How to market your conference and sell more tickets

Organising a conference is an exciting opportunity to bring together industry leaders, experts, and professionals. But no matter how great your speakers, sessions, and venue are, your success in filling seats hinges on how well you market your event. To help you sell more tickets and drive interest, here are some proven strategies to promote your conference effectively.

1. Define your target audience

Understanding who your conference is for is the first step to selling tickets. Is your event focused on tech professionals, marketers, educators, or entrepreneurs? The more specific you are about who will benefit from attending, the better you can craft targeted messaging. Identify the key pain points or goals your audience has and position your conference as the solution.

2. Create a compelling conference website

Your event website is the hub for ticket sales. It should not only provide information but convert visitors into attendees. Key elements include:

• A clear headline that explains what the conference is about and why it’s valuable
• Compelling visuals from past events or promotional videos
• Speaker profiles or session teasers to build excitement
• Social proof, such as testimonials from past attendees or well-known sponsors
• A simple registration process that's mobile-friendly, as many users will purchase tickets on their phones

3. Use early bird pricing and tiered ticket options

One of the most effective ways to drive ticket sales is by offering early bird pricing. Create urgency with discounts that are only available for a limited time. You can also offer tiered ticket pricing, where attendees can purchase a standard, VIP, or group ticket, each with different perks (e.g. access to exclusive networking events, bonus content, or a premium seat at keynotes).

4. Leverage email marketing to build anticipation

Email marketing is a powerful tool to nurture interest and convert leads. Start building an email list and send out targeted campaigns, including:

• Conference announcements and early registration offers
• Speaker spotlights or panel discussions to generate excitement
• Reminder emails for early bird and regular ticket deadlines
• Post-registration content, such as tips on how to make the most of the event, or sneak peeks into sessions

Use personalisation in your emails (e.g. addressing recipients by name) and track their engagement to refine future messages.

5. Promote your conference on social media

Your conference’s social media presence will be a major driver of awareness and ticket sales. Post regular updates, behind-the-scenes content, and speaker interviews to create excitement. Use paid social ads to target specific job titles, industries, or interests that align with your event. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter are all great platforms to reach professionals, but don’t forget the power of hashtag campaigns to build buzz.

• Retarget visitors who have visited your event site but haven’t purchased tickets
• Share testimonials from past attendees about the value they gained from your conference
• Create and share short videos that highlight past events, key speakers, or sneak peeks into upcoming sessions

6. Partner with influencers and industry leaders

For conferences, influencers and industry leaders are some of the best advocates you can have. Get your speakers, sponsors, or well-known influencers to promote your event. This can include:

• Speakers sharing the event on their social media or in their newsletters
• Influencers offering exclusive discount codes for their followers
• Industry leaders promoting your event in professional associations or on their blogs
  This approach extends your reach and builds trust with a broader audience.

7. Use content marketing to educate and engage

Content marketing is an excellent way to keep your conference on potential attendees’ minds. Share valuable content related to your conference themes:

• Blog posts that address industry trends or challenges that your conference will cover
• Interviews with keynote speakers about their upcoming presentations
• Behind-the-scenes content that gives a sneak peek into conference preparations
  This content not only keeps your event top of mind, but it also helps you rank higher in search engines for terms relevant to your audience.

8. Create a sense of urgency with FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

People are more likely to buy when they feel they might miss out on something valuable. Build FOMO into your marketing by:

• Highlighting limited tickets (e.g. “Only 50 seats left for VIP access”)
• Using deadline-driven discounts (e.g. “Save 20% before Friday”)
• Sharing real-time updates on ticket sales or speaker announcements
• Social proof, such as “Over 500 industry leaders have already signed up”

When people see that others are signing up, they’re more likely to act quickly.

9. Promote through multiple channels

Don’t limit your promotion to just one channel. Use a variety of platforms to reach your audience where they spend time online:

• Email: Directly communicate with people who have shown interest in similar events or have attended past events
• Social media: Use paid ads to target key demographics and promote organic content to engage followers
• Partners and sponsors: Leverage their networks to spread the word
• Press coverage: If your event has notable speakers or an exciting theme, reach out to industry publications for coverage

The more channels you use, the more touchpoints you have to convert potential attendees.

10. Follow up with abandoned sales and offer incentives

Sometimes, potential attendees visit your site but don’t complete their registration. Use automated follow-ups (e.g. abandoned cart emails) to remind them about the event, highlight key benefits, or provide a special discount.

• Send reminder emails about limited-time offers or upcoming deadlines
• Incentivise purchases with last-minute discounts or exclusive perks

11. Use group discounts and referral programmes

Encourage people to bring colleagues or friends by offering group discounts for bulk ticket purchases or referral incentives for those who share the event with their network. Rewarding registrants for promoting your conference is a great way to multiply your reach with minimal effort.

Final thoughts

Selling tickets for your conference requires a combination of creativity, persistence, and smart marketing tactics. By understanding your audience, creating compelling content, and promoting across multiple channels, you can drive more interest and fill more seats. Make sure your messaging focuses on the value attendees will gain, and create urgency around ticket purchases. With the right strategies, you’ll ensure a successful conference and leave attendees excited for the next one.