How to Find the Best Nonprofit Event Ticketing Software for Your Charity Event
Finding the right event ticketing software for your charity event can be a challenging process. There are many tools for nonprofit events out there and knowing which is the right fit for your cause can be hard. By understanding what you need from your nonprofit event ticketing software, you can make sure your team is equipped to host a successful nonprofit event.
Features to Look for in Your Nonprofit Event Ticketing Software
The best nonprofit event ticket software should make your event run smoothly, give your guests a positive experience, and save your team time and energy. Make sure that any nonprofit event ticketing software helps you with the key tasks that will delight your charity event guests and help your team get things done.
Registration and Ticketing
The right nonprofit event software will make registration and ticketing easy for both your staff and your guests. Make sure that your charity event ticketing software has simple registration that allows you to sell event tickets online without much hassle. Collecting all the information you need quickly is a key feature of effective nonprofit event ticketing software, especially when it comes to information like guests and contact methods. If you are hosting an event that allows your guests to bring multiple others with them, make sure there’s an easy way to edit their registration to add in the names of their guests as the event approaches — an especially helpful feature for your event software if you’re hosting a silent auction or banquet. Having a feature that allows you to sell event tickets online is a major plus!
Sponsorship Management
Soliciting sponsorships for your nonprofit event is an important part of an effective fundraising strategy. Make sure your nonprofit event ticketing software makes it easy for your corporate partners to sign up to sponsor, including uploading logos and sharing who their guests will be. Managing your event sponsorships can be a hassle, so integrating this into your nonprofit event ticketing software will save you time and inconvenience.
Multiple Communication Channels
Effective nonprofit event ticketing software allows you to communicate with your guests through multiple channels, including text, email, and more. Multiple communication channels help you reach your guests according to their preferences and save you time. Collect guests' emails and cell phone numbers to allow you to reach them easily.
Text-to-Give Options
When your guests want to give while on the move, text-to-give options are often the easiest way for them to make a donation to your nonprofit. If your guests are mingling at your nonprofit event, having a text-to-give option or an easy mobile giving solution allows them to make a donation without going through the hassle of having them type in a complicated link or having to physically pull out a credit card. If you’re hosting a nonprofit silent auction, text-to-give options can be a part of your nonprofit silent auction mobile bidding solution. Tools like iBid can help make your nonprofit event easy to manage and a great experience for your guests.
Online Auction
Hosting an online silent auction is a great way to raise money for your cause and connect with your donors. Your next nonprofit auction can be even easier with an effective nonprofit event ticketing software, especially one that allows you to host your auction online and allows your guests to bid on their phones. Mobile bidding allows guests to track the items and packages that matter to them from anywhere in the event—and even virtually if they can’t attend in person. Your guests will appreciate the chance to enjoy a night supporting your cause and having fun. They’ll even get the chance to win fun, unique experiences.
Integration with Other Tools
In addition to having robust capabilities, your nonprofit event ticketing software should also be able to integrate with other tools. Software like iBid and Events.org allow you to connect your event software to other tools like your donor management software to make it easier to track your interactions with donors and make sure you’re building deeper relationships.
Low Costs and Fees
While there are several nonprofit event ticketing software options with robust capabilities, it’s important to find a tool that is low-cost and doesn’t cut into your fundraising revenue with massive fees. Make sure that your nonprofit event software has simple, inexpensive fees without any hidden costs that aren’t clear up front. Tools like iBid and Events.org can help you run your nonprofit event while keeping your costs low with a simple setup fee and low credit card processing fees—keeping more money in your pocket to support your organization’s mission.
How to Find a Low-Cost Nonprofit Event Ticketing Software
When looking for an effective and low-cost nonprofit event ticketing software, make sure you’re asking the right questions. Ask about any setup fees, processing fees for credit cards, charges per sale, costs to host a certain number of tickets, and if support costs additional money. By asking about all these key areas, you can make sure that you pick the right nonprofit event ticketing software that will save you money.
The Top 5 Nonprofit Event Ticketing Software Tools
When you’re looking for nonprofit event ticketing software, these are a few of the top tools that will help streamline your event in a cost-effective way.
iBid and Events.org | Pros: Events.org features your nonprofit event in a larger marketplace in addition to your specific branded page. With low costs of $1 per registrant, you’ll keep your event overhead small and save your guests excessive fees. Events.org also allows for OneClick Registration so your guests can register with ease and even check in to the event on their phones. Easy integration with iBid means you can host a silent auction for your nonprofit easily using this user-friendly nonprofit event ticketing software. | Cons: You’re not using it yet. |
Donorbox | Pros: Donorbox is easy to set up and allows you to quickly add a form anywhere on your website. There are no specific limits on ticket levels or additional information you can gather in your form. | Cons: Donorbox doesn’t easily integrate with your CRM, which means tracking registrations and donor interactions can be a manual process. There are also some limits on support offered by Donorbox until you upgrade to a higher level of cost. |
Eventbrite | Pros: One of the most broadly recognized names in the industry, most of your guests have used Eventbrite before and will find the interface intuitive. This also integrates with Facebook, allowing for a seamless promotional experience for your social media audience. The simple setup process will make this easy for your guests. | Cons: A tiered pricing structure means premium features like multiple ticket types come with an increased cost. |
Tix | Pros: Tix is a low-cost solution that only charges per ticket sold and has consistent support. There’s even an option to let donors purchase through a physical box office or via Tix’s phone service, which can be a helpful solution for small nonprofits without a lot of staff. | Cons: Your donors do have to create an account in Tix to purchase tickets to your event, which may frustrate some donors and adds extra inconvenience. Tix is also a more simplistic solution than some other options. |
OneCause | Pros: OneCause integrates with BidPal, a silent auction mobile giving solution, and also allows for custom registration, event websites, and live support. | Cons: Users report a slightly higher cost than average and difficulty with slow processes for check-in and check-out. |
Choosing the Right Nonprofit Event Ticketing Software
Whatever event you are hosting, the right nonprofit event ticketing software can save you time and money while making sure your guests have a great experience. Finding a low-cost nonprofit event ticketing software isn’t always easy, but by asking the right questions and looking for the right features you can set your organization up for success.
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