How do I get my foot in the door?

[No_Regret]

I have another question really quick guys haha sorry I am being a pain.

If I were to do an outdoor haunt as a start up, and then add an indoor haunt a few years later...would it be better for me to follow a theme with the indoor haunt, or could I go a whole different direction and use a different theme?

[piercemanor]

Different

Hello again! You have a good choice there. Either will do. The attraction I work for is opening a new outdoor walking attraction and we are following a similar storyline that has to do with the main attraction. But I have seen haunts who may open an attraction about a hospital, and open a side attraction about clowns. It works both ways, its really based on how creative you are, and whether you want to or not. -Tristin

[Karl]

Portable Haunt

I'm 20 years old, and absolutely want to and would love to open and run my own haunted house. I am working full-time right now...but I am not making very good money, and I know my credit would be nowhere near good enough to get a good loan out.

I would like to start a pro haunt, and maybe start small and kind of build into something big...but I dont even know how to get my foot in the door with how things in this industry are so expensive to do.

Any help/advice/tips for me would be greatly appreciated guys (and gals).

[PS, I know this question has probably been asked before, so I do apologize in advance.]

Another way to start out is with a trailer haunt. It can be relatively cheap and you can start small. You wouldn't have to worry as much about the weather. That's what I'm starting up this year.

[HELLRAZZORS]

Ive been trying to find a location for the last couple of years......its tough....everything is ready but location is holding me back.......i think im gonna buy some land and work it off that.......start out in the woods then work to build a big pole barn.....and have indoors and outdoor thing......

[Spikerip]

Getting started

Glad to hear you are reading the Kelly's book. I too read his book and found it very helpful.

I suggest you attend his class on Friday, June 3 at the Midwest Haunters Convention in Columbus, Ohio. His all day class is about getting started in the haunt business. There will be a couple thousand haunters there from around the country and you'll find lots of advice over the weekend. It's a great place to socialize with other haunters too and exhibitors will be there selling their wares. It will help you with your financial planning.

You might want to consider going on our two day bus tour to 10 haunts with 19 attractions (June 1 & 2). It's a great way to see a variety of haunts and how some haunts have partnered with other businesses (reducing their cost to operate).

Your question about the theme; I don't see a problem with a theme for an outdoor haunt and a different theme for an indoor haunt. Think about a clown attraction for the indoor haunt. Clown haunts are awesome.

We're moving our haunt in Columbus, Ohio (The Scare-A-Torium) to a new location. We hope to be building over the summer months. Feel free to contact me and stop by to check out our progress.

Everyone needs goals; best of luck with your decision.

Kelly Collins
The Scare-A-Torium
The Midwest Haunters Convention

[Jim Warfield]

Inventory Yourself.

What do you really like about this thing called "Haunting?"
If it is simply scaring people, then maybe this is where you not only begin but also end your future quest.
As the owner of a haunt you will probably be too busy the majority of the time (because "Time" is short and passes very quickly in October!) you will be the Captain of this ship of screamers and ocassional no-shows and the luxury of simply scaring your customers you will not be able to "get to" most of the time.
If you really like the exercise and mental challenges of the construction/building end of things, you will be doing this all the rest of the year, maybe non-stop?
How many hours do you spend looking at things like tvs, computer screens? Better plan upon cutting That time way back to make sure you will have the best possible chance for a successfull haunted enterprise because once your wild ride with all of this begins there will be not alot of goof-off time as the (Successfull) owner.
Some people see the "Boss" as the guy who has it easier, makes all the munny! But the reality of it is you will be directly responsible for EVERYTHING! Good or bad, completed or waiting to be done..
I grit my teeth everytime someone says to me:"You have too much time on your hands'" No I don't. Probably never will have. I find some comfort in the fact that most of the people saying this work for someone else, they have never owned a business (successfull or successfully) and spent maybe 30 hours each week holding down a barstool with their ever-increasing butt!
My house will have been open for nightly tours 9,000 nights this year!
I have alot of fun most of those nights because I am not worrying about employees showing up or doing a good job or the crowd outside... because small groups show up the rest of the year and I get to totally entertain them!
Maybe I have the best of both worlds here?
Most people are impressed by all the extreme work I have put into this property, yet "something" has to be done, fixed, modified, built all the time! Most of these things "needing" will never be noticed or impress any customer either!