The Do’s & Don’ts of Payday Marketing

Do Build Anticipation Early

The trick ahead of payday? Plant the seed of your event early. This gets the wheels turning in potential customers’ brains and when payday comes, they’ll be ready to buy. 

If you’re launching your event this week or haven’t already tagged the artists appearing at your event, now is the time to make use of our Artist Alerts feature.

This will:

• Generate early exposure: Fans receive alerts early in the week, sparking interest in your event.
• Target the right audience: Alerts go to users who follow the artist or similar ones.
• Build anticipation: As payday nears, excitement grows, and fans flock to your listing page.

Don’t miss out on the spark that can kickstart your payday marketing plan. Head HERE for more information on Artist Alerts. 

Don’t Leave Promotion Too Late

Every weekend, thousands of events are vying for attention, each sharing one goal: get as many excited eventgoers through the venue doors as possible. 

That’s why you’ve got to be on point with starting promotion early. After all, you don’t want to experience the sinking feeling of seeing a rival run away with all the business. 

Remember in the intro? When we mentioned ‘getting it wrong’? Well, the consequences of leaving your promotion too late are:

• Losing out on attention – Other promoters will overtake you and your event will get lost in the shuffle. 
• Customers won’t know – Those customers who could’ve been dancing the night away at your event? They might have missed the news completely.
• Missed opportunities – You could lose out on those all-important ticket sales. 

Stay ahead of the curve this payday and ensure potential customers are in the know!

Do Leverage Social Media

Once you’ve tagged your artists and your alerts have gone out, it’s time to engage your audience on social media. 

Make them laugh, entertain them and stand out from the crowd with Instagram Reels. According to Buffer, Instagram Reels see 36% more reach than other post types. 

Ensure your Instagram Reel has:

• Personality – Don’t be afraid to show off your personality! This can help you stand out from the crowd. 
• Structure – A clear hook and message gives the content purpose.
• Footage & Sign-off – Weave in footage of previous events and a catchy sign-off to seal the deal. 

Eventgoers will be bombarded with information ahead of payday. Here’s Skiddle’s very own Rory Bramford promoting his event, Pubshroom. It’s got everything you need to stand out from the crowd!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mukes (@mukesevents)

Don’t Overload Your Audience

However, balance is crucial. You don’t want to overload your followers, and one way to do this is by following the 50/30/20 rule. 

Let’s hand it over to our Social Media Creator, Hannah Boggan, who explains the concept in her video below. 

 

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A post shared by Skiddle Promoters (@skiddlepromoters)

Following this rule helps you: 

• Achieve Balance – Your content isn’t biased towards one type.
• Ensure Content is Engaging – With entertaining reels, you’re creating a unique voice for your event. 
• Appeal to Attendees – If you’re creating content that appeals to your audience, they’re much more likely to associate with and buy tickets for your event. 

This means followers aren’t tempted to hit the unfollow button on your social media channels!

Do Offer Discounts 

It’s no secret that money is tight at the moment. So, even on payday, eventgoers will be looking for value for money. 

The stats back it up, too. Back in 2023, 96% of respondents of a survey carried out by industry giant Live Nation chose discounted tickets as a top perk.

Ahead of payday, why not create some Discount Codes in the Skiddle Promotion Centre? 

Watch our how-to video tutorial on how to set them up, and open the door to the following benefits: 

• Perceived Value – If customers feel like they’re getting a great deal, they’re more likely to buy.
• Feel Good Factor – When customers snag a great deal, it feels like a small achievement.
• A Sense of Urgency – Limited-time offers create the need to move quickly so customers don’t miss out.

Discounts are a win-win: you benefit from increased ticket sales and customers save money. 

Don’t Overcomplicate Your Deals

When thinking about your discounts, keep them simple. Overcomplicating your deals will turn customers away, which leads to less engagement and sales for your event.

To avoid this, do the following:

• Offer 20% Off – Our data from events like Black Friday & Cyber Monday show this is the sweet spot.
• Keep It Simple – In the caption, explain that the first 30 people to comment on your post with an emoji of your choice will receive a code in their inbox.
• Be Clear – Avoid customer frustration by clearly stating the expiry date of your discount.

Make your deals easy to follow and use and you’ll be on the path to increased sales. 

Do Utilise Email Marketing

As payday gets closer, sending out newsletters is an easy way to advertise to a large group of people.

According to data centre Indectron, 85% of internet users in the UK send and receive emails every week and almost all users check their emails daily.

The benefits, then, are clear: 

• Direct Messaging – Newsletters cut through the noise and send messages directly to the people interested in your event. 
• Personalisation – They allow you to send deals to new or long-time subscribers. 
• Mobile Friendly – Email is easily read on the go, meaning you can catch up with potential customers no matter what they’re doing. 

When payday hits, you want your event to be the first thing subscribers think of. So, be strategic. You could time your newsletter as payday arrives, meaning potential attendees get news of your event or any deals right as they’re about to be flush with cash. 

Don’t Forget to Track Your Results

Email marketing doesn’t stop once you hit send. Tracking performance helps you understand what works and what doesn’t.

• Monitor Open Rates – See how many people opened your email to gauge initial interest.
• Check Click-Through Rates – Measure how many recipients clicked links, like your ticket page.
• Analyse Conversions – Track how many clicks turned into ticket sales.

Use this data to refine your next payday email, so that when customers have cash to spend, your messaging hits the mark.

Key Takeaways – The Do’s & Don’ts of Payday Promotion

Do…

• Build Anticipation Early: Promote your event ahead of payday using Artist Alerts to generate buzz and target fans.
• Leverage Social Media: Use engaging Instagram Reels with personality, structure, and event footage to capture attention.
• Offer Discounts: Use limited-time discount codes to create urgency, offer value, and boost ticket sales.
• Utilise Email Marketing: Send newsletters close to payday for direct, personalised communication that reaches subscribers wherever they are.

Don’t…

• Leave Promotion Too Late: Start promoting early to stay ahead of competitors and maximise ticket sales.
• Overload Your Audience: Follow the 50/30/20 rule to balance content types and keep followers engaged without overwhelming them.
• Overcomplicate Your Deals: Keep discounts simple, like 20% off for the first 30 commenters, with clear expiry dates.
• Forget to Track Your Results: Measure email performance through open rates, clicks, and conversions to improve future campaigns.

Bonus Tip

Head to our FAQ page to learn more about all our features ahead of payday and check out our how-to video tutorials over on YouTube. Both give you advice after hours, and if you’d like to ask our knowledgeable Account Support team any questions, call on 03333010301 or email at promoters@skiddle.com