Money back haunts still around?

[austind]

Charles I have delt with you and know that you have been a stand up guy with me. As far as a gimmick goes, I don't mind using any means to drive more traffic to a location. The only catch is like Larry said, you must still have a haunt that people want to see. If you can get another 5,000 people that you normally would not get in the door to show up and they like your haunt the the gimmick worked. It is like I told my minister at church if we don't have programs that atract young people then how will they ever hear the message we have to tell them. Every business uses some type of gimmick in some fashion. Its about getting them to try your product and once they try it then you hope they like it. That's marketing 101, you will never get the customer that does not try your product. I have a friend that runs a marketing company that only markets in bars. They have very attractive people drinking or smoking a customers product to try to get others of opposite sex to give it a try. It is amazing how well it works, sales on the liquor be pushed will increase ove 20% at the location for months after the do a two day push. Get them to your door any way you can and then give the a product they will come back for, it that simple. Some use coupons, some use girls on stripper poles (yes it's a haunt), and some use multi haunt mega parks. It's all the same driving customers to your door. The lease I am working on has the owner is almost giving me the location to help drive traffic to his strip mall because I showed him how few people come to his mall after 7pm and he thinks it will help the other businesses in the mall if I can bring more people there. My gimmick is going to be actors in gore galore costumes walking the intersection in front of the mall and a free photo op. I have rambled on long enough so I will stop now, get them there any way you can and give them what they pay.


Phatman

[Woo25]

Charles or Stew etc.., I honestly don't know who you are or what you're referring to. I'm sorry if our encounter wasn't pleasant for whatever reason but I don't mistreat people, unless they deserve it. Because I don't know what you refer, I can just say it was either a misunderstanding or you deserved it. I've only had an issue with 1 person in this industry and he's been kicked off the boards and I'm not the only person that guy's pissed off. I've dealt with alot of haunt owners, big and small, most don't even post on the forums because of perceived drama, so I'm sorry if we at some point had a misunderstanding.

My haunt is going to be in Hauntworld because I have a HAUNTED HOUSE that is successful. The magazine is about the Industry and (for the last time) I've developed my Haunt into a successful operation that others might be able to learn from. I learn every year from other haunts! Good grief people, I've said this all along. YOU NEED TO HAVE A GOOD HAUNTED HOUSE. This is NOT a get rich quick scheme. There were 3 haunts last year that wanted to do the Money Back Haunt License and I told them they were not ready for it because I didn't think it was a good fit for them. If you have a sub-par, under-developed haunted house, the Money Back Challenge will not help you at all AND as Larry rightfully points out, it will probably hurt you - You must have a solid HAUNT- and I tell this to anyone I speak with. BUT it will bring more attention to you - then your haunt can stand on its own and reap the increased revenue benefits, as I've seen at my place for 4 years now.

I'm not offering lottery tickets here. I'm offering what I've done - nothing more, nothing less. This is something that I've done first-hand for 4 years now that works for me, very well I might add in my market. A few others did it this past season too and go figure, they at least saw the benefit. But please, if you don't think it's for you, I'm ok with that ! You don't have to tell me why it won't work because you won't be able to convince me. Numbers don't lie. It works for me - maybe not every haunt in the nation, but for me. I know it can help others. But hey, we can all still be friends

[drfrightner]

Jolly,

First and foremost LONG before this company showed up there were TONS of people doing money back haunted houses... the concept is not new. I don't know how they trademark it with so many others already doing it. I don't know what their concept it and why its unique but looking foward to hearing more. Secondly the idea behind a money back haunt is urban legend ... we all know the story again nothing new here. There is NOT ONE PERSON on this forum who can honestly claim they came up with the idea. We've all heard the concept of a money back haunt with the 13 story haunted house and yes I will be the first to admit I've had a lot of people ask me about the urban legend and they always say 'and you get your money back if you make it to the top'. So clearly there is some bonus points there... but I doubt any of you have a 13 story haunted house.

With all that being said I have NO IDEA who was the first person to try one but no matter what you say my point is NOT to bash them but to point out the obvious... people will assume its a gimmick.

I didn't say it was a gimmick I didn't say their plan for World Domination with money back haunts across the country was wrong, was a gimmick, was stupid, silly or anything else... I'm merely pointing out that the assumption is a gimmick and why.

I asked to see details of their plan or some video someone said they had... from there I'll give my official opinion on if this will or won't work.

I can say that I 110% believe without any shadow of a doubt that this will NOT WORK PERIOD unless you have a good haunted house first and foremost. IF the haunt sucks people will trash it ten times worse than if they didn't do the money back haunt program. And you can quote me on that and print it because its a fact!

Money back was an advertiser and he's free to advertise in the future just as anyone can... but that doesn't mean with a topic like this which is something people should debate the merits. I'm going to debate the merits because people should decide with a lot of TLC the right choices for something like this.

Because I also firmly believe once you go down this path you are somewhat stuck with it... do I think its a good idea? Lets see some more details.

The only good promotion the best promotion you should put forward is having a good haunted house period !!!

That doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement so I'm looking forward to seeing this video!

Larry

[drfrightner]

I was provided this link which helps explain what is going on... and honestly I don't see how this is a money back haunted house but anyway...

http://terrortown.net/flash/index.html

Looks like more of a fear factor deal and a side show. So your main haunt is NOT a money back its some side event like fear factor.

Larry