Why Same Day Ticket Sales Are Vital For Broadway
As the theatre industry begins to re-open after the Covid-19 shutdown, many producers will be looking to economize their marketing budgets in order to ensure the highest possible profit margin for each expenditure. One vital area in which producers should not cut back is in same-day ticket sales. Same-day ticket sales make up a major portion of sales for Broadway and Off-Broadway sales and, by investing time and money in marketing to this audience, producers can see a direct impact on sales. In addition, utilizing same-day ticket sales is incredibly cost-effective and pays for itself.
The Power of Word of Mouth
A major driving force for ticket sales on Broadway is word-of-mouth. This can present a challenge because word-of-mouth is one of the harder elements to control about the marketing presence of a play or musical. Obviously, when one creates a show and brings it to an audience, one will do everything in their power to ensure that it is a show that speaks to an audience who will then promote it to their friends. However, the whims and interests of an audience are hard to predict and, because of this, word of mouth is largely out of a producer’s control. The exception to this, however, is within the same-day ticket selling marketing.
Street teams, the primary way to market to the same-day market, control a show’s word of mouth by directly interacting with ticket buyers to influence them on what to see. These conversations can single-handedly shift a potential ticket buyer’s perception of a show and lead to them buying a ticket to see the show. In addition these conversations can combat any potential negative word of mouth or create buzz for a show that is struggling to rise above the noise of a crowded theatre market.
Crew members Taylor and Neal at TKTS
Increase Attendance
Same-day ticket sales are also a great tool to increase attendance at Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. In cases where shows don’t have as strong a pre-sale as producers may desire, same-day ticket sellers, like TKTS, can help boost attendance and fill theaters. Because the decision of how many tickets to send to TKTS is made on each individual day, same-day ticket sales at TKTS do not take away from pre-sales. So, producers never have to worry about missing out on potentially more lucrative advance sales through using TKTS. TKTS is an essential supplement for every show because it boosts attendance.
Market Directly to Tourists
Another value that same-day ticket sales locations provide for shows is the ability to market directly to tourists. A large section of the audience for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows is tourists. This can create a challenge in terms of marketing. Because tourists come to New York City from all over the country and world, finding ways to reach each individual tourist before they come to New York is near impossible. However, TKTS is a gathering place for tourists looking to buy tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. This means that having a presence at TKTS allows shows to directly market to tourists without having to figure out how to crack every market and location that the tourists come from. In short, instead of having to design a 50-state and multinational marketing strategy in order to sell to tourists before they arrive in New York, by having a presence at TKTS shows can market to tourists after they arrive in New York but before they buy.
There are many potential avenues for marketing Broadway and Off-Broadway shows but one of the most vital to the long-term success of shows is same-day ticket sales. By targeting the same-day ticket sales market, producers can boost profits, buzz, and attendance.
