This eBook features key insights and strategies to running successful fundraising raffles from Eventgroove’s nonprofit customers.
The pandemic heightened our awareness of online raffles, but do they raise more money than their live counterparts?
How long should you conduct raffle ticket sales to maximize the fundraising impact? What’s the ideal ticket price? And what role does marketing play?
Fundraising raffles are heavily regulated in the United States. Are there other options nonprofit organizations can use that are just as successful?
How Selling Prom Tickets Online Works
Creating a ticket sales page takes no time, and you can customize it so it matches your prom theme and school branding. Here’s the shape of it:
- Create the event. Name (Enchanted Forest Prom, 2026), date, venue, capacity, dress code, anything else students should know.
- Set ticket types and prices. Most committees do one student ticket plus one guest or date. Some add an early bird ticket tier at a $10 discount for the first two weeks.
- Grab a shareable link. Drop it in the school newsletter, add it to a QR code on your prom posters, then drop it into the school’s socials and the committee group chat so everyone can share within their networks, and the principal’s morning announcements.
- Collect the money. Card and digital wallet payments flow straight into your account, whether someone pays in person at school or at the door on prom night.
- Scan tickets at the door. Each student arrives with their printed prom tickets or a digital version. A volunteer scams them using their phone.
6 Things to Look For in a Prom Ticketing Service
Not every ticketing platform is set up for school events. Three things that matter:
- Real-Time Data: Student planners and faculty advisors need to monitor sales and revenue, and access updated attendee reports.
- Clear Fees: Every platform makes its money through fees. These fees can be passed on to buyers or absorbed by the school. In addition, when credit cards are involved, processing fees always apply but may not be included in your free ticketing platform’s service. When these are not included in the platform price, you’ll need to organize online payments separately, which can result in a much higher per-ticket cost on your end.
- Online and physical tickets: Printing prom tickets is something many schools do – they’re a great memento of the night, and make the experience more special. Make sure your platform’s capabilities include tracking and scanning both printed and digital tickets.
- Easy attendee check-in: Look for a platform that lets you scan without an app or special equipment. When faculty can scan tickets using their mobile phone‘s browser, getting up to speed takes less time.
- Attendee management: You’ll want to track students as they enter, leave, and return. Ensure your service can support this.
- Ticketing adaptability: Creating ticket bundles, reserved seating, and comp codes for VIPS means your chosen platform needs to be flexible.
What to Charge For Tickets To Prom and When to Sell
On average, a prom ticket costs between $55–$125. The exact number depends on the venue, what the night includes (DJ, photos, dinner, flowers, and the like).
- Early Bird discount. Knock $10–$15 off the standard price for the first 2–3 weeks of sales. An early bird ticket strategy rewards students who buy first, builds momentum, and gives your committee how the night is tracking weeks before prom.
- Group bundles. Offer a small discount for friend groups buying 4 or 6 tickets together. Ticket bundling speeds up sales and they nudge friend groups to commit early.
- Reserved tables. If you want groups to sit together, set up your ticketing with reserved seating and sell whole tables as a single package.
- Day-of door pricing. Charge $10–$15 more at the door than online to encourages families to pre-buy.
Open sales 6–8 weeks before prom, switch from early bird to standard pricing 2–3 weeks in, and close online sales 24–48 hours before the dance so you can finalize the catering count.
A note on the platform side: Eventgroove’s setup is free, and the service fee on paid tickets is small (2% + $0.75 per ticket). You can pass that fee on to ticket buyers, and for free events, there are no fees at all.
If you’re looking for an efficent and easy way to sell school dance tickets and manage your attendees, we’d love it if you gave Eventgroove a try. Our ticketing platform is free for organizers, with low ticket-buyer fees, no hidden charges, and no contracts. Plus, we’re also online printers, so you order custom prom tickets, VIP badges, and flyers all in one place.
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