The words we use matter. When our Ticket Sellers engage with our guests, they have the potential to transform the bottom line by 20% (or more)–simply by transforming their dialogue. The words we use can be powerful and highly effective; but only if we use the right words. Here are five phrases that will drive more ticket sales at your venue.
INSTEAD OF: What’s your zip code?
SAY: Where are you from?
If you sell memberships or annual passes, your team should be asking everyone arriving at your facility where they are visiting from. This needs to be one of the first things your seller asks the guest, along with how many adults and children in the party. Once your sellers know where their guest is visiting from, they have the information they need to offer the best product available—which means a Membership or Annual Pass if the guests are local. The more your sellers ask this question, the more these products you’ll sell.
INSTEAD OF: Do you want to add?
SAY: I recommend…
Who’s the expert? Your guests or your sellers? Your sellers, of course! Teach your sellers to always recommend the best product available rather than asking the guest if they want it. That way, you are making it clear that you understand their needs, what’s available, and you are taking responsibility and recommending the best product for them. Recommending products allows your team to make their mark as experts in planning the guest’s day (and they all should be proud to be experts).
INSTEAD OF: No, we don’t have that
SAY: Here’s what is available today.
Sometimes, our team can become so task-oriented that they forget what they are supposed to do; match arriving guests with the best product available. When this happens, your sellers aren’t selling at all, they’re simply taking orders! Under these conditions, if a product is unavailable, many employees will simply inform the guest, “I’m sorry, we’re all out of that today.” An experienced seller understands that this is not the correct response and instead responds with an alternative: “All of our spots for the IMAX are filled up for today but I do still have some great seats I can reserve for the 1 PM planetarium show. I think you’ll really love it.” This is the difference between a seller who understands how to sell and one who simply processes orders (i.e. Yes, No, How can I help you?).
INSTEAD OF: I’ve never done it before.
SAY: I did it with my family and we had a blast!
Endorsements sell tickets…especially when they are genuine and sincere. Do you let your team experience the same products that your guests will be experiencing? It is vital that your team has the opportunity to experience everything you have to offer, especially when it comes to employees who sell those experiences! When possible, they should be able to bring their family with them either for free or at a reasonable discount. It is much easier for your Sellers to enthusiastically make recommendations when they know what they’re selling!
INSTEAD OF: What time would you like to go?
SAY: The next available time I have is ___ P.M. Let me book that for you now.
Have you ever played the video game Tetris? The goal of the game is to fill as many rows as possible with various descending shapes. The better you are at filling every spot in every row, the higher your score. When we sell inventory-controlled tickets, it’s a lot like playing Tetris. The better we are at teaching our sellers to fill the soonest available spots first, the more opportunity there will be for your sellers to offer the same experiences to guests who arrive later in the day. The most expensive seat you have is an empty seat…and once a show starts, that is revenue you can never recover.
By encouraging your Ticketing Team to talk to your guests and engage them in actual conversation, instead of simply asking “How can I help you?” and waiting for the guests to place their ticket order, you will see a noticeable increase in Sales. Not only that, when guests have a more engaging experience at your facility because your team listened to them and was able to recommend the right products for THEIR specific needs, you will also see an increase in your guests’ satisfaction!
Creative by The Evoke Group