Transworld; still bringing large crew?

[wickedfarmer]

Time will tell but I was curious if haunts that bring a large crew to Transworld are going to still. Fifty dollars...don't expect that to deter anyone. I have never brought more than one other of my crew. Yes sometimes more pairs of eyes connected to functioning brains can see potential at the show better 1 or 2. And I understand many crew would pay their own way just for opportunity to go if owner did not. I like going with little distraction from crewpulling me to see this or that. Of course last year the one crew memeber that went partied way too hard and spent Sat. curled around the porcelain anyway missing the trade show floor. This year one guy going with me who actually will handle vast majority of set up.
Wicked Farmer

[HauntedPaws]

Actually the vibe I hear is if you buy something from some of the bigger vendors they're gonna reimburse you your $50 on the order.

[Bradenton Haunted Trail]

Last year was our first year and it was just me and my business partner this year we may bring 3 to 5 others. It is more of a thanks for your help thing than them giving input.

Shawn
http://www.twistedwoods.com

[Darkangel]

Why would anyone want to bring their whole crew anyway? Only bring those responsible for making business decisions. The owners are there for business and the rest are there to play and get dressed in costumes.

DA

[Terrorknight]

There is still 7 of us coming out this year. Me my 2 partners and the heads of our departments. I think charging for a buyers show is still bullshit but whatever.

Robert

[drfrightner]

I'll say this 5 million times... but nothing changes. There is a reason why the Netherworlds are well the Netherworlds and The 13th Gates are the 13th Gates, and the Universal Studios are well the Universal Studios...

They spend money!

There is more to running a successful attraction than just buying cases of blood and rubber masks. I'll never understand why there are so many horrible looking websites, terrible logos, and lack of marketing by most haunts. I've brought this up before but its great line...

I tried to sell a guy a banner to hauntworld.com and he said 'we want to get a banner but we want to build up the business first so we can afford it'. I was like huh?

Isn't buying the banner how you build up the business? DUH!

This is an industry sorry to say where there are just to many old school do it yourself people, who think you can make your own logo, website, animations or knock off everything you see because you think you can save a buck.

When I started getting serious in this business, before the web (yes I'm that old now), there was no youtube, there was no seminars, no videos to buy, nothing... I talked to people the old fashion way... LONG DISTANCE phone calls, got directions yes with a pen and paper, and bought a plane ticket, and flew around to see what everyone else was doing.

This cost a lot of money... each year I picked 2 or 3 cities and I visited haunted houses. I saw A LOT and I mean A LOT OF REALLY BAD haunted houses, and several really awesome ones that opened my eyes to endless opportunities. I'm not going to say the city but I visited one city and EVERY SINGLE HAUNTED HOUSE SUCKED beyond belief, but was I mad, did I think I wasted my time and money? NO NOT AT ALL... despite all the really really bad haunted houses I saw some interesting things, I picked out a thing here and a thing there that made the whole thing worth the trip. How much is one good idea worth... couple be worth $100,000.00 maybe more doesn't matter it was worth whatever I paid I can tell you that.

I visited Rocky Point, Spookyworld, Everything in Salem, Haunted Happenings, Terror on Church Street, every haunt in Louisville, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, and countless amusement parks and more. Do you know what this cost me?

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SPENT!

I also once went to the IEG sponsorship show cost to me in the end: $5000.00

I went to all the tradeshows even ones that sucked like Fun Expo I even once paid an enormous amount of money to enter a manufacturer tradeshow to see if I could find something new. But even when I went to Fun Expo and yes it cost like $100 to go in and was nearly worthless, but I still found something in there worth the whole trip. I dont' see things like most people in this industry, I don't focus on the negative, I focus on what I saw, what I experience that can help me. The money is gone, who cares, what did I see that can help me that is my focus. Some of you guys tear into this haunt tours, but not me I focus on what I learned good and bad and move onto the next thing.

To hear people yes the same people who are charging $20 or $30 or in some cases more debate the merits of TW charging for this show is odd. The show isn't produced for free, seminars aren't free TW actually pays their speakers unlike most other shows, who do you think pays people to work with the convention center, writes all those books you get with all the vendors names and numbers in them, or calls and sells booths, or organizes all these events you enjoy? How much do you think that costs?

If we do what we did in the past, and yes I'm that old to remember when booths got up to almost $2000.00 the haunt section got smaller and smaller... people vendors couldn't afford to pay it. So we have a choice at this point in time... buyers share the costs at $50.00 or we raise prices on vendors then all the money you really spend like on airfare, hotels, food, and everything else will be worth less to you because the show will get smaller, fewer new products, and fewer new vendors each year.

I say embrace 110% sharing the costs of producing the show and don't be surprised when 3 or 4 years from now it goes up to $100.00 because costs to produce these shows are outrageous. GO to IAAPA... it was like $350 bucks or something. That is the cost of doing business.

The sooner haunt owners understand that if you spend money on information be it magazines, dvd's, seminars, seeing some haunts in person to letting go some stuff you do yourself such as your website, or whatever the more time you'll have to focus on doing what you do best better.

I no longer do haunted house road trips and haven't in 10 plus years... I've only seen two or three haunted house other than my own over the last 10 maybe 12 years. I choose NOT to see haunted houses anymore, because I'm too busy, I want to utilize my own idea's only, but really because I don't like leaving my kids anymore. I want to be at home most of the time, so I choose not to do all the things I preach to all of you... I can do that because I already did it I did it back when you had less information than you have today. I did this for years and it was worth every penny and I don't reget any of it not one dime spent. When my kids hit 18 I will probably do it again... my old ass and Patti will probably jump in a car and drive around the country knocking on your doors. And you know what I will enjoy every second of it... no matter what opportunity jumps at you do everything you can to jump on it because you never know what idea that might mean millions to your business is LURKING around the next corner!

There is my soap box for the day.

Larry

[Darkangel]

Stewart,

You buy your banner ad for your own market, city or state. Look at the listings linked to this forum and you can go to a map of all states and they sell banner ads for them.

DA

[HauntedPaws]

There is more to running a successful attraction than just buying cases of blood and rubber masks. I'll never understand why there are so many horrible looking websites, terrible logos, and lack of marketing by most haunts. I've brought this up before but its great line...

You gotta spend money to make money in any industry.

That being said I don't think everyone sees how HW is linked to sites the cliente is gonna visit.

[drfrightner]

FYI, my examples about Hauntworld are related to the overall issue in this industry that we constantly throw up red flags about what things cost in this industry. I'm SHOCKED totally SHOCKED that someone had no problem buying a 10,000 animation but wont' spend five cents on their logo, website, or $50.00 for a seminar, haunt tour, any type of education, and the list goes on.

My point is some people have their priorities totally backwards and simply have no clue what takes to advance their business.

The same people who would bitch about $50.00 to get into the show are the same people stuck in reverse... time to get that car going forward for a change.

My soap box is more a result from reading comments on TW facebook page.

Sticking to this topic more specific ...

1) I think fewer people are going to go to our haunt tour, shanes party, attend this tradeshow, everything because of this admission fee. The show comes first and I strongly advice you to bring anyone from your staff you want because this is a ONCE A YEAR EVENT. For many people after attending it fires up your crew, gets them motivated beyond belief to get on your projects. Same goes with visit haunts for haunt tours, seminars, or whatever. All valuable and you should do whatever you think is going to help your business and if that means bring a lot of people from your staff do it.

2) Buying a banner that is off the topic and I wasn't promoting buying one I was using it as an example as to how a lot of haunt owners think which in my view is backwards. BUT FYI... we have a state by state, city by city directory that sends people to your events from your area.

Larry

[HauntedPaws]

but wont' spend five cents on their logo, website, or $50.00 for a seminar, haunt tour, any type of education

Not making the above important is a recipe for failure which is why I'm do them all.

BUT FYI... we have a state by state, city by city directory that sends people to your events from your area.

what vehicle gets them exposed to the directory? Is it another site patrons are pushed towards?

[wickedfarmer]

For a second when Larry first got on his soap box (his words) I thought he totally missed what I was asking; which I did not make clear. My purpose for asking is not the entrance fee, but curious how much easier it will be to talk to people I want to talk to...online ticketing etc.

Wicked Farmer

[drfrightner]

Now you lost me... LOL

yeah my soap box went off topic because of all these comments I read on Transworlds facebook.

I think my overall point is you should bring whomever you want, because these shows have a way of energizing your staff, and yourself!

I do think that if one owner is paying for everyone and in the past you brought 20 people you might not do that again... but bring the people you feel need to see the show to give them new idea's, energize them, get their blood moving again.

Its always fun to walk around and see what everyone has come up with.

My soap box is merely about how some haunts base what they do or don't do on something like $50.00 they in my book are not serious about the next level!

I understand its tough times, but at the same time you need to keep pressing forward trying to break through, and that takes dedication and commitment. We as an industry can't expect everything to be free all the time. Those days are over.

These haunts now are not built on $256.84 budgets anymore. LOL

Larry

[wickedfarmer]

Larry's fault for me going off thread subject

I am one who does not have a banner on HW. If I was open after 11pm you bet your butt I would. OMG...A haunt closing at 11pm ; am I NUTS!!!!! General rule Larry's soap box speech is right. But all rules have exceptions and if you break the rules you better have a good reason. Me; I keep my crew lively and doing a good job for several hours and they give a good show. Our line waiting to get in is pretty well stocked as is. I guarnatee my crew is livelier at 10:30 giving a better performance than if we ran for 2 or 3 more hours. Efficency of advertising to gross is good, and I want to shut show down so I can go back to harvesting corn all night long anyway to keep the corn dryer full and humming at capacity.

My website -yeah it lacks. But I spent last weekend at a womens expo talking face to face with a whole lot of new customers. And womens expo of 2011 showed up in line survey of how you heard about us. It is FANTASTIC to be at a womens expo elbow to elbow people and you have a corner booth talking to women on two aisles. And hear former customers rave to potential customers how your place is the best they have ever been to.

Wicked Farmer