first yr,how did ya do

[chip3199]

This topic hits home with my haunt. After a couple semi-successful shows in a not-so-great mid-Michigan location, Pigman's Lair took a season off to spend time with a new baby- what a wonderful thing, I love my boy!!

After saving a lot of money and investing heavily into the show with props and advertising, we found the perfect new location right off I-94, between 2 big Michigan cities. We reopened this past season, focusing heavily on advertising, and trying to capitalize on our "Great" new location. I quote the word location because location is not everything... It takes location, word of mouth, advertising, and persistence to succeed. Granted, we have an awesome location, but because we took a year off, and moved 30 minutes northeast of our past location , it hurt us. All of our reviews were awesome, our show was great, people were scared and definitely got their money's worth, but attendance wasn't nearly what we expected it would be. We will be back next year for sure.

Larry, your response to this thread is very true, and extremely inspirational. I could not agree more!

Good luck to those of you like me who have been knocked down- hopefully it will make you stronger and better!

Chip "Pigman" DeLong
www.pigmanslair.com
Chelsea, MI

[chip3199]

Duh... I meant I quote the word "Great".. whatever.. it's late!

[Haunted Nashville]

This was our first season as well. The numbers were good. We ran about 1,600 people more than our goal. We had a pretty good relationship with three Halloween Express stores in the area that put our flyers in customers bags. We also split radio time with them and came up with a package for free passes and free merchandise that the radio stations gave away at night with no charge to us. All in all, a good first year. We are actually already building and changing things around for next season.

[Greg Chrise]

You can also "seed" the parking lot with a few employee cars. One thing I have only seen at one haunted house is an"open sign" It seems the popularity of those neon signs have the general public trained. Even if there are signs about the event, even a big log it needs to be declared Open. If they don't see one they don't know what to do unless they see others doing it? Like at 10 PM especially, they are probably closed. Too bad we missed it.

[Jim Warfield]

10pm, "Too bad we missed it!" Sounds like a cheap parent saving some money instead of "throwing it away" on one of those haunted house-things"
I have noticed however some charity haunts do close early avoiding the drunks and the associated problems, anyway I guess that's why they close at 9:30?

[Mr Nightmarez]

:shock: Don't get discouraged - just advertise, expand and get ready for 2007!

[Greg Chrise]

The other parable for me has been, look how much money all those other people spend on vacations, fancy boats and motorcycles or cars they don't drive. These things are all wonderful but generally espensive and do not return any money where as any investment considered a loss into a haunted house is going to one day be recovered. In the mean time, even at a cost it is quite the event for the community to gather and have something in common, it is doing a not so common service these days.