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  • #16
    Couple more things... doing write ups on haunted houses has been pretty much the showcase of any and all magazines in this industries history. What haunt goes on the cover, what haunt is getting featured... back then that was about the only way you'd learn about some haunted house outside your own market and it was a pretty big deal to be featured.

    I don't disagree totally with Allen that maybe its old school to feature haunts as the primary featured article for a magazine... but when you look at entertainment magazines its always one movie or two movies, or something. I don't think Allen or anyone else is tooling around the web trying to learn more info about some haunts ... the magazines brings them to your attention. However I wouldn't disagree that you can learn a lot of those details on line now... agreed. However the biggest thing we did that NO ONE else did was put the articles ONLINE as well so YOU CAN READ THEM FREE! No one did that but us... I have to admit even if it is bragging we've been copied a lot by other magazines and other haunt directories and more. We do something then someone copies us... either way I doubt any magazine would ever not do featured articles on haunts.

    Lastly let me say peel all the haunt stories away... you pay $45 dollars for a magazine mailed to your door. You pay hundreds of dollars to travel to seminars, then buy tickets to seminars and more than likely most of those seminars are terrible, old news, won't help your business, the guy doing them is a self promoter or doesn't know what he's talking about. I think the one thing I understand totally is if you are paying $45 dollars or $450 dollars or even 45 cents you should expect to learn something that helps your business NOW!

    If even one person who stand up here and say they don't learn something from our magazine then you know more than I do, or you simply just can't be helped. On the articles that don't feature haunted houses those articles are ORIGINAL content that can only be found in the magazine... not published online.

    Every article we have someone write or especially the ones I do are worth more than 90% of any seminar you've ever attended and I'll stake everything I own on that... that is what you should expect because that is what you pay for.

    One more thing I must say... I feel the information we talk about in the magazine is so valuable its worth 100 times what we charge because it can impact your business in a very positive way. I've actually been criticized from people telling me we're giving away too much...

    So there you have it!

    Larry

    PS: Just for the record I could care less if 100 people started a magazine I've said that 2000 times... just don't care. I don't pay attention to that, to what new directory goes online, what new podcast comes online, what new blog appears, none of that matters to me so no I'm not going to give nothing a chance. Because in order for me to do what I do I need to focus on what I do because many of you pay me for the service... I only focus on WHAT I DO not what anyone else does. I do feel most of these things are stuff you shouldn't give much credence to because typically they are done for the wrong reasons. But if another magazine or blog, or podcast or whatever makes 10 million dollars I still won't care good for them. Again I'm only focused on what I do nothing else. I don't have time for anything else. And I have to say that I don't read any other magazine, I don't read anyones blogs I don't watch what people say on Facebook, and I don't go to shows and I don't and have never attended a seminar. I think for myself and always have. I learn from experience, talking with friends in the business and I have to admit I've probably learned MORE right here on these forums than anywhere else... the stuff people put up here is something worth reading every single day.

    When you have people like Allen out there willing to help, or people like Haunted Overload always sharing photos and video's those guys are hero's in my book and more haunts should try to be just like them!
    Larry Kirchner
    President
    www.HalloweenProductions.com
    www.BlacklightAttractions.com
    www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
    www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

    Comment


    • #17
      Originally posted by Valley_of_Screams View Post
      So...let me get this straight. The only reason Hauntworld won't be digital is because you FEEL that a hard copy that we can hold is worth more? I mean, the information is the same whether it be a digital or hard copy magazine, right? So the quality of the information provided isn't a sound argument. If your goal with Hauntworld is to improve business for haunt owners, then it's irrelevant if the magazine is digital or not because the content is the same.

      Personally, if given the OPTION...I'd do both. Want an example of a very successful magazine that offers both hardcopy and digital versions? Cinefex Magazine! This is a classic magazine that anybody who makes props, costumes or makeup should have. They have recently went digital and are selling a TON of new subscriptions.

      Your content options are also greater in a digital magazine. You'd have the opportunity to provide interactive content such as audio clips, videos, PDF's, etc. etc. Something you simply can't offer with the hard copy magazine.

      So, if the nostalgia of just being able to "hold" a hard copy magazine is the only reason (which it is the only reason, no matter what you argue) that Hauntworld is NOT digital, then it will fail. Just like the Microsoft Zune, Flip phones and CD's. Sorry...but I predict someday Hauntworld WILL indeed offer a digital version. Since it'd be no "extra" work, what's to lose.

      Just pointing out the facts.


      -Tyler
      I couldn't agree more with Tyler!! "If your goal with Hauntworld is to improve business for haunt owners, then it's irrelevant if the magazine is digital or not because the content is the same." In comparison, you can buy a movie on vhs, dvd, blu-ray, netflix it, pirate it from the internet...if it's the director's original content, IT DOESN'T EFFIN MATTER WHAT FORMAT IT'S IN...it just comes down to user preference. Some people feel they NEED 1080p High-Def and crazy surround sound when DVD works fairly well. Going back to magazines, I for one love my hard copies as well because of the tangibility and collectors value, but this is "Merica" where people like choices!! HAHAHAHAHA. We don't NEED both, but we like having options...and the comparison to finding haunt content on the internet vs in a mag, blah blah blah, seems a bit irrelevant to a degree. Seems like its haunt propaganda rather than truly "what's best for the INDUSTRY". The only ones who can speak for the industry are the consumers or there would BE NO INDUSTRY. I could go on but like most recurring threads that eventually die back down, everyone will keep beating this dead horse...
      O'Shawn McClendon
      Creative Chair -- Operator: Cayce-West Columbia Hall of Horrors

      One mans junk is another mans kick-ass new prop...

      http://www.hallofhorrors.com

      http://twitter.com/hallofhorrors

      http://cwchallofhorrors.blogspot.com

      http://www.youtube.com/hallofhorrors

      http://www.myspace.com/cwcjc_hallofhorrors

      Comment


      • #18
        For the record, I voted for both. because choice is nice.
        www.Stiltbeaststudios.com
        http://www.youtube.com/user/Stiltbea...s?feature=mhee

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        • #19
          I voted I don't read haunt magazines, you know I can't read. No the truth is my phat fingers hit the wrong tab. But I truly would prefer both due to my travel schedule, but I think it more enjoyable as a hard copy. Now it would be interesting to have a video magazine where you insert video in place of the pictures. It would open the possibilities for the advertiser and reader to have a more interactive part in the experience. The one thing I would like to see is more hard hitting stories in Hauntworld like editorials on industry issues, the next innovations coming to the haunt industry, and maybe some history and back ground of people in the industry. I thought last year on your Darkness VIP Tour when you gave a little history of where you and Jim had started it was really a good story that people should hear. Just a suggestion. Keep doing a great job I love Hauntworld magazine and I will read it no mater what media it is on.
          Phatman

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          • #20
            Get a magazine now that does both

            Life Member NRA. The paper magazine comes but lists online content to see. A digital magazine would be never read by myself....never see the ads.
            Did not read above comments.

            Wicked Farmer

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            • #21
              I am sent several online newsletters etc now

              The only one I skim through is when i am looking to buy a $15,000 to $150,000 piece of farm equipment and quickly scan the ad listings of used equipment for sale from farmers...not dealers. And that is only because it lets me get the jump on other farmers who avg. age is over retirement age and do not do that damn computer thing.

              Wicked Farmer

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              • #22
                I think both is the best way to go and offer it as a combo sub. People don't mind paying for it, but would like the convenience of having their whole library of content on their tablet. Its much easier to be at a meeting and pull something up on a tablet than to lug around a dozen magazines.

                As for the "anyone can do it" argument, I think it's weak at best. Allen does online videos, and I subscribe to him. People are going to go where the content is the best. So if your content is the best, as you say it is, people will still prefer you over other publications. I don't subscribe to just anyone who posts tutorials online as I know that Allen has the some of the most relevant and knowledgable videos on YouTube.

                Comic books normally add a code in their printed books to get a digital copy of the book as well. I think that is the BEST way to offer your content.

                Comment


                • #23
                  For the record, I'd like to see the magazine available in both physical and digital formats. Even if every subscriber has to continue to receive a paper copy, at least I could recycle the paper version when I was done reading it, and still have the digital copy for long-term archival purposes. This is just my opinion. It's Larry's magazine, and he will do with it what he pleases. The point of the poll was to find out if other people are interested in digital copies, like I am. Judging by the fact that the "digital only" and "digital and print" options on the poll currently have twice as many votes as "print only", I can see clearly that I am not the only one.
                  Last edited by Dark Tiki Studios; 08-14-2013, 09:07 AM.
                  Haunt: DARK REALMS

                  Day job: Game Composer/Sound Designer

                  My "geek rock" band: Legendary nOObs

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Won't somebody think of the trees?!?!?!?!?!?

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Originally posted by Allen H View Post
                      It seems like half (or more) of Hauntworld magazine now is provided pics and generic write ups of haunts. I can get most of that from their website (even the pics).
                      Since the topic of content has been raised, I totally believe that the magazine has GREAT business-related information in it! But because that information is so great, I also agree that I'd like to see MORE of that kind of information, and less haunt reviews. Unless a haunt is doing something interesting in terms of business (like Spookywoods' day-time attractions, or Headless Horseman's multiple themed gift shops), I can read about their haunt at their website. Not only can we read about the haunts online, but we've seen multiple reviews of the same haunts in different issues of the magazine over the years, even though there are literally thousands of haunts out there to review. If you must keep 2/3 of the magazine's content as haunt reviews, there isn't really a reason to review the same haunts in multiple issues, until you've gone through all of the thousands of haunts available to review at least once each, right?
                      Haunt: DARK REALMS

                      Day job: Game Composer/Sound Designer

                      My "geek rock" band: Legendary nOObs

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Tiki I like that we see other haunts but most are big haunts, these are great to read about but I would love to hear about a small haunt that is doing a top notch job or a up and comming vendor. I think Larry puts out a high quality publication and I know that some of the content is being done by outside people like Allen in the Blood article, but I would like to see a little more diversity. And maybe that mean I should go out an pursue that and write a article for the magazine. That brings me to my next question is do you ask people to write for you or do they come to you with a article idea.
                        Phatman

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Couple quick thoughts... WE just found out today one of the haunts who was featured 'Dead End Hayride' was contacted by Travel Channel today. They saw the magazine because we send them a subscription, which led to this haunt getting a phone call about a possible national TV show appearance. I'm just telling you a fact here that many of the featured haunts magazine/web have been called, featured, or everything else on shows from weather channel to the travel channel and between.

                          I get calls also and refer them to these haunts... but in this case they got the printed magazine saw it and called the haunt. So there is some real value to be featured not to mention building up your industry awareness.

                          I'm happy for Dead End Hayride and all the other featured haunts in the printed magazine. Larry
                          Larry Kirchner
                          President
                          www.HalloweenProductions.com
                          www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                          www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                          www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            I don't know about anyone else but I still get that feeling of excitement when I open the mailbox and see that there is a Haunt World magazine in there. I doubt I would feel the same pulling something up digitally. I work in the print industry so I like the smell of ink I like holding the thing in my hand and thumbing through it. Most of my Haunt World magazines are trashed from looking at them so much and showing other people different things. I have the last one with the 13th gate article on making mausoleums at the haunt location right now because we are using the info to make ours for this year. Putting out a printed magazine is extremely difficult and expensive. But I believe like Larry said that is what makes it special. I wouldn't mind a digital copy also but I doubt I would ever even look at it.
                            Eric
                            www.hauntedoverload.com

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Originally posted by elowther View Post
                              I don't know about anyone else but I still get that feeling of excitement when I open the mailbox and see that there is a Haunt World magazine in there. I doubt I would feel the same pulling something up digitally. I work in the print industry so I like the smell of ink I like holding the thing in my hand and thumbing through it. Most of my Haunt World magazines are trashed from looking at them so much and showing other people different things. I have the last one with the 13th gate article on making mausoleums at the haunt location right now because we are using the info to make ours for this year. Putting out a printed magazine is extremely difficult and expensive. But I believe like Larry said that is what makes it special. I wouldn't mind a digital copy also but I doubt I would ever even look at it.
                              Eric
                              ...a lot of mine are trashed from overuse as well...that DOESN'T sound good to me. It would come down to purchasing two copies in print...OR I can have my collectors hardcopy and a digital reference that doesn't suffer from the same constant thumbing...accidental...liquid damage...tearing...LIFE...
                              O'Shawn McClendon
                              Creative Chair -- Operator: Cayce-West Columbia Hall of Horrors

                              One mans junk is another mans kick-ass new prop...

                              http://www.hallofhorrors.com

                              http://twitter.com/hallofhorrors

                              http://cwchallofhorrors.blogspot.com

                              http://www.youtube.com/hallofhorrors

                              http://www.myspace.com/cwcjc_hallofhorrors

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Originally posted by elowther View Post
                                Most of my Haunt World magazines are trashed from looking at them so much and showing other people different things.
                                Good point! A digital version wouldn't get "trashed".
                                Haunt: DARK REALMS

                                Day job: Game Composer/Sound Designer

                                My "geek rock" band: Legendary nOObs

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