Your Marketing Woes

[Greg Chrise]

And the Good shovel.

[Mike Goff]

I agree 100% that if you don't love what you're doing you won't be any good at it. I thought the topic was advertising. I respect anyones decision not to advertise, and I would never criticize them for it, I just disagree.
I gave it my best shot to convey that I think the most effective form of advertising is word of mouth, but it is also the slowest. The reason that I advertise, is because I am impatient. I have been haunting since 1998. Not a great deal of time, compared to many. When I go to some of the bigger haunts that have been around for 20 years or more, I'm inspired, and motivated to make mine bigger and better. It really sucked when I went to Trans World and could only wish. I want to speed up the process as much as possible. I want to make the best show possible, each and every year, having a little money makes this process a lot less painful, and I do need to feed my family. This is my source of income. The money comes from growing the business. I usually spend about 8% of my grosss on advertising.The combination of doing my best at constructing, staffing, and marketing the show averages me about 15% growth each year. I am sure that there are many who do much better ,but I'll stick to what I know.
For the record, I would never recommend to any first year haunt to spend 40k.

[Haunting Copy]

Good to hear your thoughts, Greg.

There are those of us in the world of marketing who would
respectfully disagree that we have simply been duped into
believing in the power of advertising. I like to think of myself
as mildly more intelligent than that.

Sarah

[Haunting Copy]

Mike, I think 15% growth is wonderful! If you go *too* fast, it
can lead to some unforseen, expensive complications that
can be fatal to your business.

I would be afraid to not advertise, unless
my competition had chosen not to advertise, as well.
Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen.

Sarah

[Mike Goff]

greg brought up a good point, people have become desensitezed to advertising and thier bs radar has become finely tuned. This is why I like surprising people with my copy, if you don't get thier attention, all was for nothing.

[Haunting Copy]

thier bs radar has become finely tuned.

Yes, and that's a good thing. It opens the way for quality advertising,
which allows people to become aware of the products and services
they may be looking for.

And I, too, agree that one has to love his or her work. That doesn't
mean they can't have fun doing some silly and unorthodox things to get the
word out.

Sarah

[Jim Warfield]

If Nobody Notices?

What good does it do?
If Batman never left the Bat Cave?
I would put some art in the local Mayfest art show every year.
Many times I stood stealthly by watching reactions to the things I brought there.
(Most of the other artists were usually elderly women.)
"LOOK AT THAT!"
She runs across the room ignoring everything else on display, dragging her friend with her.
They stare for lengthy periods of time , grimacing , grinding teeth, twitching ocassionally as they circle "The Accident".
Then they walk back out of the building, never even glancing at their friend's works.
In a room full of paintings that seem to be copies of paint-by-numbers time-killers featuring barns, horses and clown faces, there was a shrunken midget in a half-scale wheelchair, legs wrapped like a WW1 soldier with green drippys ozzing, a poofed hair-doo, half his face is skulled, a little guitar playing bird standing behind him with a small V-12 engine with small , singing ,fuel-injecting skulls.
"What is it?"
The Last Elvis Impersonator!
After the art show I have another item to put on display inside my house.
No, I didnot buy a paint-by-numbers barn picture!
Rule number one: If you don't get noticed-you don't exist.