How to use VIP packages to boost your event brand and make more profit

Selling VIP packages as part of your event ticketing strategy can be a powerful way to boost your profits while offering a next-level experience for your attendees. 

Doing so takes careful thought and consideration, though. The last thing you want is for ticket buyers to feel they’ve been duped into paying more for something that’s just not worth it. 

On the other hand, when done right, VIP tickets have the potential to boost your brand, and even encourage word of mouth marketing from impressed attendees. And all while earning you more money. Here’s all you need to know.

Why VIP packages are a win-win for event creators & attendees

A great VIP package not only allows the event creator to charge more, but offers an exciting, all-frills experience for the attendee. It’s really that simple. The beauty of creating these types of tickets is that they offer something for those select attendees who are more than happy to pay for an enhanced experience. Essentially, you give attendees the option to pay more to get more, and they can take it or leave it.

As long as your VIP tickets deliver on their promises, and offer something of genuine value to attendees, you both benefit from the situation. Keep reading to find out how to nail your VIP strategy so both you and your attendees get the most out of it.

What can VIP packages include?

What you include in your VIP package will depend on the type of event you’re running (more on this below). Some things commonly included within the price of a VIP ticket include:

• Early access – handy for beating the crowds and securing great seats.
• Backstage access and meet and greet opportunities with performers/speakers.
• VIP area access – say, to a dedicated bar or lounge.
• Free refreshments – think premium drinks and snacks.
• Exclusive after-party invites.
• Merchandise and/or signed goods.
• Gifts, whether branded or unbranded.
• Priority parking or transport vouchers.

How to use VIP packages to supercharge your ticketing strategy

Nailing your VIP strategy is all about tapping into the genuine wants of potential buyers – in a way that is both profitable for you, and satisfying for them. Here are our top tips for doing just that:

Think about what your attendees care about

The things that make your VIP packages appealing will depend on the type of events you run, and the things your attendees get excited about. For example, someone attending a conference may not be that bothered about receiving branded merchandise (cool pen, but do I really care?). On the other hand, die-hard fans of a certain band probably would care about receiving merch – especially if it’s signed. 

For this reason, it’s important to think carefully about what is going to deliver genuine value for VIP ticket buyers. Otherwise you risk your packages falling flat. Some examples of things your attendees might care about include:

• Front row seats or amazing viewing position – this is a major draw for attendees of music events. Getting a great viewing position or a seat within the first few rows is something many concert-goers are willing to pay extra for. 
• Avoiding large crowds – for some people, having to navigate large crowds is more than a pet peeve. Offering early access or a separate VIP queue for such attendees can be a great way to give them a calmer, less stress-inducing experience of your event.
• Getting to meet artists, performers or speakers – meet-and-greets can be priceless for fans, with many Redditors commenting that these experiences made the higher price of their VIP tickets more than worth it. 
• Getting signed merch – signed merch holds real value for fans (and can even be sold on for a profit), so could be something your attendees are more than willing to pay extra for. 
• Intimate Q&A sessions – attendees of conferences might get excited about getting to pick the brains of key speakers in a small-group setting.
• Personalised perks – see how this Redditor enthused about the fact their concert VIP ticket bought them the chance to actually request songs from the performer, which were then played!
• Luxuries and home comforts – festival-goers are often happy to pay extra to get a more luxurious, comfortable experience. Take Coachella’s VIP tickets, for example, which give attendees access to luxuries such as specialty food & drink vendors, air-conditioned restrooms, and shaded seating areas. Nice 😎.

Include practical solutions to sources of frustration

Some attendees will be willing to pay to ensure their experience of your event runs as smoothly as possible. That might be through knowing they have a reserved parking spot, can skip queues at the bar, or that there’s a supervised area where their kids can hang out while they enjoy the main event. 

You might even consider helping your VIP attendees get to your event through including a Lyft or Uber voucher in the package.

It’s all about considering what potential gripes attendees might have – and how you can solve these with a few practical VIP flourishes. 

Focus on enhancing VIP attendees’ overall experience of your event

A VIP experience should make ticket buyers feel like they’ve been truly ‘wowed’. Going the extra mile to provide experience-enhancing extras will ensure they feel their tickets were worth the extra cost – whether that’s through offering complimentary premium refreshments, or even arranging a surprise additional performance for VIP guests only. There are lots of ways to get creative here. Focus on what will really impress attendees, even if it means offering less extras, but of greater value. 

A gift bag full of cheap merch is easily forgettable, for example. Whereas a luxurious welcome drink served in style is much more likely to impress. 

The aim is to make VIP attendees feel valued and appreciated. And the best way to do this is to put some real thought into what type of add-ons that will give them that extra-special experience.

Tip: Selling VIP tickets isn’t the only way to enhance your attendees’ experience. With Ticket Tailor, you can also sell fun products and add-ons at the point of ticket sale. We’ve seen event creators selling everything from blanket hire at outdoor events through to picnic baskets, premium drinks, delicious lunches and much more. 

Get sponsors involved for bigger, better VIP experiences

Sponsors are usually keen to get involved with VIP packages because it gives them a chance to show off their brand and impress event attendees in a memorable way.

And the great news for you is that they can help to fund elements of your VIP offering. A drinks sponsor might be happy to fund and create a branded VIP lounge area, for example. Or a wellness sponsor might be keen to put together a luxury goody bag for your VIP attendees.

Harnessing your sponsorship relationships in this way can be a real game-changer when it comes to providing a truly memorable experience – and one that doesn’t break your budget. Bingo.

Tip: Learn how to secure sponsorship for your events >

Make sure your VIP tickets feel truly worth it

Following the tips in this article should already put you in a great position to sell VIP experiences that feel worth it. But it can help to bear a few extra principles in mind when it comes to making sure ticket buyers don’t feel short-changed:

• Don’t oversell VIP packages – if there are more VIP attendees than standard, the whole thing kind of loses its sheen! (As per this Redditor’s frustrated comment.)
• Make sure merch feels valuable – going the extra mile to get merch signed is a great way to do this. Avoid putting together generic merch goody bags that don’t hold much value, as they won’t impress attendees, and so will come at a wasted cost to you.
• Don’t overprice VIP packages – it’s crucial to get your VIP pricing right. Although it’s important to make sure you’re able to turn a profit, it’s also important to keep pricing realistic and competitive. 
• Work hard to deliver on logistical promises – if you promise that VIP attendees won’t have to queue for longer than a certain amount of time, it’s so important to see this through. Failing to keep good on your promises will only leave a bad taste in ticket buyers’ mouths – especially when they’ve paid extra. 

To keep things in check, be vigilant when planning out all logistical elements of your VIP packages, with back-up plans in place (say, on-call staff in case anyone phones in sick).

• Always be 100% clear about what VIP packages include – of course, there’s nothing to say you can't surprise attendees with fun extras. But it’s important not to make vague promises at the point of ticket sale without knowing how you’ll follow through on these – as this may lead to disappointment.

Ready to supercharge your events with VIP tickets?

VIP packages are a fantastic way to create an enhanced experience for those attendees who are willing to pay more. And creating them can be pretty fun too, allowing you to flex your creative event-planner muscles. Just remember to offer extras that hold genuine value for your specific audience, to price your tickets fairly, and to sell a limited number of packages to keep that exclusive feel. With all this done, you’re in a great position to truly impress attendees while boosting your profits.

Looking for a ticketing partner that makes setting up fully customised VIP tickets super quick and easy, plus much more? Find out about Ticket Tailor’s full list of event-enhancing features >