Do you know what’s really scary? Waiting too long to publish your Halloween event and missing out on much-needed ticket sales as a result.
Publishing early and kicking off promo promptly will help you scoop up some of that early demand and make hay in the days leading up to the 31st.
Below, we take you through all the ways an early on-sale can boost your efforts, with some killer tips from some of the world’s top Halloween event organisers along the way. Procrastination, be gone.
Does going on-sale early really make a difference?
With the majority of Halloween tickets sold in October, you might be wondering why there’s such a rush. Here, it pays to think like a marketer and think of promo as a sales funnel: the more time you have to feed the funnel and convert those interested into attendees, the more likely you are to sell out. Multiple studies and anecdotal evidence back this up.
As part of our own Halloween planning, we sourced insights from ten of the top Halloween organisers on Eventbrite. When we asked them specifically for their top tips, almost all of them stressed the importance of planning and publishing events as early as possible.
Here’s what a few of them had to say:
“Plan early, leverage social media, know your audience, and don’t be afraid to do something different.” – Student Event Tickets, London.
“I recommend initiating your marketing efforts as early as possible to build momentum. Early promotion helps to create awareness and generate interest.” Blacc Fire Hospitality, New York.
“Start planning early and focus on creating an unforgettable experience.” Pub Crawls.com, across the US.
“Secure your venue and key vendors as early as possible, and don’t underestimate the importance of creating buzz well before the event date.” Plenty of Parties, New York.
When is the optimal time to publish Halloween events?
Let’s get specific: exactly how far out should you be publishing your event?
Based on data from the Eventbrite platform and from speaking to organisers, the sweet spot is around two months before the big day. This leaves plenty of time for promo while not being so far out as to catch consumers cold during festival season.
The Hollywood Monster Night team in LA, who have been organising Halloween events since 1999, offer an interesting glimpse into their own process.
“We typically start booking the venue in June or July. After securing the venue, we focus on the theme, costume contest ideas, and venue decorations in early August. We collect feedback from our guests through a survey after each event and also reach out directly to our regular and VIP attendees to gather their insights and find ways to improve.
“Throughout the month of August, we plan the technical aspects of the show, such as the layout of VIP tables, booths, stage positioning, and sound and lighting setups. Simultaneously, our team works on creating artwork, promotional materials, videos, and setting ticket prices, preparing everything to be launched on our website, social media, and partner sites by the last week of August.”
How to take advantage of an early on-sale
Publishing your Halloween event well before time is one thing, capitalising on that is another thing entirely. Here are some of the areas you should focus on to make the most of an extended promo window:
Optimise for search
A longer lead time will likely increase the chances of your event ranking highly on search engines and other event discovery platforms. Take time to follow SEO best practices, such as adding metadata and image tags, and if you have a website follow these steps to highlight your events on Google.
On Eventbrite, include strong keywords people are likely to search for on the platform, as well as the location of your event. If you’re lucky enough to generate PR coverage, ask the publications for a link through to your landing page.
Leverage early birds and offers
A longer promo window provides more opportunity to mix up your tactics and messaging. Start with a compelling Early Bird offer and look for ways to build momentum through limited time discount codes and dynamic pricing.
“We have 4-5 tiers starting with discounted early bird tickets leading to day of event tickets. We stagger the tiers based on quantity sold vs specific time. We probably will utilise some limited 2 for 1 discounts as well as public promo codes this year to generate more traffic and early sales,” – RegMo Promo, Washington DC.
London’s Glitterfest also utilize early bird tickets to secure early sales.
“Early bird tickets are offered at a discount, encouraging early purchases and helping us gauge interest. We typically release 25% of tickets at this discounted rate, followed by 50% at a standard first release price, and the remaining 25% at a final release price. This system not only incentivises early ticket sales but also allows us to manage cash flow and create a sense of urgency among potential attendees. Additionally, we offer group discounts, such as 5 tickets for the price of 4, to encourage group bookings and increase attendance.”
Word of mouth
Finally, don’t forget about the most valuable marketing channel of all: word of mouth. Create an event that is likely to get people talking – our experts suggest analysing market trends and feedback surveys from previous events – and look for ways to stimulate that chatter throughout the promo period.
Network effects will do the rest.
