Timed entry is a must-have for events with regular rotations of guests, such as pop-up attractions, haunted houses, art exhibits, and farms with pick-your-own programs. Not only does timed ticketing help you manage crowd flow, but it also gives additional flexibility to the guest experience and distributes your ticket sales more evenly. With the right timed ticketing software like TicketLeap, even local community events can offer a smooth, professional ticketing process that feels just as seamless as the big leagues.

1. Understand your attendees’ demand patterns

Every event has natural peaks – such as weekends, evenings, or holidays – that tend to sell out faster than others. If you’ve hosted events before, look at your past ticket sale data to understand these trends. If you’re new, start with a few standard time slots all at the same price. Then, adjust your pricing and event scheduling based on what sells best.

Use your ticketing platform’s reporting tools to see which slots are most popular, how much staff is needed per time slot, and how you might adjust the pricing to maximize your revenue. For example, you could lower the price of your off-peak times to encourage more people to save money by purchasing their tickets for that time.

2. Use a ticketing platform to set up your time slots with ease

Setting up dozens of individual time slots manually can be time consuming. That’s why it’s important to use a platform that lets you bulk schedule and easily clone your time slots. Keep your time intervals realistic: they should be long enough for guests to enjoy themselves, but short enough to welcome multiple groups throughout the day. Don’t forget to add buffer time to handle transitions and late arrivals! Luckily, with TicketLeap’s suite of features, you can set up repeating timed entry ticketing slots on your event page in just a few clicks.

3. Adjust your ticket pricing strategy to maximize sales

Timed ticketing isn’t just about crowd control, it’s also a chance to optimize your revenue with the right ticket pricing strategy. Consider charging slightly higher prices for peak slots while keeping them fair and competitive. At the same time, offer lower rates during off-peak times to encourage sales and spread out attendance. You can also run promotional deals or discounts for specific days to give your ticket sales an extra push.

4. Communicate your time slots clearly with attendees

When it comes to event planning, clarity is key. Make sure your website, ticketing page, and event descriptions clearly display available time slots, how long each slot lasts, and what happens if someone misses their entry window. For example, you might say, “Your ticket is valid for entry up to 15 minutes after the start time. Please contact our team at least 24 hours prior to your start time if time slot adjustments are needed.” By setting expectations both clearly and early, you’ll help keep everything running smoothly at check-in. 

5. Streamline the check-in process

Using a ticket scanning app to check guests helps minimize your lines and maintain momentum right from the start. During peak times, make sure you have extra staff available to keep lines moving. You may even want to set up multiple entry lines depending on demand. TicketLeap’s mobile scanner app makes it easy to scan tickets, track arrivals, and keep your check-in process at each time slot running seamlessly.

6. Provide sufficient staff for peak and off-peak times

Not all time slots are created equal. For instance, your 7 p.m. entry may sell out while your 3 p.m. slot is only half full. By reviewing sales data early on and monitoring it regularly, you can predict your busiest periods and schedule staffing accordingly. This ensures that guests feel supported during high-demand times, while also helping you stretch your staffing budget further during slower periods.

7. Keep your guests up-to-date with reminder emails

Guests are more likely to show up on time if they get a few gentle reminders. For example, TicketLeap automatically sends reminder emails 24 hours before your event so attendees know exactly when to arrive. You can also send a “know before you go” message with details like parking info, entrance locations, and whether they should plan to arrive early (such as 15 minutes before their time slot). Simple touches like this go a long way in creating a better guest experience.

8. Create a flexible ticketing policy

Life happens, which means some attendees may run late. Decide in advance how you’ll handle late arrivals and communicate that policy clearly on your website and ticketing page. Will you allow guests to move into a later slot if there’s space available? Will you allow refunds for anyone who missed their time? Having a guest-friendly, flexible policy on your ticketing page and website helps ensure everyone feels taken care of.

9. Use your ticketing data to improve future events

Once your event is over, there’s still work to be done! Dive into your ticketing data to see which slots sold best, which had the longest lines, and when attendance dipped. Use this information to fine-tune your time slot lengths, staffing schedules, ticket prices, and marketing for next time. TicketLeap’s reporting tools make analyzing your timed entry ticketing results easy and actionable. That way, each event gets better than the last!

Maximize your timed entry ticketing with TicketLeap

Timed ticketing gives events the power to run smoothly, keep guests happy, and maximize revenue. With thoughtful planning and the right timed ticketing software, your event can deliver a seamless experience from start to finish. TicketLeap makes it easy to set up timed entry ticketing, manage check-ins, and track your results – all for free when you sign up. Give it a try today, and set your next event up for success!