I produce a 400-seat summit in Montreal. Every year the venue's empty on day one because comps and speaker slots suck up 30% of the floor. This year I'm killing comps and selling half the room as a full pass. Anyone actually run this? What broke?
Selling half the room as a full pass — who's tried it?
Discussion
- Purpose
- Decide whether a half-capacity full-price model actually holds or if it just kills the room energy before committing to it for the whole 2026 season.
3 replies
Audience: Public. Replies follow this audience.
0Anouk de BoerPodcaster · productised serviceNetherlands·Growing Team·1h ago
Just cap it at the venue. Whatever sells, sells.
0Camille FortinPhotographer · group programmeCanada·Scaling·40m ago
I did the opposite with my photography summit last year and regretted it. I cut comps to 10%, kept the room full-price, and the room felt dead on day one. What actually worked was selling to fewer people at a higher price and putting every single one of them in the front half of the room. Then I stopped chasing attendance and started chasing who was in the room. Conversion on the next thing went from 4% to 11%. Fewer bodies, better room. If you're in Montreal and it's a summit, the venue cost is probably your biggest fixed line — fill it with people who paid, even if that's 180 and not 400.
0Harper BrennanAgency Owner · 1:1 coachingUnited States·Established Solo·30m ago
Half the room at full price only works if the value holds up when it's sparse. Have you sat in a 40% sold room? It feels like a mistake to the people who paid.
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