Industry Insights: A quick explainer on Uber vouchers and why they are so helpful when planning your press event.
Good morning!
When I receive an event invite, I will often respond asking a few questions, including if Uber vouchers were available/possible.
This is something that is often a major deciding factor if I am on the fence about being able to attend an event or dinner.
(It’s not a diva thing, I have a significant commute, have avoided the subway for the last few years, with the current world situation I have pretty major safety concerns, and Uber rides can be prohibitively expensive as they add up — especially these days.)
Most people are pretty receptive when this topic comes up. Often, Uber codes are already planned and in motion. Sometimes, it’s not in the budget — I get and respect that. But every now and then I encounter someone who is not familiar with Uber codes or vouchers or how they work.
So, I figured maybe it would be a good idea to spend a few minutes chatting about them here, and why they are SO helpful and so important. If you are not familiar, maybe this can be your opportunity to get familiar and implement them into your own event or dinner (or trip ground transfer) budget.
Many years ago, when I first started to attend events (we’re going back DECADES, you guys), rideshare apps did not even exist yet. You knew you were going to a good event when they would tell you in the email they were arranging car service and asked for your pickup/drop off address.
I’m sure those private cars were super pricey and so the transition to Uber/Lyft codes and vouchers over the past years has made a lot of sense. It also makes a lot of sense from the journalist end as well — we aren’t tied to a pickup/drop off time, no one has to have a driver waiting around for someone, and we can go to that event or dinner from anywhere or to anywhere. It makes hopping about a lot easier.
For example, this week I have two nights with two events each that I’m going to back to back. Thankfully, several have Uber codes, and it’ll make it a lot easier to coordinate going to, between, and home from them.
Uber vouchers are an amazing asset for events because it allows you as the publicist/brand/agency to set all the necessary parameters and restrictions. You get to decide the credit amount, location restrictions, time frame, expiration, etc.
Here’s how it works
Lets say I am going to a press dinner tonight at 123 Spicy Tuna Highway.
The Uber voucher would be set up that it would cover a ride to/from that address or the general area (usually a mile or so boundary) during a time frame of and around the event.
This voucher or code may have certain parameters, say, up to $50 each way. That would depend on your budget. Or, it could just be “covers entire ride” — whatever that is. Obviously someone coming from a mile away will use less of a credit than someone coming from 10 miles away.
Anecdotal aside: Yesterday afternoon, I was on my flight home from Miami and got an invite to an event this week. It was a beauty-related at a hotel, and the brand/theme of the event was something that sounded fun and interesting. I asked if Uber vouchers were possible and the publicist responded they were - but only for those who live in NYC.
(So, I had to explain to the woman that Brooklyn is actually one of the five boroughs and just as much a “part of NYC” as the borough of Manhattan is, whereupon I was told “only in the city, …but I digress. Not the point.
Rather than exclude someone (who actually has to work harder to get to your event) based on where they happen to live, do an Uber Voucher with a set amount value boundary. For example: If that event is giving people who live within their preferred borough a $XX voucher, give that to a person in Brooklyn or Queens too, if i doesn’t cover their whole ride, that’s fine - it’ll cover a good portion of it and make it more likely they can attend and support. To exclude them altogether though feels…kind of hurtful.
But back to our how-to:
Once you set up a Uber code/voucher, you can send that code to those journalists you are inviting, and they can then input the code in their app. They then use it to book their own ride the night of the event, which lets them control the time they leave and where they may leave from. (BTW, these vouchers can also be used for meals, which is a very useful asset if you are hosting a virtual event and want to make it a luncheon set up! I have seen people do that all the time for everything from virtual coffee meetings to luncheons to happy hours).
It’s great because - if someone ends up cancelling and not using the voucher, you aren’t charged. The voucher is only charged for the amount used to go to your event. Not used, you pay zero. If they use only part of the voucher limits, you are only charged for that they use.
Here’s how that benefits you: If you send someone a $100 Uber gift card and they use only half of it, you’ve still spend $100. But if you send a $100 uber voucher code and they use only half - your account is only charged that $50. This saves you money by only having the Uber cost be what is needed and used.
So, why should you have these vouchers/codes for your events? Glad you asked.
It’ll increase the chance of people showing up - and showing up at the right place at the right time.
It’ll get people home safely. You don’t want to be hosting a whiskey tasting and then have someone hobbling their way home, or worse, driving themselves.
It’s considerate. A person doesn’t have to budget in their own ride, worry about finding parking, or take a subway if it’s feeling unsafe or inconvenient. That makes people more eager to attend!
It has so many potential uses. For events and dinners, too, but it’s also a really convenient way of streamlining ground transfers for your next press trip! Just set up Uber codes and you don’t have to worry about having a car and driver waiting at the airport.
It avoids the issue of chasing reimbursements. Often press trips will offer to reimburse Uber costs for ground transfers - and then it’s an issue of saving receipts and chasing down reimbursements. That can sometimes takes months. This makes everything seamless on both ends.
I’ll be honest - there’s been many times that having a ride was a deciding factor for me when it came to events. And I’m pretty certain many others feel the same way. It’s a small and relatively minor way to make a big difference in your event attendance and participation!
And to be clear: This is not a promotional post for Uber. Alto and Lyft are also fabulous options and many cities offer other rideshare apps. The point is, implementing this into your event or dinner or press trip ground transfer plans helps EVERYONE and makes everyone’s life and work (and budget) easier to manage.
There’s no greater way to start (and end) an event than that.
Have a great day!