:elliot: Elliot Matthews - Technology director at Crowdsauce
🎧 Listen to the audio of this playbook
WhatsApp is one of the most powerful marketing tools for events. Almost every message sent is opened, usually within minutes. It gives you a direct line to your audience, with no social media algorithm getting in the way. It’s personal, immediate, and incredibly effective for selling tickets when used correctly.
There are two main ways to use WhatsApp for your events.
1. Building a Community This is your long-term strategy. You create a dedicated space for your most loyal fans. It’s a place for conversation, exclusive content, and building a genuine connection with the people who support you most. The goal is to create a loyal base that will buy tickets for every event you run.
2. Sending Direct Messages (DMs) This is your short-term, action-focused strategy. You send targeted messages directly to people who have opted in, usually when they register for a presale. These messages are for key moments like announcing an event or sending a ticket link. The goal is to drive immediate sales.
Used together, these two approaches create a powerful system for selling out your events.
A WhatsApp community is a home for your biggest supporters. It’s where you can talk to them directly and make them feel like insiders. But to get people to join, you need to give them a very good reason.
Give People a Reason to Join Exclusivity is key. Your community members should get real benefits that nobody else does. Think about what would be most valuable to your audience.
Setting Up Your Community Start simple. You can begin with a single WhatsApp group. As you grow, you can use the "Community" feature to organise multiple groups.