How does a booking number work? HELP!

Tue, 22 May 2007, 07:13 pm

Sean B5 posts in thread

Hi everyone, I've been slowly piecing together the production and theatre rental side to our show 'Boy Banned' and there suddenly arose an interesting point. How will we sell tickets? Now quite often I see a booking number on a poster for a show and I was wondering exactly how this works. We don't have credit card facilities...and tickets would only be really cheap so is it just used to put tickets aside? What kind of number should I use- a mobile or a home phone? What happens after someone has booked tickets? Do they pick them up on the night...and pay there? In general I guess (as it's my first time at this) I want to know how ticket booking numbers work so I can set one up for the show. Any help is AWESOME! Sean

Thread (5 posts)

Threaded Flat

Sean BTue, 22 May 2007, 07:13 pm

NormaTue, 22 May 2007, 10:22 pm

Booking Numbers

you don't say which state you are in, but I guess that all states have a commercial booking firm, in WA it's BOCS who will do your bookings for you, of course they charge but it relieves you of a fair bit of work, If you want to save costs and go it alone, it's really quite simple. first you need a seating plan,then decide whether you a e going to have reserved or unreserved seats, unreserved is simpler. Decide on your ticket costs and appoint someone reliable to take the bookings.(VERY important)

If using a home phone make sure it's got an answering machine and put a message on it with all details, unless you want to be tied to the phone 24/7 as people will ring up at all kinds of odd hours! If using a mobile same thing.

Credit card facilities can be set up but once again it will cost you, so if you are watching costs keep to cash/cheques.

Make up your mind whether you are going to suggest that people pay in advance for say 6 or more tickets and if so get them to send an SAE with the money, to return the tickets or else make it clear that tickets will be held at the theatre. In this case you will have to phone people back to confirm you have got their money. mostly people 'pay on the night' but this does increase the risk of people booking and not turning up, it's one of the risks of doing your own bookings!

Hope some of this helps.

NaWed, 23 May 2007, 07:26 am

Sean, are you doing this

Sean, are you doing this production at your school? If so, it's more than likely that they could help you set up an answering machine/phone number through them. If not, then I suggest doing the following: Borrow a mobile phone (it can be yours, or anyone else's who is happy to give out the phone number) Set up an answering message, giving all the necessary details of the show (everything you would put on the poster for example) State on the message that the person can leave their details, how many tickets and for what night, a number to call them back on. Create a door list for each night. Write down each message as they come to your mobile/phone/answering machine. Call the person back to confirm the tickets have been booked. Either: ask for payment at the door, or find some other way of accepting money (an online service, such as Paypal?). Make sure that the FOH people have your booking lists. There are ticketing services in Melbourne, other than Ticketek, but they cost money. If I knew where you were performing, I could give you some more specific advice. Sticky Apple Legs www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs Puppets in Melbourne www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

Sean BWed, 23 May 2007, 03:01 pm

Hey thanks for your

Hey thanks for your help, I'll probably end up going with a mobile phone. I'm in Victoria- but it's only a really small production and the venue holds 64 people...we're doing two shows so 128 people. Now the performance space is at a primary school- so I suppose I could see if they would do ticket bookings...that's another option. I think I'll set up a voice mail contact number and simply use that. It will have to be pay at the door I think...even if that is a risk. Most audience will be family and friends anyway- I can get advanced money off them pretty easy. So I shall go from there and see how it goes. Thanks for your help though! _____________________________________________________________ Currently working on: "Boy Banned" a fusion of live acting, video footage, corny songs, syncronised dancing boys and egos! JULY 2007, ticket information coming soon!!!

NaWed, 23 May 2007, 03:13 pm

Great - it's more than

Great - it's more than likely that the school would be able to help you out, but the mobile phone thing should work just as well (and then you're only reliant on your phone working, and not someone else's). I'm pretty sure we set up something similar at uni - used the uni bookings phone, created a door list, and then people paid when they arrived. It was very easy to implement, and all you need is a phone/answering machine, some paper, pens, and a 'float' (the float is small change/small notes, because people usually don't have exact change). Sticky Apple Legs www.freewebs.com/stickyapplelegs Puppets in Melbourne www.thepromptcopy.com/pip

← Back to Tech Talk