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How BookTix Turns Theatre Teachers into Confident Producers

dhcbaldwin
Every so often, I’m fortunate in having a company contact me and ask if I would be willing to recommend them to you.  Today, I’m excited to blog about how BookTix turns theatre teachers into confident producers. I’ve directed, taught and produced for over thirty-eight years. As you might expect, I have many memories of box office fiascos.   About twenty years ago, I administrated a summer theater camp in Missouri.  They were a small company with a large theater venue. Like many of us at the time  they were selling their tickets only at the door prior to performance time.
Their biggest problem wasn’t filling the seats. They had no lobby for the audience to wait prior to curtain or stand in a queue to pick up their tickets.  Invariably, the ticket line snaked out the door and around the building.  What a hassle!

How BookTix Turns Theatre Teachers into Confident Producers

Not only that, but with no box office purchasing system, selling in this manner makes for a late curtain. Consequently, audience members become anxious when they have to wait before a production begins. It can even discourage their applause. I’ve even heard an audience member say,  “Why did we have to wait so long for the show to begin? This better be good!”
Additionally, when people see a line at the door, they often assume the event is sold out. I’ve personally seen attendees leave the theater, believing there were no tickets available, simply because we lacked a system to sell tickets in advance. Yikes!

How BookTix Turns Theatre Teachers into Confident Producers

BookTix is one of the first companies in the country (and the world) to address this issue.
Who is BookTix?  From their owner,  “BookTix helps theatre teachers see themselves as producers – they handle so many roles – fundraising, marketing, ticket sales, etc. We help solve those pieces that become headaches so they can focus on the fun stuff – making art. It’s all about making the lives of teachers easier. We attend many conferences to meet the educators and brainstorm solutions. We pride ourselves helping teachers find loyal audiences and fundraise options so they can have financial and artistic freedom to the work they want to do.”
All ready they sound great, huh?

With BookTix, you will receive access to your own customized selling platform. Your patrons (customers) will be able to click from your website directly to your BookTix portal. This portal is customized to match the branding of your website for a seamless experience for the end user. Your staff will have access to your administrative portal, where they can customize events, items, season passes, donation campaigns and so much more!

Seamless Support and Innovation: How BookTix Elevates Your Production Process

They also provide a platform for you to use and they provide a highly trained customer support team with tons of experience in the event industry. This team can assist you and your staff in setting up & running your portal. If you want to set it up yourself, they include a base of articles or a teacher can sign up for a Webinar to learn how to use the BookTix platform.

BookTix Provides: A state-of-the-art platform that is always updating based on customer feedback and current industry trends; a fully staffed customer support center available by online chat, email, submit a ticket or phone call. We are here for you every step of the way!

What am I expected to provide? As you might expect, you provide the computers, tablets, mobile devices for using the system – as an administrator, box office rep or usher. (We offer support on compatible equipment that is available to purchase.) You provide all staffing and internet for running the system on your end.

BookTix: Simplifying Ticketing with Innovation and Industry Expertise

BookTix is a turnkey system created for the performing arts, and quickly expanded to include all types of events, by individuals that have worked in the industry in various capacities. After building a system for a limited run of an Off-Broadway show, co-owners Jason Goldstein & Tim DiVito knew it was too good to keep to themselves. As producers, they know how complicated ticketing can be. The staff at BookTix is also passionate about the arts and brings many levels of understanding to the development and support offered by the company.

The primary goal of BookTix is to make ticketing easy and affordable. First, BookTix offers a positive patron and brand experience. They are always embracing new technologies to enhance our features. This allows for a diverse array of analytic capabilities and reporting functions. Anticipating the future of ticketing, recently they completely redesigned their  system using 15 years of feedback.  It is their forward thinking and new tech to deliver an unparalleled system that sets them apart from others.

New 2024 Rollout: Affordable, Feature-Rich System Favored Nationwide

This system began rolling out in early 2024. From the feedback that they gathered, the low cost & improved features make this system preferred to other systems on the market. Booktix works with many towns, cities, counties, school districts, performing arts centers. Additionally, they help athletic associations and other organizations that offer a myriad of events throughout the United States and Canada.

Their system utilizes a digital ticket which patrons can scan at the door when attending events. There is also an option for patrons to print at home, or for the box office to print physical tickets and hold at Will Call. BookTix offers easy to understand reporting and real-time updating of tickets purchased both online and at the box office. Plus, they offer general admission ticketing, reserved seating and even a combination of both!

I think this next asset is incredigle! Their team will create a customized seating chart based on your venue and patrons can select their seats with ease, automatically blocking those seats out for others purchasing concurrently. We offer the ability to include sponsors on your tickets and on your ticketing site. Most features are fully customizable based on your organization’s needs.

Comprehensive Support: Expert Guidance from Setup to Sales with BookTix

BookTix not only checks every box for the technical needs in ticketing, but also brings a team of passionate employees who are ready to assist with any issues that may arise. Additionally, their sales & onboarding teams are available for personalized and group demos to help walk your team through the system. They are happy to answer any questions as you begin your ticketing journey with BookTix, too. Do you need some assistance with logos, color selections, etc?  Booktix will help you get set up & make sure your branding is en pointe and will double check that your initial events are all entered correctly and are ready for sales.

Another plus is that their company is their customer support team.  It is available 7 days a week and is actively online any time we have an event running in our system. We also have an emergency support line for urgent matters 24/7. Not only is someone available, but they are eager to help you understand the system and sell more tickets! New to teaching and directing on your own? This post is a must-read for you! Play Production for Newbie Theater Teachers: Expectations Versus Reality

Transparent, Flexible Pricing: BookTix Ensures Smooth, Fee-Free Ticketing

And that brings me to my next point about BookTix. They only make money when you sell tickets, so our goal is to ensure your ticketing process is always smooth. There are zero up front charges (unless you are purchasing equipment) and zero monthly or annual fees. We charge 3.75% plus 90¢ USD ($1.20CAD) per ticket. Cash & comp tickets are always FREE! This fee includes credit card fees processed by our partner, Stripe.

Most importantly, you never have to worry about any other fees. When you set up your tickets in the system, you will be able to see what their fees are and adjust your patron fees accordingly.  This ensures you receive exactly what you need per ticket. BookTix is 100% cloud based and each organization is provided with their own customizable URL. Patrons use this URL to find information about the organization and all of the events for which they are selling tickets.

Flexible Ticketing and Packages: Simplifying Sales for Any Event or Venue

Do you require package deals for a production such as group rates? Not a problem.  The site allows for the unlimited sale of tickets, packages, items and donations for multiple departments.  If that isn’t enough for you, they can provide tickets for multiple events at multiple venues all simultaneously. Events can be scheduled for a single date/time or for a range of dates/times.

Introducing the Worry-Free Queue: Stress-Free Ticket Sales Management

One of their newest features is our Worry Free Queue! This new upgrade puts your buyers in a dynamic line to reduce stress on the system and give customers more effective seat selection. You will never have to worry about overloading the system when tickets go on sale!

Additionally, they’ve recently rolled out a new Fundraising Suite. Talk about stress free! You can stay on top of donations, track your goals and thank donors easily with their new array of features designed to make fundraising easier for your organization.

BookTix: A Trusted Leader in Ticketing for Schools and Theaters Across North America

BookTix operates remotely, primarily out of New Jersey, USA. They are pleased to be the de facto ticketing system for school and performing arts organizations across the US and Canada. I can tell they take a lot of pride in being the top choice for many schools and theaters. As you might expect, they have an international footprint and are endorsed and partnered with many industry organizations.
In 2024, BookTix was honored with the Organization of the Year award from the Virginia Thespians for our expertise in online ticketing for their annual event. Moreover, they continue to be a proud member and supporter of the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) as well as the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA). Lastly, they receive the   American Association of Community Theater Corporate Award presented to businesses and corporations for significant financial support of community theatre on a regional or national basis.
In conclusion, because of my extensive personal experiences as producer, director and teacher I can recommend BookTix to you with my utmost support. In today’s world, it’s rare to find a company as excellent, helpful and trustworthy as BookTix.
Do you use a platform to handle your box office needs? Looking for something better?  I’d love to hear about it.  Email me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com
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