Ticketing & Check-In for Fundraising Events

Why Online Ticketing is Great for Fundraising Events!

Author:
Dee Brannick
-
Fundraising specialist, Co-Founder of GalaBid
Updated:
January 9, 2025

Live events can be an essential fundraising feature for many non-profits, charities, and community organizations. These events enable them to raise crucial funds and increase awareness for their cause.

However, organizing live events can be overwhelming, particularly when managing ticketing, which can be complex and time-consuming.

Digital ticketing solutions offer a streamlined alternative to paper-based systems.

These platforms simplify the ticketing process for organizers and attendees alike. If you’re considering using a digital ticketing solution for your next charity event it can reduce the administrative workload and enhance attendee convenience - regardless of your experience level in event planning.

Let's see into how digital ticketing can elevate your fundraising event management.

The Evolution of Ticketing: From Physical to Digital

In the past, event ticketing was a manual process. It involved physical tickets, queueing, and a lot of paperwork! This method was not only time-consuming but also prone to errors and inefficiencies.

Paper ticketing posed numerous challenges for event organizers and attendees alike. Issues such as distribution logistics, physical storage, counterfeit prevention, and addressing ticket changes (reissuing lost tickets/canceling tickets etc) made managing and attending events somewhat cumbersome and inefficient.

With the advent of technology, ticketing has undergone a significant transformation. The shift from physical to digital has revolutionized the way we manage and attend events. Digital ticketing solutions have emerged as a game-changer for all event organizers, including nonprofits and charities. It created a more efficient, secure, and convenient way of handling event tickets.

The Benefits of Digital Ticketing

Digital ticketing simplifies the process for fundraising events. They automate many tasks that were previously manual, reducing the administrative workload for non-profit event organizers.

These platforms offer a centralized system for managing charity event ticket sales, registrations, and attendee information. This makes it easier for organizers to keep track of all the details related to the event.

Key features of digital ticketing solutions may include:

  • Automated ticket sales and registrations
  • Centralized management of attendee information
  • QR code check-in
  • Integrated payment processing

By streamlining the ticketing process, digital solutions allow organizers to focus more on planning and executing the event.

Attendees Love Mobile Tickets!

Digital tickets reduce queues and boost guests' enjoyment!

Mobile tickets can be stored and presented on desktop and mobile devices, eliminating the need for physical tickets.

This not only saves time but also reduces the chances of tickets being lost or forgotten. Attendees can easily access their tickets anytime, anywhere, right from their device.  Some platforms will support the storage of tickets in digital wallets, such as Apple or Google.

Key benefits of mobile tickets for attendees include:

  • Easy access and storage on smartphones
  • Reduced risk of lost or forgotten tickets
  • Convenience of digital check-in

Mobile tickets cater to many of us who are always in reach of our devices! Digital ticketing is easy to access and use, meaning you don’t need to be overly tech-savvy to enjoy the convenience.

Fundraisers (Also) Love Digital Tickets!

There are so many benefits to using digital ticketing

While digital ticketing makes live events a lot easier to manage for nonprofits, there are some great additional benefits to taking your tickets online!

  1. Attendee Preferences

Online ticketing platforms make catering to your attendees’ needs easy!  

Point of sale forms enable event organizers to collect important attendee information. This can include dietary requirements, meal preferences, access requirements (such as wheelchair access or visual aids), and seating requests.

Personalizing guests’ experience ensures everyone can have confidence the event will be enjoyable and accessible to all.

  1. Smart Marketing

Digital ticketing solutions can make selling your event tickets effective and easy.

Some platforms offer integrated marketing tools that can significantly enhance the promotion of your fundraising event. For example, you can use these tools to send out targeted emails or push notifications.

Even if your chosen platform doesn’t have specific marketing features, simply being able to share ticket access via a web link can increase reach and sales.

  1. Real-Time Data and Analytics

One of the key benefits of an online ticketing solution is access to real-time data and analytics. This feature can be a game-changer for your fundraising event.

With real-time data, you can monitor ticket sales and attendee demographics. This information can help you understand your audience better. For example, if you can see that people in the over-55 age demographic are buying most of the tickets you can create a Facebook ad. campaign to specifically target this group.

Data insights can guide your decision-making process (in real time!) and deliver information that can help you tailor your next event to meet the needs and preferences of your attendees.

  1. Multiple Payment Options

A digital ticketing solution invariably makes payment quick and easy.  Providers can offer multiple payment options which can enhance the ticket purchasing experience for attendees.

Whether it's credit card, Apple or Google Pay, the choice is theirs. This convenience can encourage more people to buy tickets.

Some platforms may also enable direct ticket invoicing. For example, event admins can sell single tickets or entire tables by issuing an invoice then marking that as paid by bank transfer. This can be particularly convenient for corporate purchasers.

(Note! GalaBid has just released its direct invoicing feature).

And, because digital ticketing eliminates the need for printing and distributing physical tickets, it’s a great way to save costs and boost sustainability.

  1. Boosting Security and Preventing Fraud

Because online tickets often include features like unique QR codes, they can be safer and more secure.

These codes can be scanned at the entrance which helps prevent unauthorized entry and ticket fraud. If you have access to real-time attendee tracking, you can monitor who is attending your event.

  1. Simplifying Event Check-In

Long queues at the start of an event can create a poor attendee experience.

A ticketing platform can simplify the check-in process by eliminating the need for physical ticket checking. As many digital tickets will be presented as a QR code,  attendees can present their mobile tickets at the entrance making it quick and efficient.

As a result, queues and wait times can be significantly reduced, leading to a smoother event experience for attendees.

  1. Communicating Instantly

Digital ticketing solutions offer instant communication. Event details can be updated and sent to ticket holders in real-time.

This feature is crucial for last-minute changes. Your fundraising event guests can be informed promptly, avoiding confusion.

Real-time, automated confirmation and reminder emails also keep attendees updated on event details and highlights,

  1. Building a Database

A digital ticketing solution is great for building a database.

Collecting attendee information during the ticket purchase process means you can start to understand your supporter profile. This helps to target the right audience for future events.

In Summary - Digital Ticketing is a Game Changer

Digital ticketing streamlines the ticketing process, enhances the attendee experience, and provides valuable insights for nonprofits, fundraisers, and charities. The ability to track the sales, collect payments, automate dispatch of tickets (and issue a swift refund if needed) via the platform -  all help streamline the process too.

Online ticketing also offers multiple payment options, boosts security, and simplifies the check-in process. It also enables instant communication with attendees and helps build a database for future marketing.

It might feel like a move to digital ticketing is a big step (especially given all these features and benefits) but innovative ticketing platforms, like GalaBid, are designed to be really easy to use - even if you don’t consider yourself to be tech savvy.

Want to find out more? Get in touch with our friendly team.

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About GalaBid

Ideal for donations. Perfect for Raffles. Awesome for Live and Silent Auctions! GalaBid’s online fundraising platform is designed for fundraisers of all types and sizes. For over 10 years we’ve been helping non-profits, charities, community clubs, churches, schools, and individuals to raise more and make a difference.

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