Should I "Comp" him or not?

[Jim Warfield]

A writer for a major BIG city newspaper wants to come here for a tour soon. Should I "comp" him?
I suppose if I do he will expect me to comp the photographer too!
He says he wants to make it a photo essay mostly with bold, striking incredible pictures that will really draw the reader's attention, but they will only be printing about maybe five pictures!


Of course this consternation on my part is all just a joke, I don't need anyone to tell me how valuable such free advertising will be! He wants to be here on a weeknight to sort of prove we are open when most haunts are not..??
We should all have such "difficult decisions to make always, huh? Maybe I will seem too "easy"?
hahahahah!

[graystone]

Hummmm

Make him pay like everyone else. I am sure anyone can write a review for you Jim for a freebie! Shane and it's that's 20 bucks please! Shane this time..

[Bradenton Haunted Trail]

Give him one vip pass and make the photographer pay for a vip and then you get their admission anyway.hehehe.......

http://bradentonhauntedtrail.com

[SilentScream]

If he/she has legitimate press credentials and you can verify they write on a regular basis for some form of mass market media, then I would gladly exchange $12 for a couple thousand dollars of exposure. All it takes is two people learning of your house and deciding to visit and you have paid for your "freebie". In this business, exposure = income.

If you are concerned about a deluge of "reviewers" begging for free walk throughs afterwards... ask him to sign an NDA agreement to keep it quiet. Or, threaten to make him one of the props!

[deathstaste]

comp or compost?

that's is the question jim compost just like all the rest just like all the rest.

[damon carson]

Jim scare the hell out of him so that he wants to write an excellent aritcle and want to pay you the 12 bucks to boot!
Damon

[JamBam]

we always comp the media

Consider that fact that the audience of the media ranges from small to possibly hundreds of thousands. Nearly all industries comp the media for that reason. We always comp media.

Now if a reviewer is worth anything, they will pay and not ask for comp but I know that some of them do. That cues the haunt that the reveiwer is in the house, skewing the real experience. Kind of like a restaurant reviewer asking for a free meal before they write the article.

We also comp every haunt's crew but one. That one has charged us a couple of times and doesn't believe in it so if he would ever decide to visit, he will pay as he believes.

Then there is the matter of a couple of best haunt clubs (websites) that the members (haunts) pay thousands of dollars each to proclaim to be the best of the best, sometimes before an event has ever opened. The conflict of interest is never told to other media either.

[Bradenton Haunted Trail]

did everyone not get that the question is a joke?

http://bradentonhauntedtrail.com

[chuck weber]

Asses to be kissed ? The media ?

No way. Let them go thru un- announced. (like a normal paying customer.) YOU DON'T EVEN WANNA KNOW THEY'RE COMING. paying admission is part of the experience. That will be part of the true and truthful review he or she writes.

[SilentScream]

did everyone not get that the question is a joke?

http://bradentonhauntedtrail.com

I blame my lack of coherency to a late night and too much sweet tea.

[monsterwax]

Our local paper wanted comps, I said "sure", but asked if I could also get an email copy of some of the photos. "Um, we have to charge you for those." We supply the models, the scenes, the costumes, the story, even the tickets, all for free-- but they're the ones who make the money off it all. Gotta love it!

[The Nightmare Factory]

Jim,

If they are coming over when you are closed to do a story, then I see no harm in letting them in. However if this is a review, then they pay just like everyone else.

[soultrkr]

If you are trying to review a place they should not announce who they are. if they know who you are it changes the outcome. If you are going to do a review you should be going through like any normal person including paying for a ticket. A place being reviewed should not even know it until the review is in print. And what the paper can not afford to allow him to expense his tickets. journalistic integrity seems to become the rarest of commidties in the media these days.

[graystone]

Jim

Did you comp him or not? Shane and it's I wanna know? Shane this time!

[Greg Chrise]

Maybe there should be a large graveyard of tombstones each named for all the reporters that have been there before, all the independent film dudes. supposed English program segment hosts and so on. I'm seeing the whole hillside slope behind the tomb with head stones and some groovy lighting.

You said you wanted to be comped, this is where we compost members of the press. Yes, I am holding a shovel.