What’s more exhilarating than counting down to the new year? Getting ahead of the game and selling out your New Year’s Eve event well before midnight chimes!
Organising your event and launching a marketing campaign early can ensure you capture attendees’ enthusiasm and build momentum in the weeks leading up to 31 December. We explore how an early on-sale can supercharge your efforts, with tips from top New Year’s Eve event planners.
Does an early event launch matter?
With the majority of New Year’s Eve tickets purchased in December, you might wonder why you need to start early. Think of it like filling a funnel: the more time you spend engaging your audience, the more likely you are to sell out. Industry pros and studies all agree — the earlier, the better.
Take Aykut Akcaoglu – DJ and founder of Aykut Events – who says: “An event page should be published as soon as the event is officially booked. Why the wait? Publishing an event early gives your followers a heads-up about your plans for NYE. It doesn’t necessarily mean they secure their tickets right away, but it gives the event visibility. Potential attendees know you have a great event scheduled and they can plan around it.”
NYE Event | Aykut Events | San Francisco
Having hosted several sell-out NYE celebrations, Aykut knows most sales for the glittering evening he has planned at San Francisco’s W Hotel will come closer to the event – but he also knows organising and publishing early can maximise attendance.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the feeling’s the same. “We tend to experience significant sales on 30 and 31 December,” says Peter Gionis of Comedy Carnival, the organiser of a weekly event that pulls out all the stops for a celebratory NYE stand-up session.
“But strong presales are the difference between an event with decent sales and a very busy or sold-out event.”
Peter Gionis, Comedy Carnival/Leviathan Entertainment
When should you promote your New Year’s Eve event?
Let’s talk timing! According to data from Eventbrite and insights from organisers, the magic window is about two months before the big night. This leaves plenty of time for promotion while still being close enough to build anticipation without getting lost in the holiday hustle.
NYE Event | Aykut Events | San Francisco
“Starting New Year’s Eve sales later than October risks missing early sales,” says Gionis. “We begin receiving occasional enquiries around then, typically from people who have booked a trip to the capital and are planning their stay.”
“We usually put tickets on sale in September, with proper marketing kicking off eight weeks before the event.”
Emily Rawson, Flykid/Supa Dupa Fly
Following these timing tactics, she expects to have sold around 50% of their tickets by the end of November. Not least because she’s showing audiences Flykid can give them the experience they crave. “Family events tend to sell out in advance because there’s a huge demand for them but not loads around,” she says. “Parents love the concept of their kids listening to the music they grew up with!”
How to maximise early on-sale
Launching early is a great start, but to truly capitalise on that extra time, here are some key areas to focus on:
Boost your search presence
A longer timeline increases your event’s chances of ranking higher and therefore being discovered on search engines. Familiarise yourself with SEO best practices, like using relevant keywords and image tags, on your Eventbrite page and website, and put your event’s location front and centre to enhance visibility. If you secure media coverage, ask the publication to link to your Eventbrite page.
Offer early bird deals
With more time to promote your big night, you can experiment with tactics like early-bird tickets, limited-time discounts and dynamic pricing to build excitement and encourage early sign-ups.
Encourage word-of-mouth
Don’t underestimate the power of buzz! Analyse trends and past feedback to create an event worth talking about. Keep the conversation going throughout your promo period, and let word of mouth work its magic.
“We plan further ahead when promoting key events – as opposed to regular weekly events – to remind people to book in advance and not miss out. If an event needs a sales push, discount promo codes can work well, especially when targeted at previous attendees.”
NYE Event | Flykid/Supa Dupa Fly | London
Set yourself up for a New Year’s Eve to remember and – if you intend to plan a party in 2025 – we can help ensure your seasonal event or themed celebration is a success.
Helen Alexander is a London-based freelance writer and editor specialising in food, travel, business and marketing. She's worked at a number of websites and magazines in the UK, Malaysia and Australia, as well as digital marketing agencies, where she produced B2B and B2C content for global brands.
