From Sandy:
Check with your local AAA automobile club, they send out travel destinations within their monthly bill mailings....found out that,that was where we were getting our out-of-towners from.
Another great magazine to place and ad in (very reasonable)
is the County Lines for rural co-op members electric co.
Even submit a story to one of the writers via e-mail and include
pics(if you mail). This magizine goes to every rural home...its
better then inserting into a local paper.wide, wide exposure.
Join your visitors and convention/chamber of commerce..lots of free statewide exposure and often write-ups in speciality public awareness projects(mostly the cvb)If you have brochures they place them into information centers all over the place...
Get ahold of the Welcome Mat in your local, you could offer an introduction/slashed rate for newcomers to your area.
Get a packet made up for various items/coupons ...have these packets placed in near-by motels...offering the owner to place their biz on your (web-site...use this one only for a very promising high traffic referral business) advertising materials (brochure,advertising etc)
Use a Grand Opening, special or whatever anniversary special/early-bird special
Get in touch with a Micky D's and provide liners/placemats for a biz prior to opening... in exchange for doing a free publicty stunt
Get ahold of a near by bus line...give snack bags to travelers, that are COMING into your area...place your coupons/brochure in them with a treat ie:mints,peanuts
Offering your past patrons to send in their pictures to place on the web for the next season.
Offer a Free-behind-the-scenes contest. Or/ to work in the haunt for a night...
Get flyers up at your local colleges...these people are always looking for something to do...
Send out a press release...making sure that you have at least one great contact...that you will only offer the exclusive story to! Give a family pass to that person.
From Cliff:
there's a really cool 'costume' that Im going to buy at this
tworld show... its called a 'tricker tree' and Im planning on
using it for promotions.
http://totalfab.com/hal2001/costumes.html
One radio station I work with does a remote at the local college
and high school games, and Im planning on having a table there
with a costumed character (normal person/monster) and a person
in the tricker tree standing still... once we get someone close,
the tree jumps them! It should generate lots of interest... and
perhaps media coverage... tried to do it this past season, but
didn't think about it till it was too late to get one... but this
year, look out!
'Hearse Radio'.
The idea is to get a tie in with radio to promote a contest where
they broadcast the location of the hearse (at a coop sponsor location,
of course) and if the '13th' caller calls with the right answer,
they win a prize (anything from a tshirt to a dead body - a frozen
turkey!) Put a small fm transmitter and cd player in the hearse
that broadcasts legend info, show info, discounts, etc., and a
along the way the answers to the 'secret'. "Listen to Hacker
House Hearse Radio for the answer, or go to our website at..."
This forces anyone interested to find the hearse, tune into the
Hearse transmitter and listen to all my blather, and guess the
answer... it might be a bit much to hope for, but who knows? In
any case, its a reason to park the hearse (a rolling billboard)
in a very public location... 'course theres a sign on the hearse
advertising Hearse Radio, so anyone could tune in whether or not
they heard the promo...
Research to find the local horror fan shows and role playing shows to exhibit there and promote the october show... the tricker tree could be a hit there as well...
(off season promos)
keep mindshare throughout the year by appearing in any/all parades
(i.e., christmas parade as grinch, fall parade/fest as jack skeleton);
arrange booth space in spring/summer block party/fests either
to promote the haunt (depends on time of year), or do makeup 'tattoos'
and give out coupon/flyer.
off-season flyer to promote the website/legend/haunt... hand out everywhere!!!
-----------------------
My daughter went to a student council Christmas party last night and they played several games that might be great for summer/fall events for kids (and their parents)... so I thought I'd share them with 'ya to spark some ideas for your events....
Stuff the Suit
A large group breaks up into teams of 3-5, pick the smallest of
the team to wear the suit. The 'suit' consists of a very, very
large sweatsuit. The other team members blow up lots of balloons
and stuff them into the suit.
Two variations: the team that can stuff the most balloons in a
set period of time wins; or after the suits are stuffed, the 'sumos'
can run an obstacle course (don't forget a bike helmet and gloves!),
belly bumping each other until their bumped out of a circle, or
a short race... or any combination...
Body Language
Each member of a large group picks a partner. Then the group forms
two rings, one inside the other, one partner in one ring, one
in the other. Each ring moves around (music optional), in the
opposite direction of the other. A 'caller' announces that the
partners must touch their 'hand to foot', so each member must
quickly find their partner
(wherever they are), and follow the directions of the caller.
Each member would have to have one hand on the others foot. The
last ones to do it are out... Several innovative combinations
are possible, depending on the age and inclination of the group.
Do you Love your Neighbor?
The group forms a large circle of chairs (stools, etc) with one
person in the middle who is 'it' (and doesn't have a chair). It
gets a ball, and as It tosses the ball, he/she calls "Do
you Love your Neighbor?". The person catching it has options
for answering... they can say "Yes, but I don't like anyone
with tennis shoes". Everyone wearing tennis shoes must get
up and scramble to find another chair. The person who is It also
gets to go for a chair, the one without a seat is It for the next
round. If the person says "No" to the question, everyone
must get up and find another seat. This game can challenge different
segments in the group "Yes, but I dont like anyone older
than 16"; "Yes, but I dont like anyone with baggy pants",
"Yes, but I dont like suits", etc....
Win, Lose, Draw
Sort of a Pictionary, two teams compete to figure out what a person
is drawing on a large piece of paper. The person pulls ('draws')
a piece of paper from a bowl naming the thing to be drawn, and
he/she begins drawing (no talking or clues allowed) until one
team or the other 'wins' by naming the object. Or, if not named
after finishing the drawing, the person has to 'draw' again...
Hope this sparks some ideas,
From Sandy:
I use for this year yet, a cornstalk maze. Within it are 8
scenes (this years theme) that relate the happenings of how Halloween
came to be, there are also frightfully decorated scenic areas
to discover along the way.
Next year I'm thinking of going with a privacy fence, less work,(don't
have to cut down stalks,plant ect.) What type of maze do you have?
(oh yeah, there are signs near each display that tells tidbits
of intrest).
The picture this area are props that are outside that the public
can stick their heads in ect.... to take pictures of. This year
we a building a hearse, with a headless body next to it....the
family can have one person as the driver, and others can stick
their heads through the windows ,near the dead ghoul that is in
the hearse,,, The other pic this prop is the ghoul bus.... shaped
like a school bus, painted black with the lights and all,steering
wheel and the kids can put their heads in the windows with the
other ghouls that are waving..... I guess I should explain that
along side of this other stuff, we also offer the public this
place for family Fall picnics....behind the old horse barn, I
have privacy fence enclosing most of the area...there is about
an 12 foot entrance from one way, in and a fenced pathway into
it from the other side. I have tables and benches in there for
the public to sit and eat...and a fire pot, for when it is chilly,
there are also 2 - 10 x 20 pravillions ,which cover the tables.
A great place to share laughs and fun or rest and eat.We also
have a huge 12' deep pond that is the home to our 200 goldfish,
that the kids can feed.
I am thinking of charging $ 6.50 to enter it all this year....
any thoughts? The final stage of happenings here will be the haunted
walk at night, if my attendance goes up dramaticly this year.(
i know my spelling isn't that great for being 43, but what the
heck) I would like to charge more....and will up it to $ 10.00
per person if/when I add the nighttime haunt.
And, about the hidden object they have to find,(i better clear
that up) its outside in the daylight, hidden somewhere among the
displays and yard.So they won't be frightened then... I've also
got plans for the " Ghoul's gift shoppe" this year.
That will be in the bottom of the barn. Body parts,novelties,t-shirts
and other things and proubly also add costume rentals.
-------------------
Ok, i've been running this operation for 3 years now. I have
2 acres of land, an old 2 story horse barn, a double wide garage
and double straight lengh of garage.For the 2000 season, which
I run only weekends for the public and week days for schools,
tours and groups, It was a scarecrow theme. ( a great bonus for
me was an associated press writer came breezing through and did
a super story that flooded through Michigan) Happy was the day!
Were we busy!!! Anyways, I produced 78 scarecrows( 79) including
myself. They consisted of men, women and children. I redid the
lower of the barn and made it into the scarecrows house. There
I invited families to see the house. I did a funny skit/talk with
the kids and then proceeded with the story telling.( I use to
run a costume/gift delivery service before this,singing) I use
many differant voices in the story, very energetic stuff. My role
model from t.v. was Lucy. Its funny...i have blue eyes, she did...i
have red hair....she did....Oh ya, back to the story.....Then
, along with the scarecrows, which were in displays, of course
we had to have little bo-peep. Well she lost Baaa, and the young'ns
had to find it ( it was hidden by some other display) and return
it to Sam(me) in order to recieve a special prize. This was a
fantastic hit with people of all ages.Even adults wanted the prizes!(
Go figure?) Not hard too, since I majored in getting into peoples
minds.My house is an old 2-story made from hand poured blocks
back in 1912. It has it's own creepy look already. So I've been
added a mounded, walk through garden plus arches all throughout
.I constructed an open church and will be adding a cementary there
this year.And I will be making a face lift on the barn, so it
looks like a haunted,scary structure in the yard.HEY, I TOLD YOU
I HAD ALOT TO TALK ABOUT....Ha!Ha!Anyways... the scarecrows I
reuse each year, changing faces, sometimes clothes...depending
on theme. Some are used as props in scenes that are all around
the yard.I also placed signs near the display that related where
scarecrows came from, with intresting and chilling facts.Another
big hit! I did research your pages and printed the good info.Thanks.
About this convention....I heard it was pricie... Do you know
the cost? I'm just a little town potato...with lots of great ideas.I
hope you can communicate daily just for awhile, so we can share
info. Last night I had a brainstorm and think I figured it out.
Please share......it could very well be beneficial to us both.
Oh... almost forgot, my biz, right now caters mostly to families,grandparents,kids
to 10- maybe sometimes 12-13. I want to attract the teens and
adults too, thats what I'm missing and it sounds like you want
to attract the ages I have.
-------------------------
Since I am only open weekends from Noon-5 or 6pm, I will only
be offering one entrance price. It will include all attractions
on grounds. I've decided to start small, like you suggested. I
will use the double garage/double lengh to house the haunted part.
I figure that I should be able to get about 8 scenes in it...The
barn (upstairs) will host one of the storytellers, and the woods
will host the other.Oh, about the storytellers..... as I said
last year we had a scaecrow( named Sam), this year I've concocked
" Neblin" the Hungarian gypsie hag.... She will be in
the upstairs barn. Her act basically consists of her preforming
a story about werewolfs,ect, the old country, having something
knock over in background,( people think that, that is wherethe
scare will come from and then the werewolf leaps out through the
table right in front of them....what'd ya think? After the gathering
of the customers wits.... " Neblin " will instruct them
about the Family find it game and what they are looking for this
year....When they find it... they tell our money taker and they
enter the skeleton(sp?) pirates prize chest to pick out their
prize. The other storyteller is Freddie " Fall " Forrest
. Is he a creature or man? Freddies costume is covered in fall
colored, silk leaves. He lives in the forrest. There are stump
stooles for the public to sit upon , a hammock that is freddies
bed, and lots of other cool stuff to see and talk about. Freddie
is our " not so scary " humourous character that, like
" Sam " the whole family enjoys. Freddie does a very
typical Halloween story for all to enjoy. Than on to " Imagination
Land " a new attraction this year. A straw castle in the
courtyard, complete with flags on tips and a moat, with draw bridge...
an 8 ft straw/tree boughs constructed dragon, a damsel in distress
( scarecrow lady in complete costume) sets the scene... there
are also straw constructed horses in all their fancy splender
that the children can mount and ride to save the fair damsel from
the dragon. And to add the prefect touch I've even thrown in the
suits of armour for the kids to wear while pretending....A great
way for parents to interact with their children. Parents love
the photo oppertunities this offers. Now, maybe you can share
with me some real good haunt room ideas, that aren't gorey or
bloody....Some that I can think about, where I could use 1 person
to do multiple chores/scares......thanks. Working with the straw
( at least around here) its an inexpensive medium.I can send you
plans for some of this, if you decide on any of it.
-------------------------
What type of corn did you plant, last time? I use Indian corn
here, the animals( hooved toed,rats) don't like it at all, even
the possium,coons ect. don't care for it. Were thinking about
using a black plastic possibly, instead of the privacy fence idea
, but would need fencing posts from wood instead, to staple to.
It would proubly last a few years, if secured real tight. Cheaper
medium...really tring to find a way to not work so much at the
project! I loved the casket idea! Super startler!! Did you get
your casket from a mortuary? I've been trying to locate one from
someplace...whats the going rate on one? Oh, question...is the
Hacker House your home? Or is it a separate place? You were wondering
about the maze...are they static scenes or what? At this point
they are static. Everythng at the village is done as a self tour.
My brochures are done (compliments of my VERY talanted daughter,
who is a wiz at computers at the age of 14, she'll be making my
website for the village this year)so that as the public reads
them, they would get an idea as to how to greet each attraction,
what to expect and where to go on from there. The brochures usually
work, as any new guests recieve them upon entering! The way I
get accross what I want the public to remember, are by the signs
that are placed by each exhibit(scene).In our brochure we state
that this is an educational place as well as fun! You have to
remember tho- that I run a daytime place for now..so what sometimes
works for me, won't work for you. ..........
n the daylight self tour work out very well. Even the haunted
garage part will be a self tour. The first haunter and the money
taker will have radio headphones to talk to each other, I always
set up our M.T.(money taker ) near an area that she can handle
multiple tasks...CAUSE SHES SO BLOOM'IN GOOD ! I work at this
project all year long... I retire from the landscape biz in August
to get everything ready for opening Oct. the first weekend. I
haven't had to worry about exit interviews yet, the public is
always informed that jan will(M.T.) answer all their quetions,
anytime. Plus being around the guests myself, I hear all the wonderful,
positive things they have had to say...hardly anything negative,
which is great! I have been blessed! We do have a guest book and
a free giveaway drawing... the free drawing is for one of our
very own, original Halloween spooks! The public loves this. We
draw for it the last saturday before Halloween, after closing
time. You use the ring idea, is good! I use the idea that after
a storyteller has done their act, the people get to pick a treat
from the basket..has candy, rings, cheap giveaway things. About
radio...I work with a station here, what we do is this...I suggesst
a game they could play on the radio....(trivia,etc.) I give them
so many free passes and they give me free air time , when its
time for the opening of the village. Another station I work with
from a differant area, has an Orson Wells segment, where he tells
strange and unusual happenings, which I sponser. These to mediums
are priceless! I also use our local strickly advertising paper.
It comes out on Sundays. I place a one time ad that has clip and
save around it. The ad girls, do a wonderful display ad for me
always! It (the ad) says we only run it once, and to staple it
to your Oct. calendar page. It gives our biz phone to call for
any info,ect...Then I use the local paper to run what i call spot
ads. Sometimes goofy, but intresting. Whatever works. Usually
I spend out about $ 400 a season, most of it prior to opening...timing
is so crucial, so you don't get buried by other happenings. I
also have the support from the Convention and visitors center.
( you see I also promote a huge Arts and Craft fair in November
for the last 12 years). They love me, around here.(toot! toot!,
blowing my own horn here! Ha.Ha!) The hidden object...it could
be anything, when i first started with the idea, it was to bring
it back....but after having a very busy day of about 989 kids
and moms and dads and grandparents...well, jan was pretty pooped,
taking that sheep and re-hiding it on the grounds, so then it
came to be that the children were instructed that when they found
it, to come tell jan where they found it( so they didn't cheat)
and they could then, pick out their prize. About the gift shoppe,
glow in the dark items work for you, but they wouldn't work for
me, were not nighttime.....
------------------------------
Things here are going well. Had the first meeting with "
NEW " staff and it went real well! I gave them the story
line for the haunt and told them they all had homework to do!
I expected them to come up with several scenes for the haunt/yard
using the story line....this is it...
...it has been said that if you die in your dreams..you die in
reality. Sarah Graves as the legends been told, died on this very
site over one hundred years ago...on the stroke of midnight...Halloween.
Sarah was a believer of the unknown and that dreams could come
true. At first when the nightmares begin, they were sparactic,
creeping, haunting images...but as Halloween approached, the dreams
consumed Sarahs mind and soul...
Enter Sarah's mind...let the nightmares begin...
I've decided that the last scene in the haunt will be a bedroom
scene, a young gal asleep on the bed, as the public enters through
a door, they see the girl appearing to be having nightmares...twisting...talking
in her sleep ect.. Then a clock sounds the beginning of twelve
strikes( also taped for sound is the tick/tock of a loud chime
clock) When the 2nd/third strike sounds...up comes a demon monster
from the mattress. grabs the girl while she screams and takes
her down...then out comes another samelike demon and goes after
the public from another area. Thanks for all the info about caskets
and things. I need them for props in a static scene. I seen something
similiar to what you described about the buzzing casket...only
it was a used with a bench idea.Pretty cool, no matter how you
slice it!
-------------------
Had a thought about your pumkinland cliff...we used to have a
place here called The Farm. It was very similar to what you described
and was a big hit, till the people retired( then I came into the
picture) what they did was build things out of pumpkins( big,huge
displays) @ a castle,totem pole, pumpkin tree,bridge ect. They
included a daytime haunted (not so intense) hayride for the school
age children. Back at that time, they charged $ 4.00 per person
and then (get this) on the way to the patch was the haunted and
displays part and then you went to the field and selected a pumpkin
(only the size you could carry for your age) and they then charged
you .40 cents a pound per your pumpkin! It was quite intresting!
I look to my place as a retirement option. I guess I'm leaning
towards always keeping this place a family type of biz. Mostly
because I don't want the problems that come along with the other.If
I had the room here, I've been tossing the idea of a Halloween
parade, and festival (sp?) King and Queen of Fall, pumpkin seed
spitting contest, sack races,pumpkin carving(painting) contests
and the like...ya just never know, what I may conjure up;-)
We are thinking of adding on to the pole barn, if this all pans
out this year...only time will tell.
---------------------
I was also lucky enough to get ahold of an old parachute to use
in a scene with zombie kamakazi pilots(goes something like this)
I will be having the one with the parachute(complete with bomber
jacket and crouch straps ) hanging from our very large tree...When
someone walks by they will here a radio transmission coming from
a hand held radio(static and noise and male voice screams of were
going down...aaagggghhh...than within a few seconds... a second
zombie pilot drops from the tree , and bucks and bounces about
till it stops and then it retreats back up the tree.This is just
going to be one of those fun type of deals outside for the public
to walk by. When I mentioned before about one of those VCR-projectors...what
I really want to do with that (well, one thing) is to have an
old type of car, drive to a cementary and pick up girl there(prom
date) she then gets into the car and they drive off, while the
music is playing( in the still of the night...) I seen another
cool version of this with a story of all these children who got
killed on a school bus, while crossing railroad tracks. The people
of the town say that to this day, that anyone who ends up on these
railroad tracks, stopped, that something pushes the vehicle forward
off the tracks( if the cars bumper is dusty/dirty) little handprints
are seen in the dust! Pretty awesome huh? I would also like to
conjure this image to my guests and have little voices in the
background saying an old time tawnting school ryhme.
-----------------------------
Hi, lets see..."pictures" will search the papers for
articles and pics that were wrote. Also think I have a brochure
from them in my files. The daytime haunt/hayride was composed
of riding on the wagon(pulled by tractor) passing along the way
cornstalk (huge) bundles where creatures popped out and they even
had WIZ of OD characters doing their skit. Shacks made from straw
covered chicken wired huts,to cemetary scenes with body hidden
to pop up and ect...gatta remember that the school trips were
for ages Preschool-6 so anything that wasn't bloody/gory worked
out just fine. They also had a shop that was located in their
big barn that sold hotdogs,chips ect., and a cider press going
on also and donut sales( more added $$ for their pocket)
Most of the displays were concocked using re-bar and sliding the
pumpkins down onto them.Pretty easy idea to do.I do have 2 ladies
hired in here, that did work on these displays and when I can
pick their brains...I'll let you know what they said;-)
-----------------------------
The scarecrows that I make are made from 2x2's . An 8' lengh,
that is cut off 18 inches from bottom. At the top of the 8'-the
18" , we drill out a center thats about 3/4" deep. Using
a shop broom handle(cheaper than dowels) we cut pegs that are
5 inches long...pound this into the hole an set it with a special
swelling glue to hold for a long time, in place. Then take the
18" piece and screw that to the long piece. Pop on a styro
head, wire it, cover in burlap and on to the clothes.I use straw
when stuffing the clothing. It holds up VERY well if you stuff
certian, important areas firmly! I do place all my guys/gals in
bottom of barn to weather over.
Note... The chicken wire frames are a pain in the butt! To hard
to get clothes over the wire. I would suggest to possibly use
the soft foam batting(from fabric stores) to insert into legs.
Another item I use is the insulating wrap for pipes...wrap a copper
tubing around (under the neck) area and then place on the wrap,
over the tubing...( oh yeah...before placing wrap over tubing,
staple tubing with staple gun) makes for bendable arms.
When I send you some stuff out...I will send pic's too! We use
pvc pipe 2 1/2 inch opening...use post hole digger and put this
18" piece in ground...leave it there all year. Makes so the
people figures don't topple over.:-)
I should have experiance with these since I added 78 in last year!
I guess theres really no other option for the walls are there?
I want the haunt part to look professional...cause I believe I'm
only going to get one first shot, at the guests, if I blow it,
they won't return and the word of mouth will be terrible! Any
opinions? ( My aren't I brave...giving you this shot? LOL)
The Pumpkin Carver? The scene goes like this... You see the front
of a house/with porch a window with a lighted room inside.There
is an old man in there carving pumpkins! At least it he appears
to be carving pumpkins ! Then you hear a knock at the door...followed
by a TRICK OR TREAT. Shuffling noise going accross the floor ...the
door creaking open ...a scream...the door slamming shut...a few
moments later, you see the man placing a new addition to his collection
...in the window , facing out to the guests is a distorted, twisted,
painfull, agnoizing childs look on the pumpkin, lite up. The lights
go out for a very brief second and off to the side of the porch...pumpkins,
lots of them, lite up ALL with distorted faces of agony and then
the old man pops up at guests saying...NOW ITS YOUR TURN ! He
is holding a big clever with blood dripping from it! But, I NEED
PUMPKINS !!!!!!
----------------------------
As luck would have it, she just happens to have all the old photos
of designs in her barn...When upon asking her if she thought Mr.
Cripps wouldn't mind my looking at them, she said, " oh I
don't think so" Keep fingers crossed tho- he's due in Monday
from Texas and just maybe I can sweet talk him into it.!!
I did discover that they did alot of painting on the pumpkin displays.
She mentioned that they would select several themes a year. Cinderella,Wiz,Smurfs
etc. One I really liked was a catapillar that was coming out of
a tree made with pumpkins!And a big pumpkin tree. Then Loretta
talked about a 101 dalmation set. Big dog house and lots of little
pumpkins painted white with black spots and tails on them hidden
from partial view.Kinda like butts sticking out, I figure.
------------------------------
Over the weekend I figured out the next phase of the Village!
At least for here[but may work for your place too], its my 2002
season plans. I have been hunting forthose portable garage things...the
idea behind them, is to set up aprox. 7-8 of these and make fake
fronts[in front of them] to look like village houses or shops!
Running pathways to all of them that connect. Each house can be
a haunt or even static display area year after year. I could them
run a daytime haunt for the younger kids and a nighttime haunt
for the old folks[more intense] Not much to change around. I could
then be open daily for the month! I think that your punkinland
could work on the same idea! It would allow for the [bus] loads
of school kids to come to a daytime fun place and then run your
Hacker House for weekends/evenings! Your fake fronts could look
like pumpkin houses! and you could set up the Punkin families
all around...maybe have a person dressed as a pumpkin for the
storytelling aspect[ if you had storytelling] Then you could also
offer scarecrow building as an extra or even a craft section,pumpkin
patch etc. What'd ya think?
I think were getting closer to the reality of these ideas! I want
to get away from the big building of straw stuff...cause for number
1# You can only dispose of so much rotton straw here.And I don't
want to keep rebuilding something next year. But, It would allow
me/you to concentrate on the building of pumpkin displays for
the land/village!
----------------------------
I've gotten almost all my plans ready now! What a job! So many
new things this year! The front garden with its rocks, pond and
berms will be the scene of magicial forrest Creatures. I've order
Pan,the beast and I already have small faries. I will be using
fabrics with sparkles in them...butterflies of many hues and a
mirrored effect in the pond, with lighting of pastels...very magicial
place...enchanted. Small childrens delight. Off accross the driveway
from this magicial place ...the large rearing horse of the Headless
Horseman will loom, complete with the headless Horseman and the
flaming pumpkin...possible Ickabod to? If I have time.
Next going up to house ...the Wizard of Oz cast will greet the
guests. Among the garden and cornstalks. The connecting backyard
will host the ghosts from Casper. Through the hedges eyes will
fall upon the newly constructed Village.And to the right the Village
Tomb. Straight ahead 100 yards or less...the cornstalk maze and
to the right again the Castle of Imagination Land.A Knight, Damsel
and 3- horses to ride upon. I plan on having pumpkin people from
the scarecrow design, using the wally world lited pumpkins for
heads. This will be the beginning of incorperating the Pumpkinheads
and Scarecrows. At night I can lite them up with all the other
yard displays! The weather here is finally warming to the upper
40's so soon I will be able to get a go at all this. But most
of the ordering is done and supplies are on there way!
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I found lots of items yesterday for the " Land of Pan"
The enchanted place.Large turtle, big snails,dragonflys,butterflys
and lights, plus tall woodland flowers. Next step is to find vines
and I need to order this one lite thing I came accross... that
emits rays of multi colored lite beams.
Over the weekend we cut out a huge black stallion that is rearing
up for the headless horseman.(over 8' tall) And we got the photo
op's old time hearse cut out and the 3 horse frames made. Today
I need to draw out the ghoul bus.
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Just thought I'd give you an opening weekend report!
Way cool!!!! Dispite the really crappy weather here( 32 degrees,rainy,windy
and then snow!) I felt it was a real hit! Our local paper did
a full page spread on the village...complete with pictures...that
helped lots! It was so much fun watching and waiting for the screams
from the public! I took your advice and we are running split tickets.
It was great advice. Neblin(me) is a great hit...its way too funny...how
all the people(including adults) are drawn into the story so much
that when it ends, they shreik too! I'm going to try to get it
on video for you so that maybe you can use it in the future! Its
a great story called " Red Meat ". Not to toot my own
horn...but people can't believe that that's not my real voice...way
too funy!
A few tweeks here and there yet this week... like one of the actors
is constantly being bugged by the public, so we need to change
the scene. The props that carl made for me, are a really big hit...especially
the bedroom scene! When the Kamakazi pilots drop out... you ought
to see the public jump! The staff appears to all want to come
back next year...with bigger bangs and deeper scares....lucky
me!
Response from the public...is that its such a fun place...lots
of people are paying for the whole thing and then the kids hear
the screams from others who just went in and they chicken out
from going in.I just wanted to report in to you...drop me a quick
line on whats the coolest haunt scene for you this year...and
how did the hired teacher for acting go?
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I'm putting in at least 8 hours a day getting this darn place
up. But I look to the rewards of it (ha-ha). I now am focused
on the future of this place with an goal. If you remember from
my last e-mail of the magical gardens ect...next year I will be
adding in skull island and a cottage located in the center of
the big-big garden. The theme will be treasure island. Customers
will recieve a treasure map... then the must decipher clues (riddles)
along the way that will lead to a new destination and another
riddle. If the family is successful they will recieve a very nice
prize that they have to dig up. Several maps each differant...so
as multiples of people can wonder at the same time.Actors will
interact with the public by giving riddles and ect.
This is the part of the biz that will allow me to open in early
summer and continue through the halloween season. I will always
have scarecrow displays and the haunt open all summer but the
haunt will be mostly static except for the pneaumatic props.
Anyways, I just completed the 8' dragon from straw and the horses...way
impressive to say the least! It took 8 hours alone and 2 people
to do the dragon! and 8 hours to do three horses! But at least
NOBODY has anything like this around here! Other great news is
that Michigan Magazine a T.V. show says if I can get this all
ready soon... they will come out and film the place! And my local
CVB has said to sweeten the pot they will pay for the lodging
and meals for these folks! TOO Cool!
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I went to a seminar on friday( squeezed that one in by a hair..lol)
it was called ...suriviving in uncertian times) excellent! Have
you ever heard of Guerrilla Marketing? Books by Jay Levinson?
Well anyhoo...proubly you have? I went and got one of the books
and talk about good info...just thought I would share with you,
how great it is...it verified that I'm on the right tracks...but
sure helped me target my guests. Right now(in between things)
I'm working on my new marketing plan. This year were adding in
a touch of Dark Theatre with " THE ROOM "...also adding
Squashville, the museum of Dementia and the haunted village woods.
Scarecrow displays will consist of the first Thanksgiving and
the old wild west. As well as our favorite halloween displays.
Story-teller Indian Chief White Cloud...visit a tepee, the Indian
burial grounds and more. Another big season. We didn't make any
profit...after all we put in this year...but met payroll every
weekend of over $ 750. I was pleased all in all! But, what I had
forgot about...was that with the new changes...also came a new
type of guest and because of the age differance we targeted...we
lost our old clients :-( so back to square one...but...I do have
a new stratagy for 2002. Keep learning...as always. One thing
we found that worked really good to get honest opinions was to
use those baby monitors...they relay sounds and voices...we kind
of ease-dropped on the guests...if you know what i mean...heh...heh...it
was great!!! That is...from those who made it through !
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Tomarrow I got a job as being the Grinch for a grand opening of
Big Lots. They are also going to rent a clown costume from me.
So for 4 hours work I make $ 75.00....not too bad. The DDA from
here is also looking at using my services twice this year. Once
for the River Fest and again for their scarecrow days in town.
Finally just maybe I will be reconized for what I can promote
for the community! That would be too cool! I've waited along time
for this. So whats new in your world? Any pointers... lessons...that
you can share? I will be sending you pic's and news article after
xmas. Working right now on all the updates for the web site. Speaking
of websites, I got to view the new writing on yours....Looks great!
Very interesting! Good story lines, too. Its funny, but alot of
our guests came from near the Detroit area...about 5 hours away.
Glad they did...but go figure. So around here surveys have shown
that we are in need of some very creative marketing stratagies.
A friend of mine from the CVB has told me that ,if I can get Alpena
people to my biz...its a feather in my cap...they are hard to
sell. So I've been studying the stats and our area since October
to find a marketing solution that will work.
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Yes the guerrilla marketing volume I purchased was great and full
of thoughts... I especially lked the part of psychology. There
were certian comparisions and surveys as to what people rated
most important in their life....more time and more money were
#1...then there was the 2 differant type of people that one needs
to market to...the logicial and the heart tuggers. If a person
only markets to one set of people with their advertising, then
they loose the other. The book also mentions about time and perception
(which you did a wonderful job of explaining to me !) Value=time
spent. And the offerings of something unbelievable, from your
biz, that no other biz has. And so on and on.... It was very good!
Now to practice it.... Playing the grinch was way cool...the manager
has hired me again for this Saturday for a special Kids Day...
I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I use to own a Singing
costumed gift delivery service called GAGS and GIGGLES. I would
dress as various characters and deliver cakes,balloons ect. I
had to quit when I married Jake because we lived out so far from
town. At the quitting point I was making anywhere from 50-100
or more for deliveries. You have to understand that the deliveries
were acting skits geared specificly for the recieving client.
I did many differant personalities...FIFI the french maid, the
good-time flasher, Tiffiany the Tool girl, and more. It was a
riot and so much fun to do. I plan on reintroducing gags and giggles
again...for 2003. Also dealt with mascots for opening events.
I always thought it was such a great biz...and wanted to do franchises
with it.
But never had the capital to really invest. Always looking for
another warm body to team up with...hard to find...and its still
a dream. Anyhoos, I've started working on the mice for Squashville.
Its a new addition for the village this year. Lots of mice families
doing harvesting,decorating and ect...I purchased tons of plastic
gourds and pumpins and other mice things...it should be cute.
Were going to more nighttime openings for 2002. So I've also been
buying alot of commericial lighting ...I'm going to give the village
a new look. Massive amounts of lighting...to draw intrest.I bought
these panels that you can write(with lighting) anything you would
like to say...so I'm going to place them on the front of house
or barn. The possibilities are endless with them. I also came
accross some victorian lighting lampposts. I will be using these
to light up the scarecrow displays.
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The Grinch costume that I have, is the original one...not the
fuzzy NEW type that just came out in the movies( I personally
don't like that new style of grinch). I got mine at oriental trading
co. 2 years ago and this was the first time I had used it....always
told hubby it would come in handy someday! The cost for this particular
one was only about $29.00 for the costume and about $ 19.00 for
the mask.
I researched alot costume co's but haven't seen anything like
this one. Were thinking of doing Whoville for the craft show next
November or as Whoville here at the village and charging admission.If
I see another while I'm shopping for 2002 costumes, I'll let you
know where I find it! As for the wind machines...I have $ 50.00
for however many you want to part with for that price(I'm not
trying to insult you with the price,its just that,thats all I
have I can afford right now)
My daughter came up with an excellent story-telling idea for 2003,wish
I could do it this year, but I promised her the spotlight in "
The Room " Her idea was a bar scene...and the story-teller
was the bartender. Well I took it way farther by placing it as
an old sea pub...with tavern wenches...we would have a lighthouse
becon going on, and a loop tape of the fog horn and water slushing
against the pier. On the way to the pub..a wooden boardwalk and
there would be salty sea dog type men standing around and a few
rough English/Irish ladies of the evening coaxing the fellows.
Ah give ya more later on it...gotta go...phones ringing...let
me know what ya thoughts are..especially when it comes to the
marketing things.
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I've decided that I won't be opening until October for the 2002
season....not 'cause I don't want to, but because I have to work
more with Jake...I know what you mean about wanting to do more
holidays...jus isn't enough time(or money) to expand just yet!
Yet, people are stopping me in the stores and asking if I have
any plans of doing just that! Someday.... Lets see to answer your
questions...where do I get the stats from? I belong to a michigan
travel/tourism/industry/small business insider... it does its
own research on lots of different topics.I do my own homework
too, by keeping an eye on papers and magizines that are for entrepreneur's...well
worth the time!