There’s a vast wonderland between season subscriptions and single tickets in the world of theater.
And now more than ever, people want flexibility when spending their discretionary entertainment dollar. Not all your patrons want to be locked into a seat for every show, but many want to support you by purchasing more than just individual tickets.
Many performing arts organizations have recognized this desire and have made the purchase experience more friendly by giving their patrons the flexibility and freedom to make their own choices when it comes to how they use their tickets.
One example of this approach is the flex pass that is offered by many AudienceView clients. The flex pass (known as Flexible Packages in AudienceView Professional) allows consumers to buy a block of tickets that can be used for a single performance or spread out over the course of the season.
The Gulfshore Playhouse in Naples, FL is selling flex passes for their 2021-22 season in blocks of six, eight or ten tickets. Pass holders, as an example, can split a 10-ticket pass into pairs across all five mainstage shows, use 5 tickets for one show and 5 for another, or anything in between. They boast that the pass allows people to ‘build the experience that best fits your needs, your schedule, and your preferences while enjoying exclusive benefits and savings up to 20% over single tickets.’ They also explain that flex passes are perfect for those who know they will return to the theatre next season, but want to keep the flexibility of changing and rearranging their tickets.
Our friends at the Pasadena Little Theatre (PLT), the oldest community theatre in the Greater Houston area, sell a six-ticket flex pass membership card. The patrons that purchase this package can see up to six performances during the season or can bring friends or family to introduce them to PLT. Either way, they have six punches towards tickets to all their regular season performances.
The Tred Avon Players, a vibrant community theatre in Oxford, MD, offers a season ticket flex pass at a cost of $70 that provides their patrons with one ticket for any of their upcoming four productions – or the option to use all four at one. They also offer a supplement flex pass that allows existing flex pass holders with the option to add two more shows to their current plan.
Flexible Packages are flexible
Flexible packages can be used in different ways to suit your season and set up. Some common variations include:
- One Ticket Per Series:A flexible package where buyers are limited to redeeming one ticket for each series in the season.
- Totally Flexible: A flexible package where buyers have freedom to use their ticketing redemptions all on one series or spread out across different series.
- Discounted Tickets: A flexible package that grants patrons access to controlled, discounted tickets. The discounts can vary depending on the series and what the package may be used for.
- Complimentary Tickets: A flexible package that may be granted to specific patrons to allow them to get a specific number of restricted tickets (like comps) for a series.
- Exclusive Access: This flexible package locks restricts ticket sales to package holders, allowing you to do pre-sales or exclusive access for patrons with packages.
Get in touch with us if you’re interested in learning more about how AudienceView Professional can help your organization improve the patron experience and help you sell more tickets online.