In AdmitMe, a ticket type is called a category. The category holds the price, the cap, the sale window, the badge colour, the wallet pass look and the check-in rules. Change the category and everything that follows changes with it.
1. Start with who is coming
List the groups who will walk through the door. Most events have some of these:
- the general public,
- early buyers you want to reward,
- VIP or hospitality guests,
- trade or industry visitors,
- concession holders,
- crew, exhibitor staff, sponsors and guests who do not pay.
Not every group needs a public ticket. Keep that in mind for step 3.
2. Keep the public list short
Two to four types that buyers can see is plenty. If someone has to read a table to work out which ticket is theirs, you have too many.
Why it matters. Every extra choice costs you a few sales and gains you a few support emails.
3. Name each type for what the buyer gets
Use plain words: “General admission”, “VIP lawn”, “Trade day pass”. Avoid internal codes. Say what is included in the description, and say what is not.
4. Set the price and the cap
The cap is how many you can actually look after, not how many you hope to sell. Think about space, staff and safety. Your plan also sets limits on events and tickets, so check pricing if your event is large.
5. Set sale windows
Each category can have its own sale window. A common pattern is an early-bird type that closes on a date, followed by a standard type that opens as it closes. Closing early-bird by date, and not by sell-out, gives you a deadline to point at.
6. Hide the ones that are not public
Crew, guests, sponsors and press still need tickets, so the door and the badge system know who they are. Give them their own categories, and set their visibility so the public never sees them. They can be free.
A simple example for a one-day expo:
| Category | Public? | Why it exists |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | Yes | The main offer. |
| Trade day pass | Yes | Visitors from the industry, on their own day. |
| Exhibitor staff | No | Stand crews, issued by code. |
| Crew and contractors | No | Bump-in and bump-out, with their own badge colour. |
| Guests and press | No | Comps you issue yourself. |
7. Use promo and partner codes carefully
Codes can take a percentage or a fixed amount off, can be single-use or capped, and can be limited to one category. Two uses are worth the effort:
- Partner codes. Give each partner, sponsor or community group its own code. You can then see what each one returned.
- Staff codes. Give each exhibitor a code for their staff category, so their team registers themselves.
Why it matters. One code per partner is the difference between “I think the radio ad worked” and knowing.
8. Look at it on a phone
Open the shop on your phone and read it as a stranger would. Then buy a test ticket in each public category and look at the ticket and wallet pass. Check the badge colour is the one you want for that group.
- Each public category has a clear name and a clear description.
- Prices, caps and sale windows are right.
- Non-public categories are hidden.
- Every partner or exhibitor who needs a code has their own.