DiscoverHaunTopic Radio: Haunted Attractions | Haunted Houses | Halloween | Haunters
HaunTopic Radio: Haunted Attractions | Haunted Houses | Halloween | Haunters
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HaunTopic Radio: Haunted Attractions | Haunted Houses | Halloween | Haunters

Author: Brian Foreman

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Have you always wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes of Haunted Attractions, Scare Attractions, and Halloween? We tell those stories here!

We capture the stories of the people behind the scary events and share tips along the way on HOW YOU can make your own Haunted House scary and effective...without spending lots of money to do it. We've done it and are still doing it.

Join us, Brian Foreman and Darryl Plunkie, as we pick the brains of the professionals that make up the Haunted Attraction Industry!
200 Episodes
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It stinks that we don't get to travel during October to visit haunted attractions because most of us are busy with our haunt businesses and projects.  Nick and Beverly Pappas have traveled thousands of miles yearly as Haunt customers and have seen things we haven't. Listen to their stories and get a peek at how Haunts are changing.  What are the trends coming for the industry? How do Haunts compare between now and then? Are you doing everything at your attraction to maximize your guest experience? Become a Haunter's Toolbox member at HauntersToolbox.com
HauntPay created the annual Haunt Industry Survey because they needed reliable, recent data about the haunt industry. This is the fourth annual report and haunters revealed some surprising insights for the coming season! Marketing efforts got more sophisticated and more robust this year, with haunters using digital and offline platforms to promote their attractions. Crowd sizes are growing modestly, but haunts remain an affordable activity compared with rising costs for other entertainment. And Haunters are using new strategies to manage the crowds on busy nights. In this podcast, you'll find insights like: how small or large is the average haunted attraction these days? How much are they charging for admission? Which social media apps are most popular? What are the biggest challenges haunt owners face? Thank you to all of you who responded to the 2024 survey! We quite literally couldn’t do this without your help. Visit HauntPay.com for all of your ticketing needs. Visit HauntersToolbox.com for help starting & growing your haunt.
A complete walkthrough of the Sithon management platform for haunted attraction staff/actors, why communication with your team is important, and things you can do this season to keep your staff coming back every year!   Things Sithon can do (all from your phone): -Custom Actor Recruitment -Scheduling -Actor/Staff Management -Costume Management -Time Tracking -Email & Text Notifications -Dedicated Personnel Line -Background Checks -Attraction Studio -Staffing Metrics -Awards Tracking -On-Demand Reports   From Sithon.io : Recruit, manage and communicate with your actors and staff with Sithon. Developed by a veteran haunted attraction manager, Sithon is an easy-to-use platform that includes everything you need to make personnel management easier for you and your managers. Anytime. Anywhere   No selling on this webinar. Just solid information that will help you be stress-free this season.   Start and grow your haunted attraction business at HauntersToolbox.com
It's 30 minutes before the haunt doors open. You need a quick way to make some realistic wounds, cuts, and bruises that will stay on all night. We have those answers inside this podcast! You can also watch the full video here: https://haunterstoolbox.com/sfx Applying special effects makeup inside a haunted attraction is a unique skill. You have to be fast & efficient while creating a monster that the customers want to see. The best way to get started with special effects makeup is buy a few supplies then just start. Practice on yourself and watch your skills blossom as you learn along the way. Join these Master Classes at HauntersToolbox.com
There are a few ways to make more revenue with your attraction: 1) Raise your prices 2) Get more customers 3) Sell more to your current customers We will focus this master class on selling more to your current customers by using the space you already have. Things like themed dinners, private tours, and ticket upgrades allow you to charge more for unique experiences without needing extra space.  Shawn Lippert, the co-owner of Scarehouse Windsor, joins us to show how he increased the revenue at his attraction by adding interactive dinner experiences. We'll also share some various ways that you can earn more revenue at your Haunt this season. To get more monthly Master Classes like this one delivered to your inbox and take your Haunt to the next level; become a member at HauntersToolbox.com
How do I get more people to attend my Haunt? What does it take to stand out in today's market? Are there creative ways to grab attention without spending too much? We answer these questions and more in this Master Class with Laura Kilpatrick from FearWorm Hauntvertising. Become a member at HauntersToolbox.com to join our next Master Class. Start & grow your Haunt today! Visit FearWorm.com for your Haunt Advertising needs.
Creating realistic scenes requires detailed wall panels. But where do you start? Should you use a light base paint or black? What are simple ways to distress your sets? How do you make charred walls, peeling paint, bubbled paint? What materials do you need to create amazing sets? We answer these questions and more during this Master Class with Scenic Artist Rich Cimino from BentCirkus.com Start and grow your Haunted Attraction at HauntersToolbox.com Reward, Retain, & Recognize your employees with ScareItBadges.com
Let's talk about things that move in your haunted attraction. Yes, animatronics can be complex and scary to attempt by yourself. But what if animatronics weren't as scary as you thought? Join co-host & haunt veteran Ed Gannon as he breaks down some simple takeaways that just might change the way you look at animations. You can also find Ed Gannon at Something Wicked Productions, Haunt Dawgs, and Haunt Fix. Sign up to be a Haunter's Toolbox member (any tier) before May 7, 2024 to receive a video of this Master Class at HauntersToolbox.com  Join our next Master Class with Rich Cimino on Wall Textures & Paint Effects on May.14th, 2024. This is for ProHaunters & Haunt Masters only. Become a Exclusive Member here. 
Inside a Haunted Attraction, it's all about the SCARE! But how do you pull it off when your audience gets braver every year? Learn the proper techniques to create that perfect scare that can be effective over and over again. We'll talk about Actor Tools, Set Design, & Scare Techniques. To join us next time LIVE and get this video master class, become a member at HauntersToolbox.com
Sean Herman takes us through the Wicker Manor and tells us how he will transition from a haunt in his two-car garage into a permanent location. Wicker Manor was featured on ABC’s Great Halloween Fright Fight and also won Best International Haunt in an award show.   To start your own haunted attraction business, visit our homebase at HauntersToolbox.com
Join the haunt community at HauntersToolbox.com and start your own haunted attraction or grow your current haunt business. Get instant access to haunt master classes, the haunt library, haunt vendor discounts, and haunt coaching. Bart Butler from Terror in the Corn located in Erie, Colorado, shares his knowledge about building corn mazes, designing haunted houses, scare actor management, and how he changed his marketing strategy to drastically increase his attendance numbers. Find Bart at TerrorInTheCorn.com
What can you do before next season to improve your brand, your marketing, and your attraction? Are you focused on the right things?  Philip Hernandez, from the Haunted Attraction Network, lets us in on a few things he noticed in 2023 that will be game-changers for the future of your haunt.  Find Philip here: Haunted Attraction Network Start and grow a Haunted Attraction business here: Haunters Toolbox Buy ScareIt Badges for your haunt crew and yourself here: ScareIt Badges Music by The Crypt Keeper and Midnight Syndicate
What makes a Haunt a GREAT one? The Scare Factor reveals their secret list of what they look for as they review haunted attractions. What to do and what not to do. We all can improve our attractions, here's your list. Become a member of The Haunter's Toolbox and make your attraction great.
Come with us as we tour a couple of haunted attractions in and around Hannibal, Missouri.  Haunted Hollows Haunted Trail Warehouse of Nightmares Don't forget your ScareIt Badges for your Haunt parties and to reward your haunt staff this season. Buy them here.
Hannibal's inaugural Halloween & Horror Con! October 7th 2023 ~ 1:00PM until 9:00PM Celebrity Guests, Vendors and Costume Contest. Kids 10 and under are free. Price of admission: $20.00 Guaranteed to be frighteningly fun Admiral Coontz Recreation Center ~ 301 Warren Barrett Dr.~ Hannibal, MO. 63401 More info: https://www.facebook.com/wickedfest Don't forget the ScareIt Badges for your Scare Actors and Staff. NEW badges this season!  See our entire collection at ScareItBadges.com
Get your Haunt started at HauntersToolbox.com Japes Palles, a scare actor manager and scare actor, shares many tips and tactics to build a strong team and how to make your haunted attraction one to remember.  We cover things like queue line acting, creating zones, actor safety, handling rude customers, how to scare someone using the word BOO! (yes, it's true), and lots more...because Japes loves to talk about acting!  Find Japes at https://www.lostsoulschicago.info/
Check out the Haunt Hour every Tuesday and their LIVE program for Haunters at https://www.facebook.com/haunthour The tables have turned! We get drilled by the team at Haunt Hour. Everything from how we got started in Halloween, who we would choose "Dan or Troy"??, and what is going on with ScareIt Badges... PLUS a ton more questions and BS from the Haunt Hour crew. These people are funny and informative. We love the energy over there. You might too! Let us know what you think. To get some ScareIt Badges for your scare actors and staff, go here: Buy ScareIt Badges Join our Facebook Group, The Haunter's Toolbox
Join our membership community at HauntersToolbox.com and talk with the Haunt professionals each month.  Leonard Pickel shows you how to design your haunted attraction for people with disabilities so that they can enjoy your show as well. Not only wheelchair accessibility but other disabilities as well. Contact Leonard Pickel at Hauntrepreneurs.com
Would you like to have more control over your queue line? Would you like to know how many people are going to be there for the entire night before you even open?  Implementing a virtual queue line can let your customers be entertained the whole evening while they spend more money at your event. Timed ticketing can let you streamline your ticket sales and fine-tune your throughput.  Alex Linebrink from HauntPay.com explains how you can add these solutions to your attraction. Justin Hill (Haunted Hills Haunted Attractions) uses some of these ticketing solutions in his attraction and explains how you can do it too. Plus, his customers are happier and they are spending more money at his haunt! To start a Haunted Attraction or grow your current one, start here: Haunters Toolbox To start rewarding and retaining your team, check out ScareIt Badges here.
The Haunted Attraction Network interviewed 5 new board members from the Haunted Attraction Association about their experience in the haunt industry and picked their brains. You get to enjoy their tips & strategies! To check out the Haunted Attraction Network, go here: https://hauntedattractionnetwork.com/ To learn more about the Haunted Attraction Association, go here: https://hauntedattractionassociation.com/ To learn HOW to start or grow your haunted attraction, go here: https://www.haunterstoolbox.com/  
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