Answering some big questions about online ticketing for Haunts
Did you know that when Haunts use online ticketing, people buy tickets an average of 13 days before redeeming them? We ran the numbers and were surprised to learn how much ticket inventory sells ahead of time. But it makes sense, every online ticket sold is an opportunity to sell more tickets -- people are excited and post about your Haunt on Facebook and Twitter.
The other great thing? You can set up your event page any time of the year and set a date for tickets to go on sale. That means you can get back to the important stuff, working on your haunt!
Online ticketing is more than just a buy now button, though. It can help you control the throughput of your haunt, keep you up-to-date on sales and provide more accountability for revenue. Here are answers to a couple of the biggest questions we get around online ticketing:
What are the pros and cons of timed ticketing?
Is timed ticketing the best thing for your haunt, or is it the worst idea you wish you’d never had? Here are the biggest pros:
You are able to control the throughput
It encourages ticket holders to mingle and chit-chat while they are waiting
It encourages ticket holders to go through the midway and buy merchandise, since they don’t have to stand in line the whole time
It gives ticket holders peace of mind and manages schedule expectations
Here are the cons to time ticketing -- things to strongly consider before diving in:
It adds a layer of structure to the event (this could be a pro, depending on how things are going)
If you tell someone they are going in your haunt at a specific time, they will expect that - when you fall behind, things get ugly real fast
it’s more effort to set up than General Admission tickets, but when executed properly the benefits far outweigh the extra 30 minutes it takes to set up
You’ll need an added layer of customer support -- Be ready for questions from buyers about changing to another timeslot
You really have to commit to it, there’s no “let’s just see how it goes” with timed ticketing
If you are considering timed ticketing, ease into it by trying something like this (or skip a step, depending on what you do right now):
Year 1: General Admission tickets redeemable anytime during your season
Year 2: Date specific General Admission tickets
Year 3: General Admission tickets for each day in October, plus the Token Method* onsite (explained below)
Year 4: True timed ticketing
What’s the token method?
The token method is a way to control the throughput on your haunt, without going all the way to timed ticketing. Create stacks in different colors of branded haunt tokens (poker chips a great and easy solution). The tokens in each stack should equal the number of people that you want going through your haunt for each window of time. Ticket holders redeem their tickets and get the next token. Announce when each color of token (the next window of time) is ready to enter the haunt. The pros for the token method are pretty clear, your online ticketing and customer service needs will stay simple, you’ll manage customer expectations without making ticket holders wait in a long line and you can easily keep track of how many people are going through your haunt.
What are the advantages of using a POS system?
The main advantage is obviously tracking and reporting on all ticket sales. The more you sell and redeem tickets through a POS system, the more accurate your numbers will be, helping you keep track of revenue and what to expect the following year.
If you sell tickets online, you maximize your sales opportunities. Not everyone carries cash on them and for those that do, they’ll have more cash to spend on site. You’ll also be able to take advantage of unique features. Those features include
Upsell: offer up an easy way to buy your t-shirts, or any other merchandise you’re selling
Promo codes: Give last year’s attendees a returning scare discount
Social sharing: Leverage your local evangelists and get them to share they’re excited to come to your haunt
If you have any questions about ticketing for your haunt, please GET IN TOUCH
Hauntworld Magazine issue 40 is shipping to haunted house owners and operators World Wide. The new issue includes an article on how you could create your own escape game and generage tens of thousands of dollars, a featured haunt article, how to high tech outdoor lighting tips, and marketing info from editor Larry Kirchner. This issue also includes new products from haunt vendors, information on upcoming haunt tours, events and tradeshows. Hauntworld Magazine is the single best source of information to the haunted house industry. Make sure you subscribe today or purchase single issues exclusive at www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com
Hauntworld Magazine Issue #40 is set to release within a couple weeks and will feature one of the best articles we've ever done! The new magazine will help you learn what is an Escape Game from the creator of the best and newest escape game in the United States: Escape the 13th Gate. Learn the secrets, learn what it takes to create escape games which will turn your haunted house into a year around revenue source. Escape games are sweeping the country but the haunted house industry is about to snatch this industry for itself and Hauntworld is going to put you on that path. Subscribe today to www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com and issue 40 will be delivered just in time to help your business generate more revenue. Issue 40 will also features a how to light your outdoor haunt from Haunted Overload and much much more. Subscribe Today! Now watch two teaser videos from the 13th Gate Escape Rooms.
Haunted Houses should start to think about kicking in the promotion machine about right now. What are some of the things you can be doing to promote your haunted house this summer? With the season only 3 plus months away I would be thinking about renting space at large county fairs, concerts, and events. Additionally I would be thinking about ramping up social media posting, creating new content for your website and much more. The single most important thing you should be doing right now is updating your website with times, dates, any new information. Haunted House owners should also be thinking about sending out mass email blasts to tier data bases once their website is updated and maybe even an early bird ticket sale.
Selling tickets this early isn't a waste of your time, in fact if you sell the tickets at a steep discount for opening night you just might enjoy a huge crowd! What should you be selling onto your potential customers? You should be selling them on everything new you are doing during the 2015 Halloween season to make their life a bit more creepy! Simply saying hey we've added a new scene, or added a monster isn't going to cut the cake any longer... you need something big something scary and something spectacular. How about adding a scare zone to your que line, a monster parade, fireworks show, a side interactive attraction, something that you never had before is what your guests are looking for not simply more zombies.
Another key addition is adding on photo sales to your attraction or a que line photo op so guests can share their photo on social media. One of the best ways to build awareness is to allow your guests to promote for you!!! Check out the photo attached of a sample of a promotional photo. At the Darkness we also invested in a game where guests play a zombie operation game. As you can see with the attached video its great social media content for your attraction. No matter what you do start thinking promotionally NOW! Time to get after it! Keep checking Hauntworld.com for everything related to the haunted house industry. Please make sure you update or create a promote for your haunted attraction right now!!!
The second biggest haunted house show of the year kicks off this weekend in Columbus Ohio complete with haunted house tours, seminars, events and much more. The MHC features a tradeshow floor and even events such as Monster Make Up Wars, Art Fashion Show, Scariest Character Contest, and a Miss Scary Midwest Pageant. The show will end on Sunday May 31st and feature events including show floor demos, Raffles and even a Kid's costume contest.
The tradeshow floor features many of the best vendors in the business such as Ghost Ride Productions, Fright Props to Distortions however the booths are much smaller than Transworld. Hauntworld Magazine is also a featured exhibitor so get over to Midwest Haunters Convention you still have time! One of the great things about MHC is this is the show for every home haunter to even a professional haunted house. The tradeshow floor will offer everything from body painting to cool do it yourself haunted house props.
