6 Benefits of Digital Ticketing for Homecoming Dances

For many high schools nationwide, homecoming is right around the corner. Fans and alumni are already making plans for the big game, but that’s not the only event in the works. Homecoming dances are a longstanding tradition for high schools, and a lot of planning takes place behind the scenes to create a memorable experience for students.

In particular, managing ticket sales for homecoming dances can be difficult and time consuming, especially when your staff members have other important commitments. High schools that adopt digital ticketing for homecoming and other dances can dramatically improve the event management process in these key areas:

1. Sell tickets easily online with all digital ticketing.
   
   Selling homecoming tickets can be tedious for your staff and students. With paper tickets, you typically must staff ticket tables, recruit volunteers, collect payments, and spend time counting cash and depositing checks. Not only that, but your students must bring cash or checks with them to school when they would likely prefer to pay digitally in their free time.
   
   With digital ticketing and payments, you no longer have to worry about staffing or securing volunteers to sell tickets or reconcile accounts. Students can easily purchase tickets online with a direct link and pay with a card or Apple Pay using mobile devices. Their phone becomes their ticket, and they can redeem their ticket at the door with the click of a button. This simplifies the process for everyone involved and makes the ticketing experience much faster and more convenient.
   
   
2. Gather attendee contact information.
   
   You may need to communicate with your students and guests in the weeks leading up to the homecoming dance. Whether it’s sending reminders, providing updates on health and safety protocols, or delivering other information, having your attendees’ contact information is essential.
   
   With digital ticketing, each student completes a simple form during the checkout process and provides an email address. As your attendees purchase tickets, you’ll steadily compile a contact list automatically. You can easily send important updates to your contacts to streamline communication and organize a successful event.
   
   
3. Restrict who can purchase tickets.
   
   Just because tickets are available online doesn’t mean that they’re accessible to everyone. Ensuring the security of your event is of the utmost importance. With digital ticketing for homecoming, you can easily restrict who can purchase tickets. Typically, only students can buy tickets to dances, but they may be able to invite non-students.
   
   When someone tries to purchase a ticket through the digital platform, they will be prompted to enter a valid student ID number that can only be used once. Any student who wishes to bring a non-student as a date must complete a guest approval form that will be reviewed and authorized by your school administration before a ticket can be purchased.
   
   
4. View ticket sales in real time.
   
   When planning an event, knowing the number of tickets sold is crucial information. With paper tickets and cash payments, reporting can be delayed and inaccurate.
   
   Digital tickets and payments can automate reporting and enable you to view your ticket sales on demand. Having real-time access to this information can help you assess the projected turnout at your event and plan accordingly. By checking your sales early and often, you can also make adjustments as needed to drive attendance.
   
   
5. Collect funds early to cover expenses.
   
   Rather than selling tickets at designated intervals, like during lunch time on school days, you can make them available for purchase 24/7 from the moment your event goes live on the digital ticketing platform. You can also begin selling tickets earlier than usual, as the setup for digital ticketing is minimal compared to the logistics of ordering and selling paper tickets.
   
   Collecting payments earlier and more frequently can ensure a steady cashflow to cover event expenses, including decorations, refreshments, music, photography, and more. This can help ensure prompt payments to vendors and minimize common challenges that can arise with event planning.
   
   
6. Simplify refunds with easy cancellation.
   
   Event managers are well aware that plans can change quickly due to unforeseen circumstances. If you need to issue individual refunds or even cancel the dance altogether, you can easily reimburse your students with digital ticketing.
   
   Whereas paper tickets require manual transactions that can become overwhelming to organize, digital tickets automate refunds by simply reversing the charge with the original payment method. This makes the process much easier for both staff and students.

With digital ticketing for homecoming dances, you can easily manage sales, communicate with attendees, improve security, and streamline payments. This way, your event staff and volunteers can focus more on what they’re passionate about – creating a wonderful experience for your students.

To learn more about how digital ticketing can help your school, contact us for further information.