We’re craving events that invite questions, conversations, and new ways of looking at the world–opening minds and hearts everywhere. More and more people want to travel and experience new artistic works. Pay-what-you-can tickets allow audiences around the globe to do just that. Ticketstripe is here to help break down how PWYW tickets and flexible donations work and how these burgeoning fundraising techniques can help you raise more money for your cause!
Pay-What-You-Wish Tickets
Pay-What-You-Wish Donations
Maximize Donation Opportunities
What Are Pay What You Wish Tickets?
Odds are, you’ve been to or heard of an event, museum, or concert that accepts “pay what you wish” with admission. This ticket type lets the buyer decide how much to pay in exchange for admission to your event, while a minimum price may be set by the organizer.
How to Create Pay-What-You-Wish Tickets
To set up a pay-what-you-wish ticket, pop over to Ticketstripe.com and log in to your account. Click on Tickets, Add Tickets –> Pay-What-You-Wish Ticket from the menu.
From here, you can enter a descriptive title for the ticket, such as Pay-What-You-Wish Admission or Pay-What-You-Can Ticket, enter a minimum price for the ticket, or leave it zero for free admission. Click on More Options to add a short description, select fee options (pass on or absorb), enter a message after purchase, and other relevant details.
- The “minimum price” for a PWYW ticket is optional and can be set to zero to enable free admission.
- Tickets and Donations are displayed in separate sections on the event page.
- If you plan to charge sales tax on tickets, create a PWYW ticket as you cannot add sales tax to donations.
In the above example, we use the short description field to add information about the minimum price for this ticket and to share the full-price ticket value.
For a step-by-step guide on setting up pay-what-you-can tickets, see this short article.
TIP: To keep the finances flowing toward your fund, we recommend passing on the service and merchant fees to ensure that as much money as possible goes directly toward your cause.
Pay-What-You-Wish Donations
A PWYW donation is a Flexible Donation that includes Admission. Flexible donations allow the donor to enter their own donation amount. The donation with admission option allows the donor to receive an e-ticket with barcode (required for entry).
- Donations are displayed in a separate section on the event page, below the tickets.
- Minimum donation amounts cannot be less than $2, or the equivalent in your currency.
Follow the instructions in this help article to create a pay-what-you-wish donation with admission.
While there are numerous benefits to offering a “pay what you can” option, our Ticketstripe team has rounded up three top reasons your nonprofit can benefit from adopting a ticketing platform that offers PWYW.
More Accessibility
By allowing your event to be more budget-friendly to the average consumer, you open the gates of art, music, and diverse culture to your community at large. Think how the next great artist, musician, poet, or activist can emerge simply from having access to their inspiration. If your target demographic shoots for Gen Z or Millennials, this is an excellent way to ensure that you reel them in. Pay-what-you-can tickets and donations also help support marginalized groups, allow entrance to school groups and educational classes, and invite more eyes to your event.
More Publicity
“Pay what you wish” is a catchy hook for social media. With Ticketstripe you can create branded event pages, entice your audience with flexible PWYW tickets, and allow your patrons to share the occasion on their personal pages— bringing in more faces and donations. Social media makes it simple to promote and capture the essence of your event, and Ticketstripe makes it equally easy for participants to contribute to the cause. To learn more about our nonprofit features, click here.
More Fundraising
While ticketing platforms that offer PWYW for admission provide fantastic opportunities, they can also cause members of the board to take a pause. How can you continue to make money and meet the necessary goals when it feels like you’re ‘giving things away? Worry not! Fundraising is possible– and increased–with this kind of admission. Greater access and increased publicity inherently bring more donations, but you can also set a minimum amount required to ensure you meet your quota. For an extra boost, create complimentary packages that align with the level of a guest’s contribution. Backstage passes, private tours, or gratis bubbles and bites are all strong additions to your fundraiser and can be advertised through your social platforms.
Maximize Donation Opportunities
Once you’ve decided to give pay-what-you-wish tickets and donations a try, double-check that you’re making the most of this admission type. Whether you’re a fresh event creator or well-versed in throwing a nonprofit soiree, we’ve culminated a handful of tips to help elevate your event and ensure that you make the most money for your designated cause.
Reiterate the ‘Why’
Remind your attendees of the reason behind your big bash. Why this event? Why is it important? Is it a time-sensitive mission where the funds need to be quickly accessed? I.e., hurricane relief or children in crisis. Is it to assist in a more extended project, like building a new hospital wing or supporting a modern art museum? While most patrons might lean towards a smaller financial gift, don’t underestimate the power of a well-worded description to help establish the value of your event and to help gain more monetary traction.
Create a Paper Trail
Captivate your audience’s attention and promote your organization’s authenticity and morals by crafting a paper trail. Show your customers an actionable plan with tangible steps to help your cause. By detailing exactly where each individual’s money is going, you not only continue to foster a sense of community and trust– you help your audience envision their role in participating. Providing a concrete “where” in addition to your “why” will prompt them to remember how critical their donation is.
Learn More About Your Donor
Part of the beauty of flexible donation entry is that your donors will ideally come from all walks of life. But, like any event, the key to success is to consider your target demographic. Reflect on your nonprofit. Muse on its inherent values, aesthetics, the age group that predominantly attends your soirees, etc. What social issues matter to them? How do they best feel appreciated and wanted? What group will care most about your nonprofit, and how do you ensure they’re included? To further guarantee you’re “in the black,” think about your ideal attendee in your planning. If your patrons feel that they’re part of something special, exclusive, or culturally significant, they will be more likely to contribute.
Maximize Your Checkout Process
Now that you have the “why,” “where,” and “who” of your event, add the “when” with your checkout process! Here, you’re able to provide the necessary details of the event and allow each guest to select their desired payment. The checkout process is also an incredible opportunity to gather information about your patrons. Ticketstripe enables your team to craft custom questions to better understand your audience’s wants, needs, and preferences. Some sample questions might be:
- If you could describe your ideal event in three words, what would they be?
- What is your meal preference? Fish or Vegetarian?
- Which nonprofits are doing work that excite you?
Whatever questions you choose, their answers can help shape your upcoming event and future fundraisers. They can aid in organization, inform advertising copy and tone, and assist in reaching out to other benefactors. Taking time to add a personal touch to your checkout makes your attendees feel cared for and valued– and that their answers are influential and essential! Wouldn’t you want to be involved in something like that?
Ticketstripe’s platform makes checkout a breeze by seamlessly streamlining ticket sales, “pay-what-you-wish” options, and custom checkout questions– the premiere way to ticket your nonprofit gatherings.
After a harrowing few years with considerable adjustments to personal finances and more causes than ever that need support, flexible and PWYW donations are the future of nonprofit fundraising. This style of ticketing balances on a “win-win” transaction. It relies on the acknowledgment of value, trust, and community.
In addition to the already noted perks of “PWYW,” perhaps the most significant benefit is allowing everyone– regardless of background or social status— to feel included, meaningful, and able to give back. Flexible donations encourage us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves and will undoubtedly create incredible advancements in the nonprofit field.
Check out our help center to learn more about varying types of donation options or how to add them to your event. Feel free to drop us a line if you have more questions. We can’t wait to hear about your incredible events!
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