Commissions, Ads, and More

You’ve got an amazing event lined up, but now comes the tricky part—getting people to show up. Smart marketing is what turns an idea into a packed room. From leveraging your network with commissions to running effective ads, here’s how to sell your event like a marketing professional, without blowing your budget.

"You can't just post a flyer and expect it to sell. If you're not actively engaging your audience and showing excitement, it won't work." – Alex Fox, founder of Fox Collective (@afoxcollective)

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Build a Commission-Based Promotional Team

Turn Your Friends Into Promoters. Your first line of marketing is your inner circle. Offer friends a commission for every ticket they sell using Posh’s tracking links or Kickback feature. A 20-30% commission is the sweet spot—it keeps them motivated and leaves you with healthy profits.

Tap Into Local Influencers. Micro-influencers with a dedicated local following can drive serious traffic to your event. Offer them free tickets, VIP perks, or a percentage of the ticket sales they generate.

Work With Niche Communities. Whether it’s a fitness club, artist collective, or local DJ group, commission-based promotion isn’t just for nightlife—it works in any niche. Build relationships with community leaders and incentivize them to promote your event.

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Create an Attendee Ambassador Program

Turn Loyal Attendees Into Marketers. Your biggest fans are often your best promoters. Create an Ambassador Program that rewards people for bringing friends, sharing the event on socials, or creating content around your event. Offer perks like free entry, exclusive merch, or VIP access.

Authenticity Sells. Ambassadors provide real, trusted recommendations. Their personal endorsement carries more weight than traditional ads, making their promotion more effective.

"We leverage promoters, but it's more about relationship-building than a business transaction." – Malcom Charles, co-founder of 212 Group (@212groupnyc)

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Leverage Social Media the Right Way

Tease the Event Before You Announce. Build anticipation with behind-the-scenes content, cryptic countdowns, or sneak peeks.

Focus on Platforms That Match Your Audience.

• Instagram & TikTok: Perfect for visually-driven, social events. Use Reels, Stories, and trending sounds to maximize reach.
• Twitter: Great for niche communities and real-time updates.
• LinkedIn: Ideal for professional events and networking meetups.

Content Over Ads. Short, punchy videos outperform static images. Show people what they’ll feel at your event—use UGC (user-generated content) from past events, if you have it, to create social proof.

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Which Ads Will Actually Sell Tickets?

Start Small, Then Scale. You don’t need a big budget to run effective ads. Start with as little as $25/day on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Anything less won’t provide the platform with enough data to improve who it targets. Test different content and targeting to see what works, then scale up from there.

Use Retargeting to Close Sales. Retargeting ads are key. Set them up to reach people who visited your event page but didn’t buy a ticket. This keeps your event top-of-mind and increases conversions.

Clear, Direct Messaging Wins. Ads should have one goal: drive ticket sales. Videos convert at a much higher rate than static ads. Utilize footage from past events, with simple text overlays that feature the time, place, and any other key highlights to make it easy to understand the experience you’re curating.

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Collaborate to Expand Your Reach

Partner With Local Businesses. Work with cafes, bars, or shops that align with your event’s vibe. Offer cross-promotion—display flyers in their space or do social media swaps in exchange for shoutouts.

Get Your Venue and Talent to Promote. If you’re working with a venue or booking talent, make sure they’re promoting the event too. Venues often have their own audiences, and performers want to draw a crowd—it’s a win-win.

Collaborate With Other Organizers. Partnering with other event organizers can double your audience. Just make sure it’s a mutually beneficial relationship, and you’re not competing for the same crowd.

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Create FOMO and Urgency

Use Tiered Pricing to Drive Early Sales. Reward early buyers with lower prices and create urgency as ticket prices rise. For example:

• Tier 1: 10 tickets at $5
• Tier 2: 20 tickets at $10
• Tier 3: 30 tickets at $20
• Final Tier: 40 tickets at $30

This encourages people to buy sooner rather than later.

Highlight Who’s Coming. People want to be where their friends are. Share attendee lists (with permission), or tag RSVPed guests in your posts to build excitement. Social posts that encourage attendees to tag a friend can blow up if you create the right content!

Create Limited-Time Offers. Flash sales, early-bird discounts, or limited VIP upgrades create urgency and push people to commit.

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Use SMS and Email Marketing for Direct Engagement

Send Targeted SMS Blasts. Text marketing is a powerful tool for last-minute ticket pushes. Use Posh’s SMS features to send reminders or exclusive offers in the days leading up to the event.

Email Campaigns for Your Community. Build an email list from your past events and use it to announce new events, offer early access, or share exclusive content. You can export your email lists from previous events on Posh, then use platforms like Mailchimp to send out beautifully designed email campaigns.

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Keep the Momentum Going Post-Announcement

Most Sales Happen After You Announce and Right Before the Event. Expect spikes in ticket sales right after launch and again in the final 48 hours. Plan your marketing efforts around these windows to maximize conversions.

Don’t Go Silent. Keep posting consistently between these peaks—share behind-the-scenes content, remind people of upcoming deadlines to keep excitement high.

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Marketing means leveraging your network, creating authentic buzz, and using smart, scalable tactics to drive ticket sales. Build momentum from the first teaser to the last-minute push, and your experiences will sell out again and again.

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