Promo codes are one of the most versatile tools in event marketing. They can drive sales, reward loyalty, manage guest lists, track marketing channels, and create exclusive offers for specific audiences. But they only work if you set them up thoughtfully.
This guide covers everything you need to know about using promo codes for events.
Types of promo codes
Before creating a promo code, decide what type of discount it should offer:
Percentage discount
A percentage off the ticket price (ten per cent, twenty per cent, fifty per cent). This scales with the ticket price, so it works well when you have multiple ticket types at different price points. A twenty per cent code gives a two-pound discount on a ten-pound ticket and a twenty-pound discount on a hundred-pound ticket.
Best for: general promotions, loyalty rewards, newsletter subscriber offers.
Fixed amount discount
A specific pound amount off the ticket price (two pounds off, five pounds off, ten pounds off). This is simpler for customers to understand and gives you precise control over the discount value regardless of the ticket price.
Best for: partner promotions, specific marketing campaigns, situations where you want to control the exact cost to your business.
Free ticket (one hundred per cent discount)
A code that makes the ticket completely free. Despite the price being zero, the attendee still goes through the checkout process and receives a proper QR ticket. This is invaluable for managing guest lists, artist comps, and press tickets.
Best for: guest lists, complimentary tickets, competition winners, staff and volunteer tickets.
Creating effective promo codes
The code itself matters more than you might think. A good promo code is:
Memorable. Short, relevant, and easy to type. SUMMER20 is better than PROMO-2026-SUMMER-DISC20-A. If someone hears it on a podcast or sees it in a social media post, they need to remember it long enough to type it at checkout.
Relevant to the context. If the code is for a specific partnership, include the partner's name: RADIOONE15 or GUARDIAN10. If it is seasonal, reflect that: EASTER25 or NEWYEAR20. This makes the code feel intentional and exclusive rather than generic.
Not easily guessable. Avoid obvious codes like DISCOUNT, FREE, or 50OFF. If someone who should not have the code guesses it, you lose revenue. Add enough specificity that casual guessing does not work.
Distribution strategies
How you distribute your promo codes determines their effectiveness and your ability to track results:
Channel-specific codes
Create unique codes for each marketing channel: one for your email newsletter (NEWSLETTER15), one for Instagram (INSTA10), one for a podcast advertisement (PODNAME20). When sales come in, you know exactly which channel drove them.
This is one of the most valuable uses of promo codes. Instead of guessing which marketing efforts work, you have hard data. If INSTA10 generates fifty sales and NEWSLETTER15 generates two hundred, you know where to focus your effort.
Partner and influencer codes
Give specific codes to partners, influencers, or media outlets who promote your event. Each partner gets their own unique code, so you can track exactly how many sales each partnership generates.
This is particularly useful when negotiating future partnerships. "Your code drove one hundred and fifty ticket sales last time" is a compelling argument for continued collaboration.
Exclusive or private codes
Some codes are meant for specific people only: loyalty rewards for past attendees, corporate client offers, or early access for mailing list subscribers. Distribute these through targeted emails, not public social media posts.
Public codes
Codes shared publicly on social media or in advertising are designed for maximum reach. They drive sales volume but are less useful for tracking because anyone can use them. Use public codes when your primary goal is sales volume rather than channel attribution.
Setting usage limits
Every promo code should have limits to prevent abuse and control your discount budget:
Total usage limit: Set the maximum number of times the code can be used across all customers. A code limited to fifty uses creates scarcity and urgency. An unlimited code risks being shared beyond your intended audience.
Per-customer limit: Limit how many times a single person can use the code. Usually once per customer is appropriate. This prevents someone from using your twenty per cent code on ten separate orders.
Minimum order value: If appropriate, require a minimum spend before the code applies. This prevents people from using a five-pound-off code on a five-pound ticket to get a free entry.
Expiry dates
Every promo code should have an expiry date. Codes without expiry dates linger indefinitely and can resurface months later when you have forgotten about them.
Set the expiry based on the code's purpose:
- Campaign codes: Expire when the campaign ends (one to four weeks is typical)
- Early bird codes: Expire when the early bird period ends
- Partner codes: Expire at the event date or a few days before
- Guest list codes: Expire at the event date
Always test your codes before distributing them. There is nothing more embarrassing than promoting a code that does not work because of a typo or misconfigured expiry date.
Tracking effectiveness
After the event, analyse your promo code data:
- Total redemptions: How many times was each code used?
- Revenue impact: What was the total discount given? Was the trade-off worth it in terms of additional sales?
- Channel attribution: Which channels drove the most sales? Which drove the highest-value sales?
- Conversion rate: If you know how many people saw the code (email open rates, social media impressions), what percentage actually used it?
This data informs your marketing strategy for future events. Double down on channels that work. Adjust or drop channels that do not.
Common mistakes to avoid
Too many public codes. If you constantly share discount codes publicly, you train your audience to wait for a discount rather than buying at full price. Use public codes sparingly and for specific campaigns, not as a permanent fixture.
Discounts that are too deep. A fifty per cent discount drives sales but halves your revenue. Unless you are genuinely struggling to sell tickets and need to fill the room, keep discounts in the ten to twenty-five per cent range.
No usage limits. An unlimited promo code shared on social media can go viral and cost you thousands. Always set a total usage limit and monitor redemptions.
Forgetting to disable old codes. After an event, disable or delete all associated promo codes. Leftover codes from previous events can be accidentally used on future events if the code names are reused or generic.
Setting up promo codes on Tickts
On Tickts, promo codes are created from your event dashboard. You set the code name, discount type (percentage or fixed), discount amount, usage limit, and expiry date. Codes can be applied to all ticket types or restricted to specific ones.
When an attendee enters a valid promo code at checkout, the discount is applied immediately and reflected in the total. The code usage is tracked in your dashboard alongside the associated ticket sales.
Promo codes are a small feature with outsized impact. Used strategically, they drive sales, reward your best fans, and give you invaluable data about what marketing actually works. Use them intentionally, track the results, and refine your approach with every event.
