BY DAN FAUPEL
I originally sat down to write this article to offer tips to the general haunt buyer on how to get the best deals from vendors in the Haunt Industry. With 10 years of experience working full-time as a vendor with Creative Visions, I felt that I had a lot of insight to share.

However, as I put it on paper, it became an article that helps both the buyer and vendor, by helping each to better understand their symbiotic business relationship. The buyer needs the vendor and the vendor needs the buyer. The goal is to maximize that relationship. (read more)

by Bobby Lee
This article is the first in a two-part series to help the reader understand how radio and billboard advertising work, and how your haunted attraction could benefit from using these two primary venues. It would be impossible to cover every aspect of advertising, but what will be covered will be short and simple: highlighting the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of dealing with radio and billboard advertising. (read more)

by Leonard Pickel
One day, long before computer aided drafting, I was staring at a blank sheet of drafting paper that would eventually become a detailed floor plan of my next Haunted Attraction. Debating over where to begin, I pondered over what it was exactly that I was trying to do with the dark amusement. It is easy to say that I want to scare the living breath out of everyone who goes through it, but just how was I going to accomplish that? What was the process required to elevate my patrons to that level of terror? I had the final goal well defined, but to reach that goal I needed a plan; a road map to keep me focused in the right direction. With a plan, I would be able to make the correct decision. Every time I came to a fork in the road this plan would dictate, without any doubt, which path I should take. I needed a written reasoning behind what I was doing. I needed a “Fright Theory!” With a theory behind what I was doing I could stay on path and get to my goal sooner with no side tracks. (read more)

Welcome to the newest installment of the Nightstand Librarian! In this issue, we will take a look at three great DVDs that I’m sure you’ll be adding to your collection! (read more)

Okay, these are some VERY basic tips, but I am surprised how many haunted houses don’t do these things on their website. I have been looking through tons of haunted house websites lately and have gotten frustrated with how hard it is to get info some times. So here are some tips that will be obvious to a lot of you but others have taken for granted. (read more)

by Tim and Ann Marie Gavinski
The choice between using traditional printed tickets or wristbands may seem like one of the lower level decisions you face when getting ready for the season, but it can have an impact on the success of your event. Wristband identification offers a number of benefits over printed tickets and can increase your attendance, your customer service, your value to sponsors and most importantly, your profits. (read more)