Sure, we all know juicy gossip spreads faster than praise. News of a scandal spreads faster than news of an accomplishment.
But what about the exciting news of a sold-out event getting a larger venue and re-opening ticket sales? Well, as I’ve observed in various situations, it can be hard to get the word out that space is once again available after the word to the contrary has spread.
This leaves event planners in a precarious situation. You don’t want people to miss out. You want everyone who wants to attend to be able to attend. But changing to a bigger venue and re-opening ticket sales can be risky. If the word doesn’t get out fast enough, you could end up with empty seats. When it comes to making an event pack a punch, you want the event to feel like it’s bursting at the seems. You don’t want empty seats. Filling 500 out of 1,000 seats will feel like a failure, while getting in trouble with the fire marshal for exceeding a 240-person limit will feel like a raging success.
Back to the news spreading. If you want to go to an event, but tickets are sold out, there’s an emotional reaction. It’s a tragedy. What you want is there and you cannot have it. Tragedy is news. People talk about their personal tragedies. If you then find out you can attend, the feeling is relief. Relief isn’t news. People don’t talk about things that feel “nice.”
Today, I heard Pecha Kucha Night Phoenix had re-opened ticket sales with the announcement of a new venue, after all the tickets for the previous venue were snapped up in a gold rush. It’s risky, but hopefully the word will spread to the people who missed out that they have a second chance!
What’s funny is that part of the initial appeal for me was the original location. I’m still going to attend, but the shift in venue and audience size will alter the experience.