With Halloween coming up, we were wondering how haunted houses, haunted forests, haunted corn mazes, and haunted laundromats did business, marketed their hauntings, and made money.
You’d figure that, in 2010, the number one marketing tool for these guys would be social media and the Internet but alas, it’s still the radio. Here’s some quick ideas of what haunt peddlers could do to take advantage of social media.
Take frightened pictures of your guests
Take patrons’ pictures when they’re screaming because that headless-zombie-Jason-look-alike-with-the-limp-and-baby-arms just jumped out and everyone screamed like they were at a Justin Bieber concert. But then give these pictures out for free. If it were me, I would have a kiosk setup outside where guests could claim their pictures by posting them straight to Facebook.
Use the power of video and scary pranks
In a brilliant move, a movie recently used Chatroulette to scare people by with a cute girl that goes all crazy demon possessed. Haunt peddlers should rinse and repeat, record the reactions, and shared the love. Showing people that you can scare through the Internet will convince them that you can scare in person.
Use your theme to the Nth degree
If your haunted attraction has a theme like The Ring, tease it up by releasing your own 7-days till death video before the opening. Try to extend whatever themes you’re working with. For another example, across the street from the office I’m sitting in is a “Haunted Forest.” Why not go and haunt a popular forest spot to promote what you’re doing? Go hang Blair Witch symbols in the park everyone frequents and set up some clues that point back to what you’re doing. Then tease it up with videos, cryptic tweets, or whatever.
Okay, those are all the ones I could think of off the top of my head. Submit your ideas below or just checkout our infographic!
