We recently wrote an article for HauntWorld Magazine, the haunt industry’s leading publication. Our haunt specialist, Frog Zombie, shared 7 secrets for shorter lines and smoother sales this season. Check out the article below.

 

How to Make a Killing this Year
Seven insider secrets for shorter lines and smoother sales

HauntWorld Magazine, Issue 22

As the haunting season is quickly approaching, how can you ensure that you will have better sales than last year? The way you handle your ticketing can make the difference between more money and—as my favorite MC once said—more problems.

Even successful haunts can lose money by making it too hard for patrons to buy tickets. Common mistakes include slow moving lines, inconvenient payment options and lost sales opportunities on the web.

So how can you sell many more tickets—and maximize exposure for your haunt—without breaking the bank? Here are some insider secrets from some of the country’s top haunts.

1. Keep lines moving as quickly as possible. Long lines can be scarier than your haunt. Do everything you can to keep your visible lines as short and fast as possible.

“Visibly long lines will kill your attendance numbers,” says Patti Ludwinski of Halloween Productions, Inc. Ludwinski manages the ticket booths at both The Darkness Haunted House and Creepyworld Haunted Screampark in St. Louis, MO.

2. Make the shortest line – your ticket line – the one that’s visible outside the haunt. Separate your ticket and entrance lines, so extra long lines don’t scare potential customers away. First, position the ticket line as the visible line outside the haunt. Once tickets are purchased, direct customers to a separate “hidden” entrance line.

“At The Darkness, our ticket line is unfortunately very visible from the street.  So it’s critical to have the ticket lines appear short,” says Ludwinski.  “Having several ticket sellers (four or more on busy nights) and/or having a fast, efficient ticket system helps with that.”

“The actual queue line into the attraction is separate, and we hide that line as best we can.  This is very crucial to having high attendance numbers each year,” Ludwinski adds.

3. Sell Tickets Online. One of the easiest and fastest ways to increase attendance is to sell tickets online. With the help of an online ticketing company, adding ticket sales to your website or creating an event website only takes minutes.

4. Instant Credit Card Processing. Accepting credit cards can increase ticket sales by 18%. Also, web-based ticket systems can approve credit cards much faster than traditional credit card swipes, getting your patrons in the door quickly.

5. Real-Time Ticket Tracking. Ticket tracking software allows you to track and manage every dollar the instant a sale is made. Every dime will make it home so there is no more worrying about your profits.

6. Barcode scanning.  Scanning tickets is an easy way to manage who’s in and who’s out of your haunt. No one will be sneaking into your event – and scanning decreases the entrance line.

7. Custom Ticket Designs.  Take your haunt to the next level by creating custom ticket designs branded like your haunt. You can match your tickets’ look with that of your promotional materials and other haunted themes, so your patrons will instantly recognize your event with one quick glance.

The right ticketing partner can make all of this very easy. Be sure to work with that partner to find the right sized solution for your haunt – not every haunt needs it all.

So what are you waiting for? Start checking these off your list and go make a killing this year!