Ticketed Events Organiser Checklist: From Payments to Profit

Lock in event date and check competitor calendar

Book your date at least 4 weeks ahead. For paid events, check if other paid workshops, comedy shows, or performances are scheduled the same night in your area — they compete directly for ticket sales.

Confirm venue and build in 15% capacity buffer

Book fire code capacity, but only sell tickets to 85% of the space. This gives you breathing room for ADA access, staff positioning, emergency exits, and the occasional walk-in VIP.

Set ticket price tiers (early bird, standard, day-of)

Calculate: venue cost + speaker/instructor fee + materials + 20% margin. Early bird (30% off) in weeks 1-2 drives urgency. Standard price weeks 3-4. Day-of only if you have capacity. Record all tiers for financial reporting.

Create your ticket event on Who's In with payment enabled

Set up your event at whos-in.app/create with ticket tiers, pricing, capacity limit, and refund cutoff date. Who's In collects payments and handles tax compliance automatically.

Draft your refund and cancellation policy

Write clear terms: refunds until 48 hours before? No refunds? Store credit only? Post this visibly during ticket purchase. Document it for financial reconciliation and to reduce refund disputes.

Confirm requirements and prerequisites

For paid workshops, fitness classes, or performances: experience level, required kit, physical limitations, dietary restrictions (especially for pop-up dinners). Collect this at ticket purchase so you can prep accurately.

Launch ticket sales across all channels

Post your ticket link (with early-bird price visible) on Instagram, TikTok, email newsletter, WhatsApp broadcast, and local community boards. For theatre, comedy, and performances, list on Eventbrite and local venue calendars too.

Set up payment processor settlement schedule

Check your payment processor (Who's In, Stripe, etc.) to confirm when funds hit your account — usually 1-2 business days. Plan your cash flow accordingly, especially if you owe venue fees upfront.

Confirm speaker, instructor, or performer rate and payment date

Lock in their fee, payment method (bank transfer, PayPal, cash), and whether they're paid before or after the event. Build this into your ticket price calculation and reconciliation spreadsheet.

Order per-person materials and catering at current ticket count + 20%

Check your Who's In dashboard for confirmed ticket sales. Order workbooks, handouts, refreshments, or ingredients based on actual paid attendance, not projected. The 20% buffer covers last-minute walk-ins and complimentary staff.

Assign roles: registration, payments, check-in, tech

For larger paid events (50+ attendees), assign one person to handle late payments/walk-in card processing, one to scan/check tickets at the door, one to manage refund requests on the day. Brief them all on your payment processor.

Send automated ticket confirmation + logistics reminder to all paid attendees

Who's In sends this automatically to everyone with a confirmed payment. Include: date, time, exact address, parking details, what to bring, and your refund/cancellation cutoff (usually 48 hours before).

Review ticket sales and create final payment report

Export your ticket data from Who's In: total tickets sold, revenue, refund requests pending, outstanding payments (if you're allowing payment plans). Cross-check with your payment processor's dashboard for reconciliation.

Process any pending refund requests

If your refund cutoff is 48 hours before and we're now 1 week out, honour any refund requests within your policy window. Process them through your payment processor to avoid manual bank transfers and accounting chaos.

Set up your check-in system for ticket verification

Decide: scan QR codes from confirmation emails (fastest), check names against the Who's In list on a tablet/phone, or print a ticket manifest with barcodes. Have a process for walk-in cash/card sales too.

Prepare materials list and dietary requirement summary

Pull the attendee data from Who's In (including dietary restrictions and prerequisites). Print it so your catering/materials team and instructors can prepare accurately.

Brief speaker/performer on exact attendee count and any VIP or comp tickets

Share the final paid attendance number. Clarify how many complimentary tickets you've issued (if any) — some speakers need to know if industry contacts or media are in the room.

Send final payment reminder + refund cutoff notice

"Only 48 hours left to refund your ticket" is powerful. Anyone who cancels now gets their money back; after that, store credit or no refund per your policy. This is your last chance to clean up the waitlist.

Process final refund batch and close refund window

Any refunds requested after this point are denied per your policy. Update your Who's In dashboard to reflect final confirmed attendance and process all pending refunds through your payment processor today.

Finalize venue capacity enforcement with door staff

Brief whoever is checking people in: once you hit your capacity limit (85% of fire code), no more walk-ins. Direct extras to a waitlist for future events or a queue for refunds if they insisted on paying cash at the door.

Prepare payment reconciliation spreadsheet template

Create a simple sheet: ticket price × quantity sold, minus speaker fees, minus refunds, minus payment processing fees (usually 2-3%), minus materials cost. Export the Who's In data to fill it in tomorrow.

Set up card reader and cash box for walk-in sales

If you're allowing day-of sales, have a Square or Stripe card reader charged and tested. Bring a cash float of $200-500. Assign one person to run the register so payments don't get mixed up.

Brief venue on final headcount for catering and setup

Confirm your final ticket count (including staff and comps) with the venue so they can adjust table layout, food portions, and AV setup accordingly.

Arrive 60+ minutes early and verify all payment processing systems

Test your card reader, confirm your internet connection, and log into your Who's In dashboard. Have a backup payment method (manual card swipes, alternative reader) in case of outages.

Set up ticket check-in station with QR scanner or name list

Position your check-in table near the entrance. Have the Who's In attendee list pulled up on a tablet, or print tickets with barcodes. Scan/check each person in as they arrive.

Track walk-in sales and capacity ceiling in real time

Assign someone to monitor your headcount against your capacity limit (85% of fire code). Once you hit the limit, switch walk-ins to a paid waitlist for the next event — don't oversell.

Record no-shows and note payment method for each attendee

Mark people who didn't arrive in your Who's In check-in. This helps you calculate RSVP-to-paid-attendance conversion and identify refund eligibility if someone claims they didn't receive a reminder.

Capture attendee photos and behind-the-scenes content

Photograph the speaker, audience engagement, and best moments. This becomes social proof for future ticket sales — especially powerful for comedy, theatre, and fitness classes.

Collect feedback from paid attendees in the room

A quick 3-question survey (rating scale, NPS, or open feedback) while they're still hyped reveals what drives repeat ticket purchases. Ask: "Would you attend another event like this?" and "What price would you pay next time?"

Send thank-you message to all paid attendees within 2 hours

Email or WhatsApp everyone who attended: thank them, share 2-3 best photos, recap key takeaway, and announce your next ticketed event with an early-bird discount code for repeat customers.

Process final walk-in and day-of payments immediately

Reconcile any cash or card sales collected at the door. Cross-reference with your check-in list to confirm amounts match. Deposit cash and transfer card payments into your main account today.

Export full financial report from Who's In and reconcile

Pull your revenue report: gross ticket sales, refunds issued, payment processing fees deducted, net revenue. Cross-check against your payment processor's settlement report. Document any discrepancies.

Calculate profit: revenue minus all expenses

Tally: venue rental, speaker/performer fees, materials, catering, staff costs (if any), and payment processing fees (usually 2-3% + $0.30/transaction). This is your net profit or loss for the event.

Send gentle refund/cancellation reminder to no-shows

Anyone marked as a no-show gets a friendly message: "We missed you! Here's a 50% discount code for your next ticket." This recovers abandoned attendees and turns them into repeat customers.

Analyze paid attendance vs. ticket sales conversion

Calculate: tickets sold ÷ actual attendees = your conversion rate. For paid events, this should be 85-95% (paid tickets are stickier than free RSVPs). Track this over time to spot pricing or promotion issues.

Pay speaker, performer, or instructor their fee

Process their payment within 24-48 hours of the event. If you owe them a bonus or tip based on ticket sales, calculate and pay that too. Build goodwill for future repeat bookings.

Share event metrics and ROI with your team or board

Document: tickets sold, revenue, expenses, profit, attendee satisfaction (NPS/feedback), no-show rate, and repeat booking rate. Use this to plan next quarter's pricing and event strategy.

Create next ticketed event immediately while demand is hot

Launch your next event on Who's In within 48 hours. Leverage the momentum: email your attendee list, post event photos on social media, and offer repeat customers an early-bird discount. Paid attendees are your best source of future ticket sales.