We all want to save time and money, right? Whether that means shopping for deals online or finding the most efficient way to complete a task. Your haunt is another place where you’re probably always looking for a better way to do things and how you can save yourself both time and money.
The scariest thing about running a haunted attraction should be the shivers you send down the spines of your guests or the screams you hear as they rush past scare actors. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 6 tips that could help you save time and money at your haunt:
1. Save Money: Rent First, Buy Later
Every haunt owner has a dream location – ‘if only this abandoned factory was in my desired area’ or ‘this haunted manor would be perfect as a haunted house, but it’s outside of my budget’. Unfortunately, such locations are few and far between (not to mention often in locales that wouldn’t work well for haunted attractions).
One money saving tactic is to rent first, buy later. Rather than buying a space that fits your budget but maybe needs a ton of work, consider renting first. Sometimes fixer uppers end up being far more expensive than you ever think they’ll be (cue all the unseen issues that often come with tearing things up). Even if you think you’ve found a great deal on that creepy abandoned castle in the woods, it could end up being a huge money pit in the end.
The expensive option, as it relates to your location, is buying a new space. The money saving option would be renting a space in a strip mall or turning the location you currently have into something that works. With the right lighting, costumes, props, set, and a few well placed jump scares, even a plain warehouse free of ghosts and a scary backstory can be creepy.
2. Save Time: Simplify Your Payments
The wrong ticketing solution could haunt your wallet and steal your precious time. Choosing the right solution and simplifying your payments with an all-in-one platform could be a scary good time saver. Cut out the complications of using multiple systems and save time for the important stuff – like mixing batches of fake blood.
Stop using a different platform and system at the box office, for online sales, and in your gift/merch shop. Start using an all-in-one platform that works everywhere you need it to. Once you do, you won’t have to spend hours reconciling different payment platforms and keeping the books updated.
With a quick and easy setup, customer support, and all-in-one integration, HauntPay, allows you to spend your time on other things while leaving some of the grunt work to us. We understand that you have a lot on your plate and your focus should be on making sure every hair on your werewolf’s head is out of place.
Ready to save time and simplify your payments? Schedule and onboarding call with our world-class support team to see how HauntPay could help you with that.
3. Save Money: Take Advantage of Auctions
You never know when the perfect prop or set piece or costume will come your way. Auctions can be a great way to find the spookiest things at reasonable prices. Buying items at auctions can save your budget and allow you to express creativity when you find items that need to be repurposed.
There are plenty of in-person and online auctions happening all the time, you just have to look for them. This might be an especially great solution for finding some of the larger pieces you may be looking for but can’t find at a reasonable price.
4. Save Time: Deal With Staffing Early
This can be a great time saver and headache reliever. If your staff list is finished early (as in, not the week before you open), you’ll have much more time to focus on the other details of running a haunt.
Hiring the right staff isn’t something that should be rushed, you deserve the peace of mind knowing your staff is doing a good job and your guests deserve a truly scary experience. If you’re wondering how to recruit great scare actors, check out our recent blog post with information to help with the process:
5. Save Money: Focus on Your Target Audience
If you know your target audience by heart, you won’t waste money or resources on unnecessary things. Defining your target audience will allow you to have a true direction for marketing efforts and setting up your haunt.
There won’t be any money wasted on ads that aren’t targeting the right audience and therefore not yielding good results. This will also allow you to be more intentional in how you spend money on props and set pieces and costumes. If you target audience isn’t into mummies or clowns, stick with axe murderers and witches. Don’t spend money in places that won’t appeal to your target audience.
6. Save Time: Stick to the Plan
This is more of a general tip, but in this case it boils down to the fact that creating a plan and sticking to it as much as possible will go a long way in allowing you more time freedom. If you’re able to create a ‘master plan’ that centers around the most important tasks to complete, it will allow you to stay focused and spend less time and money on things that aren’t as important.
Staying on theme can also be a huge timesaver since you won’t have to waste energy working on things outside your theme. No need to go searching for a mummy if your theme is centered around Vampires. Unless, the mummy also happens to be a vampire who was mistakenly entombed. Actually, that’s not a bad idea – feel free to use that one.
If you stick to your theme, you won’t be pulled in every direction all at once since you know exactly what you’re going for. You won’t need to spend hours searching for set pieces and costumes that don’t fit your theme if you stick with the theme. Not to mention, it will help your staff and crew conserve their time since they will have a clear and defined game plan.
Final Thoughts
Saving time and money at your haunt shouldn’t be as scary as a night at your haunt. Armed with these 6 tips and tricks, you’re on your way to having your most successful and profitable season yet!
Wondering how the haunt industry fared last year and what challenges some of your industry partners may have faced? Or what to expect this coming season?
Download our 2022 Haunt Industry Report now to get an inside peek into insights shared by over 2,000 haunt owners across the country.
