SMS Messaging Makes Going to the Cinema Easier Than Ever Before
My family doesn’t go to the cinema often, but when we do, I dread the ticket line. So I almost always purchase my cinema tickets online if we plan to go during a busy time, or for a newly released movie. Paying for the tickets is always easy, but getting them at the cinema can be problematic.
Often you have to bring the credit card you used for purchase, and still wait in a line to pick up the tickets. Sometimes there’s an automated ticket machine that dispenses the online tickets, but you still need the card you used for the purchase. And you’re out of luck if the machine is broken (back to waiting in line). I’ve been to some cinemas that needed a physical printout of the email confirmation before they would release the tickets to me. Or at least I needed to provide the long, complicated confirmation number. Come to think of it, most of the time picking up the online tickets was as much of a hassle as waiting in line for them. The only difference was we didn’t need to worry about tickets being sold out. Which is still a good thing. But it seems like it should be easier.
But just this past weekend I had a totally different experience. I purchased cinema tickets online, and at checkout I had the option to receive the tickets via SMS. Supposedly all I needed to do was show that message to the ticket taker – no waiting in line to pick up physical printed tickets. That was pretty cool I thought. Especially after remembering the broken ticket machine at our last visit. I was also a little nervous though. I’d never used the method before, and how would they send me tickets in less than 160 characters?
I needn’t have worried though. Almost immediately after I clicked to buy the tickets, I got a text message. It was simple: Open Link for Tickets Conf#123456789 https://ticketlink….
So I had the confirmation number handy in case of a problem, but I also had a link to the tickets. When I clicked on the link it took me to a mobile webpage with a QR code at the top. The ticket taker scans the QR code and you walk right on through. And there’s just one code for all the tickets I purchased for my family. It was simple, fast, and easy.
The mobile webpage also had a summary of what I had bought – the movie, how many tickets, the time it started, the confirmation number and which theatre number the movie was in. It even had directions to the theatre.
As a consumer, I found this process so easy I don’t mind paying a remote booking fee for online tickets. It means I don’t have to worry about sold out movies or lines ever again (well, except the line to the ticket taker, but I’m ok with that).
Cinemas should take note of how this all works and how it could improve their profits and make for happier customers. In the next post, I’ll share a little more about how cinemas using SMS in this way can leverage it to grow their marketing lists too.
Related Articles
The New York Times, Olympics, And SMS Messaging
The New York Times used the Olympics as an excuse to try a massive SMS experiment. They wanted reporter Sam Manchester to get personal with their thousands of readers using two-way SMS messaging. Read the blog to see if the experiment was a success or a failure.
Do Your SMS Marketing Messages Sound Spammy?
If you aren’t seeing a positive response from your SMS marketing then your list may be thinking of it as spam and just ignoring it like they do much of their email. So take your latest marketing messages and examine them again with these four questions in mind.
How to Use SMS Messaging to Keep Your Club Members Healthy
In a report released last week by Nielsen, it turns out people want more than just to see a lower number on the scale. In their study, 75% of people worldwide plan to lose weight by changing their diet. And another 72% plan to exercise – that’s where your health club and SMS comes in.
How Entertainment Venues Can Use SMS Marketing
Whether it's a cinema, theatre or concert hall, your entertainment venue is missing a trick if it's not utilising SMS marketing to get those bums on seats. We take an in-depth look at how all kinds of entertainment venues can really make the most of SMS marketing.
One Great SMS Marketing Opt In Campaign Example
In a previous blog post I shared how getting my movie tickets delivered to me via SMS made going to the cinema with my family easier than it’s ever been. I signed up to the company’s SMS marketing list too and I want to share the process with you because it was so easy, so seamless for me as a consumer, that it makes a great example for others to follow.
Do Cinemas Need to Use SMS Messaging?
Every cinema experiences ups and downs in admissions. But do they have to wait for the next blockbuster to come along before seeing more ticket sales? Not if they use SMS messaging to connect with customers. Find out how in this blog.
Build Brand Loyalty with SMS Messaging
In a world where your competition can be found in just a few seconds, instilling brand loyalty in customers is a greater challenge than ever. One way to proactively reach out to customers is via SMS. The personal nature of SMS messages, combined with high read rates, gives you the opportunity to develop relationships with each customer.
Don’t Believe The Myth of The “Cashless Shopper”
Sometimes bloggers or journalists get a bit carried away. They see some data or fact, and run off to declare there’s a trend you need to know about. The latest one I’ve seen is all about how to reach the generation of “cashless shoppers”. The argument goes that you need to use SMS messaging to reach customers because they are all shopping online – where you obviously can’t pay in cash.
Boost Webinar Attendance with SMS Messaging
Webinars have become a standard form of lead generation marketing. The numbers vary by study, but generally agree that over 60% of marketers use webinars. One thing that's true for all of them is: not everyone that registers will attend. On average about 40-50% of registrants will actually show up. How can SMS help?
What Political Parties Can Teach Us About Great SMS Campaigns
SMS marketing has come to be a crucial element of most businesses’ marketing strategies, and there is plenty of received wisdom within the marketing world as to how to get the most out of your SMS messages. So it might seem like there is not a lot that the world of politics can teach the world of business about SMS. But then again, there probably is.