lights was just a bit more festive this year. The county switched to a local tech company to provide the eTicketing service for the event and ultimately saved hundreds of dollars on fees and saw the highest attendance ever for opening weekend. The annual celebration is always a huge draw for Asheville, NC, residents, as well as those across the state. The drive-through only tour includes thousands of dazzling lights and displays carefully choreographed and installed around Lake Julian Park. Each year, 20% of the proceeds goes to support the Buncombe County Special Olympics, as well. For 2019’s event, county organizers switched from Eventbrite to SimpleTix, a local ticketing technology company based in Asheville. The decision was made for multiple reasons, including saving money on fees, but also to help support a local company and bolster the area economy. The result was a record turnout, with almost 1,300 people visiting on Sunday alone, a new single-day record. Part of the increased attendance was due to lower ticket prices. Because the county saved money on fees, it was able to pass those savings along to eventgoers in the form of lower ticket prices. Chris Bubenik, Buncombe County Recreation Services’ Marketing Generalist, stated, “It couldn’t be easier to run an event with SimpleTix. From setting up our festival to scanning tickets, every step of the process is intuitive. The SimpleTix team also provided personal attention to ensure success. Plus, we were able to receive instant payments instead of waiting weeks for a check.” The partnership was so successful that Buncombe...
Zapier now features SimpleTix
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Automate repetitive tasks! Do you use other CRMs, email tools, or even Google Sheets? You can now find SimpleTix in the Zapier app list. Currently the most common SimpleTix Zaps are: Google Sheets - automatically add all new orders into a Google Sheet as the come in. Gmail - automatically email a copy of the order details to other members of your team. Slack - add new orders into Slack, this is ideal if you need to take care of mailing them a welcome packet. MailChimp - automatically add attendees to your email list. SalesForce - automatically add ticket buyers as an opportunity.
How to Create Amazing Pop-Up Dinners
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Everyone likes a little variety in life, especially when our days are dominated by the same old routines. Pop-up dinners provide an opportunity for chefs and diners alike to try something new. You do not need to be a seasoned chef to create a pop-up dinner. Anyone from culinary school graduates to ammeter foodies can do it — and reap the financial benefits that come from a well-executed event. SimpleTix makes it easy for pop-up dinner organizers to advertise your dinner, sell tickets, and deposit the funds to your bank account. Pop-Up Dinner 101 Pop-up dinners began as supper clubs in the 1960s — gatherings that brought people into someone’s home for a chef-cooked meal or private events at restaurants. They were all about exclusivity and were considered invitation-only events. Los Angeles chef Ludo Lefebvre brought this concept out of the VIP realm and into the mainstream in 2007 when he opened LudoBites, a multi-city tour where he took over other restaurants for a few weeks at a time. The trend caught the National Restaurant Association’s attention in 2015. Pop-up dinners have been on the organization’s annual What’s Hot Culinary Forecast ever since. They are a mainstay in cities like Baltimore and Chicago and spreading to smaller towns like Lincoln, Nebraska. Pop-up dinners take place in existing restaurants or any other space that can be outfitted to prepare a meal. Some events are one-night only, while others stretch for a few weeks at a time. Either way, they have a fixed menu and a limited number of guests to promote the exclusive, VIP feeling that the original supper clubs had 50 years ago. Planning a Pop-Up Dinner If you are a restaurant owner or budding restaurateur, pop-up dinners are a great way to see whether your idea will work as a full-fledged restaurant. If you are not a chef,...
Taking the Hassle Out of Conference Registration
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Anyone who has ever registered for a conference knows that it can be time-consuming to click through page after page of registration options. For the past three years, the Pacesetter Conference has used SimpleTix to streamline their process for attendees. The conference is organized by Pacesetter Claims, an insurance claims organization based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company utilize the conference to share updates and best practices with its clients across the U.S. Streamlined Process By having all of the registration information on one page, Pacesetter’s employees can easily make all of their selections at once, or keep the page open and come back to it later. This functionality also allows managers to register more than one employee at once and choose which break-out sessions each team member will attend. CRM Integration Each registration is automatically linked to Pacesetter’s customer relationships management system through Zapier. Data does not need to be entered manually into another system or batch loaded once per day. The transfer happens in real time. This allows conference organizers to track and communicate with each registrant. The SimpleTix integration with Zapier allows ticketing data to be automatically sent to any of the major CRM systems on the market, including Salesforce and Constant Contact. Learn More SimpleTix is a low-cost solution for any conference registration, no matter how large or small the event. All of the features that the Pacesetter Conference is using are included for just $0.99 per registration. Other conference registration services can cost $15 or more for each registrant. Contact us to learn more about how SimpleTix can streamline your next conference or professional development event.
SimpleTix Brings Margaritaville to the Holiday Season
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When you think about Margaritaville, you might picture lazy days on the beach with a cocktail in hand. For one location, the fun extends well into the winter season. SimpleTix is helping them make their events a reality. Margaritaville at Lanier Islands, located near Atlanta, opened License to Chill Snow Island earlier this year. The winter-themed attraction offers an ice-skating rink, holiday lights, and photos with Santa, and more. However, not everyone can have winter fun at the same time. Otherwise, the park becomes overcrowded. The venue uses SimpleTix to control the number of attendees each day by restricting the number of spaces available at a given time. Customers can see which days are available before they buy tickets. Here’s how the process unfolds: Step 1 Customers can pick the type of tickets they want. There’s no limit to how many options you can add here. Step 3 Customers confirm the order total and proceed to checkout. Coming soon to a brewery near you This ticket selection feature works well for tours and other events that require a limit on the number of people participating at a given time. Similarly, it’s perfect for pub crawls or other events held at breweries. SimpleTix is based in Asheville, North Carolina and plans to roll out this feature to the breweries there in the spring. Contact us to learn more about how we can help simplify ticketing for your next tour or group event.
Comedy show ticketing made easy with SimpleTix
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Comedy events are a little different than concerts or other type of live shows. With the focus on one entertainer, there are way more opportunities for meet and greet sessions or other one-on-one fan interactions. Those events are great for the fans, but ticketing them can sometimes be a nightmare for venues. SimpleTix allows for fans to purchase these add-ons at the same time they buy tickets. Everything is included on one price with no hidden charges later. HappySlip at Pheasant Run Resort The Pheasant Run Resort in suburban Chicago is using this feature for an upcoming performance by Christine Gambito, a Filipino American internet personality, actress, and comedian also known as HappySlip. Gambito’s videos have been been viewed over 100 million times across the web. As a pioneer on YouTube in 2006, she was the first personality to create a one woman show, and act as multiple characters in her sketches. Her unique and original comedy led to her being included in the first set of YouTube’s paid partners. She was nominated for YouTube’s Best Comedy award in that same year. Christine Gambito, aka HappySlip One Click Meet and Greet Gambito’s performance at Pheasant Run begins at 7 p.m. with a meet and greet to follow at 8:30 p.m. When fans select their seats for the show, they can choose a $25 or $35 seat with the option to add on $15 for the meet and greet. Gambito’s fans know exactly what they are buying up front. They do not need to worry about coming up with extra money at the show to cover the cost of the meet and greet. This feature in SimpleTix can be used for any event where artists want to have one-on-one time with their fans, or for any other type of bonus feature you can...