Have you ever been deployed to the front lines of a war? A decent amount of you have probably just read that and cringed, maybe even gave a side eye. While I respect the troops around the world for the work they do, the war I'm referring to is immensely less serious but still important. I am discussing the great Ticketmaster War. In the last few years, it has become nearly impossible to secure tickets to a concert at a reasonable price without having them snatched out of your cart by a scalper.
It makes you wonder: will there ever be a time where the status quo is challenged in order to improve the ticketing process?
Ann Handley, chief content officer of MarketingProfs, encourages marketing professionals to challenge their assumptions and raise questions on processes that have been in place for far too long. She advises that written and video content work well together to entice customers. In that, she and I are in total agreement.
Ticketmaster seems to have taken an indirect cue from Ann's handbook as change is unfolding. Partnering up with Olivia Rodrigo ahead of her highly anticipated “Unraveled Tour,” they have taken copious measures to place tickets in the hands of real fans. Let's see how!
- Ticketmaster enabled its “Face Value Exchange” feature, popularized in the last few years — it allows for the buying & selling of tickets at their original pricing.
- Silver Star Tickets, sold in pairs at $25, offer fans affordability, scalping protection, & honest ticket distribution.
- Easy-to-follow video and visuals with written instructions at each step of both processes, to ensure fans have a smooth experience.
- Inflated prices and bots? OOPS, YOU'RE OUT!
Handley places emphasis on shifting the lens from marketer to consumer to better understand the needs of the customers being targeted. Now, music industry marketers — LISTEN UP and LISTEN WELL.
Do the crazy things. Don't just stick to what works — be curious as to how it can be improved. Remember, when you clock out, you are a customer too. Keep their needs in your mind as if they were your own.
Vouch and cater to the needs of those that keep us in business!
Topic: Consumer Experience / Industry Change