Thread: Hallowe'en Guest Register

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We have a well established Haunt that attracts a large amount of visitors. It's always in the back of my mind, trying to dream up a new innovation. This week I came up with the idea of a Guest Book, like you find at Museums and such. Ask people standing in line to please sign the book, maybe leave a comment after going throught the Haunt. Has anyone here ever done that? If so, how did it go? Does it sound like a good idea? I'd like to track down an old antique-looking Record Book for that. It would be a nice momento in future years.

I could see doing one but would probably ask people to post the following: first name only, town, your costume, haunt comments. I think it would be interesting to see if everyone was local or not, what the popular costumes were for 2010 and would love to know what they thought of my haunt.

I have done that before!

I created a drop box about 4 feet high with a slot cut out on top, I had made a sign stating they could make a donation for next years haunt and/or leave comments from their visit.

I printed out some sheets of paper about the size of a postcard, had a spot where they could place their email address and comments.

I paper punched a hole in the corner of the comment sheets then placed a large nail through the holes and nailed it to the drop box top next to the slot, this way I wouldn't have to worry about the pages flying away if the wind came up.
I also glued a pen to some string and tied it to the nail.
We did get some $ for next years haunt and we also got alot of the comment sheets filled out too.

It was nice to hear what people thought about the haunt, I didn't recieve any bad comments. Got lots of compliments and some suggestions for scenes or characters they would like to see and got lots of email addresses.

The next year in October I sent out emails to the addresses I had recieved to let them know when the haunt was going to be open, updates and what was new.

I figured it couldn't hurt to update previous visitors and maybe they would talk about it and spread the word to their friends.

Way to go HallowEve! I like the drop box idea - because people WILL leave money or cards. I know I have done that. It's hard to get bad press when you put on a free event. Most of the places near me do their haunts for charity.

Wolfman - feedback is ALWAYS good! You only get better Best of luck - and I like the idea to keep it non-electronic....that way more people will participate...show us a pic when you find the right media

I have done guest book sheets the last couple of years. This year I have a loose leaf binder I have recovered to look like an old book and will be using that to hold the guest book sheets. Its a great way of getting feedback from your visitors, and of course something to look back on in years to come.

I can take a pic of the folder with some instructions if interested

"Hi, my name is Jim." (I'm smiling looking friendly)
..."er, my name is Joe, I'm from "The City". End of information....(No eye-contact made)
Scared I would follow them home if I knew which city they called home?
Call them up demand money if they gave me their last name?
House tour now! more on this later!..ok, the tour is completed.
I tried accumulating a mailing list and then I sent out flyers to those addresses and 30% of them were returned because the people had moved. Younger people, college, job changes, ex cetra made a mailing list almost rediculous as far as my time and expense was concerned considering I got just about "0" responses.
I had a suggestion box inside my house. I quit doing it because people mostly only ever wrote 5 different things.
1) "It's too dark!"
2) "It's not dark enough!"
3) "It's too scary."
4) "It's not scary enough."
5)"Jim, go %&*#@$% Yourself!"
I try to ask everyone at the exit if they had a good time, fun? the huge majority sure seem to and express it.
Where haunts get in trouble with customers is when the amount or style of entertainment given seems minimal for the addmission price to receive it. This has never been an issue here, my work ethic has been surrounding and encapsulating them for the last 90 minutes as they traveled through my house.
I work here everyday and have for 23 years now.

I like the idea of a suggestion/comment/donation box. I would love to be able to leave feedback on haunts i've been to. I recently went to a haunt in or around Sandusky which they touted as being one of the top 10 in the country by such and such association. I never heard of them, but figured if they were given that status by SOMEONE it must be pretty decent. Not true... not true at all. Many of the people on here have better haunts set up in their garages. But sadly no place to leave feedback and only some poor teen behind the counter, I didn't want to complain to him... But I am straying off topic.

Box for ideas - sounds like it's worth a try! Maybe include age range section if you ask for town and comments. That might help you decide what direction to go, more cutesy for little tots and more gorey for older tots.

we always put out a guest/ comment book. I just use a notebook from the dollar store and staple the covers down to the wooden stand it is on. we usually get good comments but some times we get ' billy loves sally' crap.
I write on a seperate piece of cardstock possible comments, for example what part of the haunt did you like best, what actor did you like best, is this your first time here etc.
I also use this book to see which of my actors got the most comments and That actor gets a gift certificate. We also bring the book in at the end of the evening and read over the comments, that gives us all a good laugh remembering who we scared that night.

i've never done a guest book, but sounds good. it could be fun to see their comments and suggestions. i found a notebook at a garage sale one time and have never used it. it has a big eyeball or something on the front.

Sounds like a great idea. May have to try that one year.