At a Glance • Key Takeaways
- Automated Efficiency: Streamline online bookings, live availability scheduling, and customer communication without manual intervention.
- Live Capacity & Conflict Prevention: Prevent double-booking across staff, rooms, activity sessions, or rental fleet assets in real time.
- 0% Platform Booking Fees: SmartBookings does not charge transaction fees or take percentage cuts of your ticket sales or customer payments.
1. What are Promo Codes?
Promo Codes (or discount codes) enable you to run targeted marketing campaigns on social media, partner with influencers, or offer seasonal incentives (e.g. SUMMER20, EARLYBIRD).
Inspiring Campaign Examples:
- Mini Golf & Adventure Golf:
GOLF15 — 15% off all weekday afternoon tee-off times.
- Soft Play Centres:
TODDLER3 — £3.00 off Friday morning toddler sessions.
- Laser Tag & Arenas:
SQUAD20 — 20% discount when booking 4 or more players.
- Seasonal Events:
EARLYSANTA — £2.50 off per ticket for Santa's Grotto bookings made before October 31st.
2. Creating a Promo Code
1 Go to GeneralPromoCodesEvents.aspx (under your marketing menu).
2 Under Add New Promo Code, configure the parameters:
- Code: The voucher word customers will type at checkout (e.g.
SUMMER15, HALFPRICE). Keep it uppercase and free of spaces.
- Discount Type:
- Percentage Discount (%): Deducts a percentage from eligible tickets (e.g.
20 for 20% off).
- Fixed Amount Discount (£): Deducts an exact monetary amount (e.g.
5.00 for £5 off).
- Eligible Activities: Apply the discount to all events, or restrict it to specific categories (e.g. Toddler Sessions only, or 18-Hole Mini Golf only).
- Valid From & Valid To: Calendar date window when the code can be redeemed.
- Usage Limit: Restrict to the first X customers (e.g.
50 total redemptions) or limit redemptions per customer email.
- Minimum Spend: Require a minimum order value before the discount activates (e.g. min £20.00).
3 Click Add Promo Code.
3. Customer Redemption Online
On your public booking checkout screen (BookTickets.aspx or CheckMeOut.aspx):
- Customers enter the code in the Promo code box and click Apply.
- The system checks that the code is within its active date range, meets minimum spend, and has remaining usage allowances.
- The discount is visibly deducted from the subtotal before the customer proceeds to card payment.
4. Disabling or Archiving Codes
Ending a Campaign Early: To immediately end a campaign before its scheduled expiry date, edit the code in the table and set its Expiry Date to yesterday, or click Delete.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I create a percentage discount code versus a fixed amount discount in SmartBookings?
In Marketing > Promo Codes (PromoCodes.aspx), enter your discount code (e.g. 'SUMMER20') and select the discount type: enter a percentage (e.g. 20% off total basket) or a fixed cash reduction (e.g. 5.00 off order total).
Can promo codes be restricted to specific categories or off-peak dates?
Yes. You can assign promo codes to specific activity categories (e.g. valid only on 'Junior Mini Golf') and specify valid date ranges so promotions only apply to target promotional periods.
How do I cap the maximum number of redemptions for a promotional campaign?
Set the 'Max Uses' field (e.g. 50 redemptions). Once the code has been redeemed 50 times across all customers, it automatically deactivates to prevent over-discounting.
Can I limit promo code usage to one redemption per customer email address?
Yes. Checking the 'Limit to 1 Use Per Customer' setting prevents individual customers from repeatedly reusing promotional codes on multiple separate bookings.
How do I track which social media campaign or school flyer generated the most discount bookings?
Create unique tracking codes for each channel (e.g. 'INSTA10', 'TIKTOK10', 'FLYER10'). The Promo Code Usage Report shows the exact number of orders and total revenue generated by each marketing source.
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