We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Elle, Founder of The Ticket Crowd, to chat about the event marketing industry, audience engagement, and the power of storytelling.
Elle has years of experience helping event organisers sell tickets and build real, lasting connections with their attendees. In our conversation, she shared some fantastic insights on creating FOMO, the value of user-generated content, and how even small marketing tests can help unlock new audiences, especially when time and resources are tight.
Our conversation also touched on the collaborative work between The Ticket Crowd and Tickets for Good, and how combining strategic goals with social impact can build trust and strengthen brand reputation in a competitive market.
Looking ahead, Elle shared her thoughts on the future of the events industry, the growing demand for real human connection in a digital age, and her aspirations for The Ticket Crowd’s continued growth. Read on for insights and a refreshing take on what it means to market events with meaning!
To kick things off, how would you describe The Ticket Crowd in 3 words:
Creative. Strategic. Resilient.
Are there any reasons why you picked them?
You’ve got to be creative when you're a social-first agency because you have to cut through the noise. Boring, over-polished, or uncreative assets just won’t cut it anymore. Being strategic is key for us and our paid-ads strategies are something I live and die by. It’s our best intellectual property, and we put a lot of heart into them. It’s different from how many festivals or events approach things by simply posting a lineup and hoping for the best. We break everything down and have a strategy for every aspect, with backup strategies in case the first one doesn’t work.
And resilience is crucial because we work with events, and if you’re not resilient in this industry, it's tough. The road is rocky, and you’ve got to be prepared to take different angles and adapt when necessary!
What’s one thing about the events industry people don’t realise?
That it’s basically an e-commerce business, but instead of products, you're selling experiences. The catch? People don’t buy tickets with logic, they buy with emotion. So while you need the same marketing systems as ecom, you also need powerful storytelling to help people see themselves at your event. Most organisers either lean too far into creativity and forget to sell, or focus only on sales and forget the story. The real magic happens when you combine both.
I wanted to talk a bit about your career so far - can you tell us about how you got into the event industry? Was it accidental or intentional?
Honestly, it was an accident. I was running a paid ads agency that focused on e-commerce - retail, fashion, food delivery, you name it. Then we worked with our first ever event and sold it out with a 26x return on ad spend by adapting our ecom models with storytelling. It just worked.
But the best part? Going to that event and seeing thousands of people having the time of their lives. They weren’t just numbers on a screen, they were real people, all in one space, creating memories. That was the moment I knew I’d found something meaningful.
Then 2020 hit. I had a six-week-old baby and everything shut down. I thought, “Who would be mad enough to build an events-only agency when there are no events?” And decided…me. So I spent the year learning everything I could from global groups, built a formula based on that first success, and launched The Ticket Crowd in 2021.
Since then, we’ve worked on 100+ events across three continents and hit £7.8M in ticket sales last year. It’s been bloody hard work—especially with two little ones—but I’m so proud of what we’ve built and the team we’ve got. They’re the best at what they do.
What was one of the earliest “we’re onto something” moments within your work at The Ticket Crowd? When did you realise your work was having such an impact?
We always rely on the data. When we launch a campaign, we’ve already put a huge amount of work into the strategy, splitting out audiences, refining the creative, all of it. We base it on previous forecasts, so we’re confident going in. But there’s always that short window after launch where you’re waiting to see if it actually works. Then the sales start rolling in, and you feel the shift. That’s when you know it’s working. You see the organiser relax, they can plan better, reinvest into the event, and stop worrying about where the next sale is coming from. That’s when our impact really shows. On a bigger level, I’m proud of the reputation we’ve built. We’ve never done much outreach — clients come to us through referrals, which is the biggest compliment. It shows the work is speaking for itself.
The event industry is changing so rapidly, with audiences changing habits, different tech being introduced, costs rising, and so many more factors. What would you say is the biggest challenge event organisers are facing in 2025?
One of the biggest challenges is the drop in ticket-buying urgency, especially post-pandemic. People are buying later and later, and Gen Z in particular is notorious for last-minute purchases.
Another issue is price transparency. If you launch with hidden fees or no payment plan options, it can seriously impact trust and sales. Audiences are more likely to buy from brands they trust, especially if they feel the event has their best interests at heart. That’s why things like ethical messaging and community-focused branding really matter.
To combat late buying, we always aim to shift sales earlier. For example, if it’s an outdoor event and people wait for the weather forecast, that’s risky. So we allocate a good chunk of the ad budget to early presale campaigns to build hype and sell out early birds fast. That gives us momentum to drive urgency messaging as tiers sell out and prices increase.
We also plan around natural sales spikes like paydays and save 20% of the budget for the final 6–8 weeks to lean into retargeting. Our funnel approach starts with emotional storytelling to build interest at the top, then uses countdowns and price messaging in retargeting to drive action.
But it all has to feel genuine. People can spot pushy sales tactics a mile away. When urgency is tied to something they’re already emotionally invested in, it’s way more powerful.
Would you say audiences behave differently now to how they did say 10 years ago? What differences are you noticing?
Definitely. One of the biggest shifts is that people are buying tickets much later than they used to. That trend is pretty consistent across the board, and it's become even more pronounced in recent years.
We’re also seeing a significant increase in the number of people opting for payment plans, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. They’re much more comfortable splitting payments over time, which has a real impact on how we price and promote tickets.
Another big shift is how people discover events. The way we consume content online has changed massively. Eventbrite recently released a report showing that 48% of people now find out about festivals and events through Instagram, with TikTok sitting around 30%. So if you’re not showing up on social media with strong, engaging content, you’re going to miss out on a huge chunk of your potential audience.
It just goes to show how much audience behaviour has evolved, not only in how they buy, but in how they connect with and discover events in the first place.
How would you recommend event organisers tap into platforms like TikTok, especially with tight budgets or small teams?
TikTok is brilliant for building awareness and engagement. It might not have the same data tracking capabilities as Meta or Google, just because those platforms have been around longer, but that doesn’t mean it’s not powerful. The magic really comes from the multi-touchpoint strategy. So someone might see a video on TikTok, then a retargeting ad on Instagram, and then maybe a Google search ad. All those touchpoints help build trust and push someone closer to purchase.
For organisers with tight budgets or strict breakeven targets, I’d recommend sticking to what’s already proven to work — Meta and Google tend to be the safest bets for conversions. But if you’ve got more time and flexibility in your budget, TikTok is amazing for that top-of-funnel, early-stage awareness. You can then follow it up with retargeting on Meta and Google as the event date gets closer.
It all depends on the event, the audience, and the type of music or vibe you’re working with. If TikTok feels native to your audience, it can be super powerful. But Instagram, according to the data, is still one of the best platforms for converting interest into ticket sales.
Community is a big topic in online spaces right now. How do you recommend creating a sense of community digitally, before people even get to the event?
It’s a great question, and it actually ties in really nicely with TikTok. While community can be hard to track in terms of direct revenue, it absolutely leads to more ticket sales in the long run. People want to go to events that other people are excited about, it’s basic psychology!
You can’t just be selling all the time. You need to really tap into the community that already exists. Reach out to past ticket buyers for user-generated content, turn them into brand ambassadors. People trust other people far more than they trust brands shouting about how great they are. Word-of-mouth is still one of the most powerful tools we have.
You can also build community around a larger mission — whether that’s sustainability, mental health, or something else that speaks to your values. When people feel like your event stands for something, they’re more likely to engage, share, and be part of that community.
It’s also about shifting from the polished, highlight-reel content to more lo-fi, authentic storytelling. There’s still a place for high-production content, but authenticity and relatability are what really drive connection right now.
Would you say groups like Discord or Facebook groups are being used by events to foster community?
Yeah, definitely. We’ve seen quite a few of those pop up. For example, solo traveller groups are becoming more common, which is really nice — especially for people who don’t want to go alone but also don’t know anyone else going. Car share groups are another great one, particularly for younger audiences who don’t always have access to transport, or if the festival is in a remote location.
Some organisers are also launching apps to help attendees connect before the gates even open. Discord is another great space — especially in music culture. We’ve seen artists use it to connect one-on-one with fans, and event organisers can absolutely use it in the same way. It’s a more intimate, two-way space compared to just pushing content out on TikTok or Instagram. It gives people a place to talk, share, and feel like they belong, before they even step foot at the event.
How would you go about building FOMO in a way that feels authentic and actually connects with audiences, rather than feeling pushy?
That’s a great question. It really goes back to storytelling and emotional connection. People want to go to events where they feel like their people will be. So it's all about showing exactly who attends, what kind of experiences they’ll have, and capturing that vibe.
We find that FOMO content works really well during the week of the event and the week after; we actually call that the momentum week. That’s the best time to sell your next event, because you’re capturing people while they’re still buzzing, or feeling like they missed out. There’s no time more powerful than when your event is live and everyone’s sharing on socials. Honestly, the amount of FOMO I get from Glastonbury? It’s wild, I literally have to leave the country sometimes!
So start with capturing as much content as possible at the event. Roll that out the following week while building hype for pre-sale waitlists. Then, throughout the year, lean into your community — user-generated content, lo-fi footage from phones or film, behind-the-scenes, that kind of thing.
Pushy content tends to be the really polished, overly-branded stuff. But content that feels like it’s straight from the experience itself, that’s what builds trust and connection. Remember, you're not selling an event, you're selling an experience. And if it’s sunny? Even better. Outdoor vibes and sunshine are instant FOMO triggers.
I can imagine reaching new audiences is also tough right now. If someone’s not already in the same group as those posting UGC or sharing experiences, and with attention spans shorter, how do you find and convert new ticket buyers? Are there platforms or tactics you'd recommend?
It’s definitely tricky. I actually think the challenge is the opposite now — there are too many platforms. So if you’re trying to do everything, you end up diluting your efforts.
Focus on what’s already working, maybe it’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok—go all-in there. Then, introduce small tests on new platforms like Discord, Reddit, or even Spotify. Test pockets of activity instead of trying to be everywhere. First step: analyse your audience and how they consume content. For example, parents? Facebook groups are great. Younger crowds or music fans? TikTok and Reddit. Spotify’s also good, especially for students who aren’t paying for Premium — they’ll hear your ads.
Don’t spread yourself too thin. It’s better to master a few channels than be average on all of them.
I’d say one of the coolest things about our partnership is how it helps event organisers reach new audiences while also giving back to the community. How would you say this mix of driving revenue at events and supporting social good impacts both the organisers and the people who get the tickets?
I think trust is a huge thing right now. Whether it’s post-pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, politics… People are more cautious. So if someone’s never heard of an event before, they might not trust it.
But when they see that the event is partnered with Tickets for Good, it adds instant credibility. It shows the event puts people first. And going to an event is a big investment — ticket price, transport, time off work, food, drinks. If people trust the brand, they’re far more likely to commit.
That’s what makes this partnership so powerful. It’s good for business, good for the brand, and good for the people attending. It’s a win-win for everyone.
So to wrap up, what are your aspirations for The Ticket Crowd? What's next?
We’ve grown loads in the last three years, which is so exciting. I never set out to build a massive multi-million-pound empire. For me, it’s always been about doing good work for good people, with a good team, and we’ve got that!
Looking ahead, we want to be the go-to for all things ticket sales. But maybe down the line, we could expand into a content crowd too. We already create a lot of content for our ads, but having an in-house team for full-scale content support — especially for organisers who want to handle ads themselves — would be a natural next step.
We’re currently a team of six core people, plus freelancers. I'd love to grow that to a strong team of ten, where everyone feels valued, supported, and excited to work. A happy team makes for happy clients. And ultimately, we want to reshape the events industry, one event at a time.
Finally, where do you see the event space heading in the next few years?
Honestly, I think human connection is going to become more important than ever. With the rise of AI, people are going to crave realness. There's already a kind of loneliness pandemic going on, and the only cure for that is genuine in-person experiences.
So I think the events space is actually in a really exciting place. People will be desperate to disconnect from screens and reconnect with people. And what better industry for that than events?
So true. And from a marketing point of view, I think people are realising the emotional payoff from real-life connections is so much bigger than anything social media can give.
Exactly. Nothing beats being surrounded by people, feeling something together. That’s how we start to fix the loneliness and unhappiness people are feeling. And we get to do that every day in this industry. It’s pretty special.
Want to learn more about our partnership with The Ticket Crowd? Reach out to Beth at bethany@ticketsforgood.co.uk. If you're ready to level up your event marketing, visit The Ticket Crowd’s website or email Elle at elle@socielle.co.uk to get started!