Let’s talk numbers.
More friends mean more body parts; with regards to buying tickets, the eyeballs and hands are the most relevant. If adding is this simple, why is it that you don’t leverage the magical properties of math for the ticket buying process?
When a new tour is announced, whoever hears about it first will inform their group of friends, someone will be made responsible for the purchasing and cost-splitting of the tickets, and fun will be had by all on event night!
Single Point of Failure
Unfortunately, relying on one person for buying tickets can lead to major problems, especially when it’s for a very popular tour (ie: Taylor Swift, Adele, etc). What happens if they get called away for work, have a class at that time, or worse yet, forget what time tickets go on sale and miss it completely?
“I don’t want to be involved. It’s too stressful. I don’t have time for this. Just tell me when to show up and how much to pay!”
You’ve heard all of these before, but do your friends also remember saying these ones?
“I didn’t want to sit here. Why didn’t you get better seats? What do you mean they’re not all together? They cost HOW MUCH?!”
You’ve created a single point of failure when the task is left up to one individual. For events which may not be as popular, there is normally time to mull over options with friends, have them vote on seats, and make a final decision over the course of several hours or even days.
When tickets for an in-demand event go on sale though, the time for lollygagging is gone. There are only 20,000 tickets in that venue and 200,000 people vying for them. Do you want to fight your way through that mess on your own?
For the sake of all your sanity, work together!
How to Buy Group Tickets
Once you’ve come to the conclusion this just might be a good idea, here’s how to prepare your group so you can land those coveted tickets when they go on sale:
- If possible, have your entire group together when tickets go on sale (preferably during a presale)
- Discuss beforehand what type of seating options you’re looking for (upper bowl, lower bowl, floor), as well as the price per seat
- Everyone should be equipped with at least one device (a smartphone is a great option), but at least one person should be using a laptop/desktop
- Designate a leader before tickets go on sale. This will ensure if multiple options are found, a decision can be made easily
- Do NOT be signed into your Ticketmaster or other ticketing accounts before tickets go on sale. This will allow for the individual making the purchase to be able to sign into any device in the group
- In case you are unable to have the group together, create a text message, WhatsApp, or another messaging group specifically for buying tickets (conference calls over Skype/related apps work too). Share only the seat section/row/price per seat and have your designated leader make the final decision
If you find that making a decision is taking longer than expected, have all group member advance to the next screen in the purchase process. Each new screen allocates a few more minutes to the checkout, so be sure to take advantage of this if required.
Take the time you need, purchase the tickets, and be excited! You’ve just worked together with your crazy friends and it actually worked out. This never happens.
What to Watch Out For
Things aren’t all sunshine and rainbows though; it can be very difficult having to decide between different seat options, especially since each group member will think the tickets they located are the best option.
With no planning and leadership, chaos and mayhem will take over, no tickets will be bought, and the group will hate each other until the end of time!
It likely won’t be that bad, but basing each ticket option against ideal search criteria will allow for an easy decision-making process.
Should you need more time to decide, keep all ticket searches moving through each stage of the purchase process. There are typically 2-3 minutes available per page, so utilize the resources you have until a final decision has been made.
Summary
Setting yourself up for success is the key to buying tickets during an on-sale, and the odds are certainly in your favour if you remember the following:
- Math is real
- Plan out where you’d like to sit before tickets go on sale
- Working together increases your odds of securing tickets
- Have a clear leader to make the final decision
- Purchase tickets and enjoy your event!
Self-explanatory? Yes. Practical? Mostly. Implemented in the real world? Less often than you may realize. Think back to your last event – who was responsible for purchasing tickets? Was the search a team effort or a solo mission? Were the ticket seating options and pricing discussed beforehand?
Comment below with your thoughts/experiences on purchasing tickets for a group.
