Planning Guide
How to Organise a Paid Ticketed Event: From Payment Setup to Post-Event Reporting
Step-by-step guide to organising paid ticketed events with payment collection, capacity management, and financial reporting. Free RSVP tool included.
Running paid ticketed events? Selling workshop seats, fundraiser tickets, or performance admission? The difference between a chaotic event and a smooth one comes down to three things: collecting payments upfront, enforcing capacity limits, and handling no-shows and refunds professionally. This guide covers everything you need to launch and manage ticketed events that actually make money.
Before you set up payment collection, get clear on your ticket model. Ticketed events require different planning than free community events — you're managing money, capacity enforcement, and refund expectations from day one.
Choose your ticket price and structure
Single price? Early bird vs. full price? Group discounts? Your pricing structure affects your payment processor setup. Workshop organisers often use early bird pricing (e.g., £15 for first 10 people, £20 after). Fundraiser coordinators may offer tiered donations. Comedy venues often use fixed pricing. Decide now because it affects your payment flow.
Decide on your refund policy
Refunds up to 7 days before? Non-refundable? 50% refund within 24 hours? Your policy directly impacts your cancellation rate and payment processor fees. Document it clearly — you'll reference it constantly. Fitness classes often use stricter policies; workshops often offer 7-day refunds to reduce purchase friction.
Set a hard capacity limit
Unlike free events, ticketed events require enforced capacity. You're taking money based on space available. Confirm your venue's exact occupancy, then set your ticket limit 5-10% below that for buffer room. Use a waitlist feature to capture demand beyond capacity.
Plan your revenue targets
Work backwards from your costs. Venue rental + instructor fee + materials + payment processor fees (2-3%) + contingency. Then calculate: (Total Costs ÷ (Ticket Price - Processor Fee)) = Minimum Tickets Needed. For a £200 workshop with £30 tickets: (£200 ÷ £28.10) = 8 tickets minimum.
Frequently asked questions
How much of my ticket price goes to payment processing fees?
Stripe and Square both charge approximately 2.4% + £0.20 per transaction. On a £30 ticket, you net £28.10. On a £100 ticket, you net £97.40. Always factor this into your pricing. If your costs require £30 per ticket, charge £31 to account for fees, or accept a slightly lower margin.
What's the right refund policy for paid ticketed events?
There's no universal answer, but most successful models are: Full refund up to 7 days before the event, 50% refund 3-7 days before, no refund within 72 hours. Fitness and performance venues often go stricter (3 days, then no refund). Workshops often go looser (14 days, full refund) to reduce purchase anxiety. Document your policy clearly and mention it in every communication.
How many RSVPs should I expect to convert to attendees?
For paid events, expect 70-80% conversion (no-show rate of 20-30%). Free events often see 40-50% show rates. The difference: paid attendees are more committed because money is involved. Use Who's In's 48-hour automatic reminder — it reduces no-shows to 8-12%. If your no-show rate is above 25%, your reminders or event description needs improvement.
When should I close ticket sales before my event?
Stop accepting new RSVPs 48 hours before your event. This gives you time to: confirm final headcount with your venue, adjust materials, handle last-minute cancellations, and send a final reminder. Last-minute RSVPs create logistics chaos. For large events (50+ people), close 72 hours before. For small intimate events (under 15 people), closing 24 hours before is acceptable.
How do I know if my ticketed events are actually profitable?
Create a simple spreadsheet tracking: total revenue collected, venue costs, instructor/material costs, payment processor fees, and your time. Calculate: (Revenue - All Costs) ÷ Number of Attendees = Profit Per Person. Track this per event. If your profit per person is negative or under £5, your ticket price is too low or your costs are too high. Adjust pricing or find a cheaper venue.
Should I set a capacity limit for my paid event?
Yes, always. Your venue has a legal maximum occupancy. Sell 5-10% below that as your ticket limit. This creates scarcity (higher conversion) and gives you buffer room for last-minute walk-ins or logistics issues. Use a waitlist to capture people interested in future dates. Unlimited tickets = overcrowded events = bad experience = refund requests.
What's the best way to encourage repeat attendees?
Three things: (1) Send feedback request immediately after event — makes them feel heard. (2) Offer early bird pricing to past attendees for the next event — exclusive pricing = higher conversion. (3) Email past attendees first before promoting to the general public — they convert at 3-5x higher rates. People who paid once and had a good experience will pay again if you make it easy.
How long should I plan before launching my first paid ticketed event?
For a workshop: 3-4 weeks. For a performance or fundraiser: 6-8 weeks. For a recurring weekly class: 2 weeks. The bigger the commitment from your audience, the longer they need to book. Start promoting 4 weeks out with an early bird deadline. This gives you time to reach capacity and handle logistics without stress.
Related Planning Guide guides
Ready to collect RSVPs for your Ticketed Events events?
Who's In is free, takes 2 minutes to set up, and requires no app download for attendees.
