Investing In Your Ticket Sales Website
Within the past couple of weeks Northern Arizona re-launched their Ticket Sales page on www.NAUAthletics.com that is focused on user experience and content that helps drive engagement and sales. NAU’s Director of Ticketing Hailee Codiga led the charge along with help from our Learfield IMG College General Manager Alex Reed. We caught up with both of them to find out more about their new website powered by SIDEARM …
What prompted the change/revisions to the website?
Hailee: Two things: the fact that there wasn’t good information and fan education. The old website had information from 2+ years ago on it, which wasn’t useful as prices, staffing and seating had changed. We needed a place for any fan to go and find the information they are looking for, in an organized and branded fashion.
Alex: Our fans didn’t have a single source of information in regards to NAU Athletics. We wanted to give them a platform for all things NAU and educate them on all of the great programs we had to offer.
What are the biggest differences with the new site compared to the previous version?
H: Really, there’s useful information. We also are using the Sidearm redirects to use “/tickets” and “/parking” so we can use these sites on marketing material. The site is branded with NAU colors and images. I think the biggest thing is that on the bottom of each page, there’s our general phone number, email and main website.
A: Our fans don’t have to go to a completely different websites for parking information or groups discounts and if they can’t find the information they are looking for, they are able to request additional information so we can contact them directly. It is much more informative and user friendly than simply being transactional.
What if any other examples out there that you saw help you in putting together your vision for what you wanted for the NAU website?
H: I particularly looked at SMU’s use of the FEVO drawer and Washington’s layout and simplicity. I love the use of the FEVO drawer so I wanted to implement it as much as possible on our site.
A: SMU’s and Washington were great examples we built off of. We also looked at Oklahoma and South Carolina given their ticket sales success and ease of use.
One of the things that was noticeable was the groups portion of the site and all of the Big 9 Theme Days you’re promoting. All of them redirect to FEVO pages that you have built for them – what was the reasoning behind this?
H: The reason really comes down to ease of purchase. It’s so easy to purchase with FEVO that the answer was “Why not?” With FEVO, we’re able to make it as easy as possible for folks to get in and purchase.
A: With group sales being new here at NAU, we wanted to have a place where we could educate fans on what groups tickets are and all of the different theme days. FEVO pages made it easy for our fans to have all of the game information and purchase discounted game tickets without taking them to a different page. FEVO is a fantastic tool and makes it very easy for our fans to get their tickets.
What results/feedback have we seen so far?
H: Feedback has been great – fans appreciate being able to find all the season, mini, group, single game and parking information in one place. Since July 1, we’ve seen 85% of users were new users. On the phones when someone has a question, you can usually tell what exactly they’re looking at which is helpful for us.
A: Amazing feedback so far, previously our fans came away from our website with more questions than answers. Now they have a central place for everything while being exposed to all of our packages and programs we offer.
What suggestions or recommendations would you share with other schools that are looking to improve the layout of their ticket website?
H: Just do it. You’ll feel better in the end. It may take a lot of time but it is worth it. If you have graphic designers, have them help with buttons and other pieces that need designing. The less text, the better. More images and short pages that are mobile friendly are going to be best. If you need Sidearm help, put in a support ticket. They’re awesome!
A: Be fan-centric. Make it as easy as possible for your fans to get maximum information with minimal confusion. You website is a tool not only for sales but for your fans to learn more about the programs your department offers.