1. The Advertising Trap

More and more organisers are feeling it: selling tickets has become unpredictable. The cost of reaching people through Instagram, TikTok and ticketing platforms goes up every year, while the audiences you attract this way are fleeting. They buy at the last minute, show up alone or with just one friend, and rarely return for the next edition. Switch off the ad spend and sales collapse.

At the same time, supply keeps growing: since 2012, the number of festivals in the Netherlands has risen by more than 70%, while ticket prices have jumped by over 50%. Young people, hit by rising rents and inflation, have less disposable income and are forced to make careful choices. More events are fighting for smaller budgets.

Last year, for the first time, the number of festivals actually declined. That’s a clear signal: the market is saturated. More events won’t drive growth anymore. It has to come from within.

The instinctive reaction is obvious: buy even more reach. But if you keep relying on ads alone, you’re building on quicksand.

2. The Overlooked Goldmine

Against that expensive and fragile acquisition model stands a resource that’s almost always undervalued: your existing audience. They are the cheapest and strongest driver of growth.

Repeat visitors are three to four times more likely to come back, spend more on average, and bring their friends along. They’re also the source of word-of-mouth that no ad budget can match. Yet too many organisers still treat their loyal crowd with generic emails and predictable presales. That undersells their value.

Put this group at the centre, and you unlock something much bigger: a community.

3. Growth From the Inside Out

Organisers who understand this don’t see their loyal fans as customers, but as culture carriers. They create an environment where returning feels like coming home, and where new guests immediately plug into the experience through their friends.

It’s not about one-off perks, but about building a two-way relationship. Loyal fans get recognition and a sense of ownership. Their feedback is heard, and they feel part of an ongoing story.

Look at concepts like Defqon, Dekmantel or Lowlands. Their growth isn’t driven by line-ups alone, but by a culture of groups who return year after year, always bringing new people into the fold. That’s no accident: it’s the result of consistent investment in community.

4. From Edition to Chapter

A strong event doesn’t feel like a one-off night, but like a chapter in a story that keeps moving forward. That’s how you build a culture where people want to come back every year, without fail.

In that model, growth fuels itself: not through paid reach, but because your audience comes back larger, stronger and more connected each time.

5. The New Role of Organisers

The winners of tomorrow won’t be the ones with the biggest ad spend, but the ones who turn their crowd into a community. For them, sold-out editions become predictable rather than stressful. Their brand grows hand in hand with the people who feel part of it.

This matters more now than ever: ad costs are rising faster than ever, algorithms are volatile, and margins are under pressure. Relying on reach alone is no longer sustainable.

The organisers who stand out start small but stay consistent:

• Give loyal fans early-bird or pre-sale access

• Encourage groups with friend tickets and bundle deals

• Reward ambassadors with guestlist spots

• Connect fans through insider chats or community events

• Surprise them with exclusive merch drops or memberships

At that point, you’re no longer just selling tickets. You’re building a community people are proud to belong to.

Advertising can fill a night.

Community builds a future.