[fortinbras79]

So here's my problem. I live at the end of a street in a cul de sac, my house and yard are actually down hill from the drive. My yard is not very visible. Last year, I had maybe 6 trick or treaters come to my door, because frankly the rest of my neighborhood sucks *** at halloween.

That being said, I put a lot of time and effort into my yard haunt, and I damn well want people to see it!!

I am thinking of putting something in the cul de sac to attract attention, but I am kind of stymied by what to do! Do any of you do anything to attract attention? I was also thinking maybe a Pumpkin sentinel or something at the top of the lane holding a sign directing people to my house might be good.

Anyway, if you have any experience, or if you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear it!

Happy Haunting!

 

[seansy59]

So here's my problem. I live at the end of a street in a cul de sac, my house and yard are actually down hill from the drive. My yard is not very visible. Last year, I had maybe 6 trick or treaters come to my door, because frankly the rest of my neighborhood sucks *** at halloween.

That being said, I put a lot of time and effort into my yard haunt, and I damn well want people to see it!!

I am thinking of putting something in the cul de sac to attract attention, but I am kind of stymied by what to do! Do any of you do anything to attract attention? I was also thinking maybe a Pumpkin sentinel or something at the top of the lane holding a sign directing people to my house might be good.

Anyway, if you have any experience, or if you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear it!

Happy Haunting!

A big lite up sign with arrows pointing down the way, maybe with a witch or pumpkin. Can either be solar or battery operated. Or if your close to a neighbor that would let you plug it in at there house if that is possible.

 

[doto]

I think you are on the right track by decorating the end of the driveway. Don't be subtle either, make the entrance look like the beginning of something you can't afford to miss. Strobe lights flashing on some props, animatronics if possible, green flood lights on trees and music blaring. Make it look exciting....Think Las Vegas Strip with your style of display.

 

[fortinbras79]

Maybe something like this?
http://direcaodeartedesign.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/beetlejuice_dantes-inferno-brothel.jpg

 

[Helena Handbasket]

Oh damn, I thought this was a dating thread.

 

[Misdomt]

Having a similar situation several years ago, I've created a Facebook page (check out Misdom Manor on FB and "like" it while you're there ;0) ), a web page and have signed up with several organizations that promote home haunts (since I live in Illinois, I'm listed on Haunted Illinois as well as Better Haunts and Gardens). Also, word of mouth is big. Every year that people see it they will tell others. As others have mentioned, Wayfinding signs are a great idea. See if you can place them on the feeder streets to your cul de sac. I'm getting pretty decent traffic these days. Good luck!

 

[ChrisW]

If you think your haunt is newsworthy, call up the local paper and ask to talk to the features editor. Ask if they are doing an article on locals who go all out for Halloween. If they weren't planning on one, you may have just planted the seed for one...
We've had some folks here on the forum who have had their yard/haunt visited by their local TV station.

Helena Handbasket - HA!

 

[fortinbras79]

They have a yearly contest here in St. Louis, through the newspaper...I missed it last year out of ignorance, but this year will be submitting.

As for the facebook page, great idea! I'll set up one of those too Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, I am not friends with many trick or treater aged kids on facebook so that may not help too much

 

[xredge]

I'm also at the end of a cul de sac right next to the woods and the road going the other way is before my driveway. With a long privacy fence that Is on my side yard that goes almost out to the road and huge pine trees in front yard my house is hidden and get very few people. Over the years I haven't done anything as I get my fix in on the 2 Weeks I go out for the Halloween events. But thinking of doing some smaller stuff at home and seeing and maybe expanding. Just wish everything wasn't hidden from the road unless you drive in front of the house as the driveway is close to the privacy fence.

 

[Palladino]

I can sympathize. Even though there is a middle school and a community club not two blocks from my house, my neighbourhood doesn't have a lot of kids. Most of the kids at that school are bused in from other parts of the city. It's a bummer to do all that planning and work and have 5 or ten TOTs!

Here are some of my promotional methods. I poster a wide area advertising the FREE haunt, the free hot apple cider and the theme (so people know it's scary). I carry extra posters/tape in my car and in my knapsack when I'm walking my dog. I ask people how they heard about the haunt and when they tell me they saw the poster two neighbourhoods away, I know it was worth the effort. I do that a week or so before Halloween so it doesn't go stale or get too weatherbeaten.

I also advertise on Kijiji (a sort of Craigs List). It's free but I pay the extra $ to keep the ad at the top of the list. Same teasers as the poster - FREE haunt, FREE hot apple cider, etc. I do that a couple of weeks before so people who are looking for H'ween events have time to see it and add it to their list of stops.

Word of mouth helps, too. People who came previous years tell more people. Also I start decorating on October 1 so people see it driving and walking by. I try to have at least one show stopper in the front yard even though the backyard is the main event. One year I had a two headed Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Another year a ravaged Jack the Ripper victim. Lots of lights so people can see it from blocks away.

And I tell people about it when I'm out shopping or whatever. I try to have pamphlets on hand so I can give them the address. I also had them out at work last year because it was a retail establishment that had a Halloween Haunt for the month of October. Needless to say, I worked that haunt for them in full costume and tons of enthusiasm.

I'm sure others on here will have more ideas!

In the end, I look at it this way. I thoroughly enjoy the planning/decorating process. My friends and I have fun getting dressed up and playing for the night. (Also the party after). And if just one kid screams or jumps - I consider it all worthwhile!

 

[kissedazombieandlikedit]

Put a skeleton out front holding a sign saying something like coming soon.

 

[Blarghity]

I can think of two things. Warning signs that inadvertently give directions "Don't turn left! Xombie crossing ahead!"

Or of foot traffic, chalk drawings on the sidewalks or shoulder of the road.

 

[camsauce]

Word of mouth is huge. I think having a website is helpful too. I think I started with 6 ToTs and grew to over 500 in about 10 years. Signs are good and all but in my opinion - just focus on making it the coolest yard haunt you can and the people will come.

 

[JLWII2000]

I have the same problem. I live on a Cul de sac without many people. BUT, I found a couple great ways to attract people. One is I have made a ghostbusters car out of my SUV. I drive around and lead people to my display. I also park it at the end of the Cul de sac with lights and siren on without obstructing the road to get people down to my house. The second thing I am thinking about doing but not positive is listing my home in the paper as having a large halloween display. I am afraid to do this however, because I don't want too many TOTers.

 

[Count Chocula]

Maybe something like this?
http://direcaodeartedesign.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/beetlejuice_dantes-inferno-brothel.jpg

oh man, that made my day

 

[The Pod]

It takes time as word of mouth spreads. 12 years ago we started with 5 TOTs (and 3 of them were nieces and nephew). Last year we had 376 TOTs and the number grows every year. Not to mention the number of people that stop by all month long to check it out. Since I'm putting stuff out up until Halloween Day, I have people stop by every week just to see what's new. I will suggest that you continue to add to or change your display year after year because the people like returning to see what you've done new each year. Another thing that helps is lighting and lots of it. I suggest looking into LED spot/flood lights as the colors are more vibrant than incandescent flood light and you'll save lots of money on your electric bill. I get people turning down my street because they see this large green glow 3 houses down from the intersection and just have to check it out. On Halloween the TOTs turn down our street, avoid every house and just walk straight to ours.

 

[Misdomt]

My Facebook page, website and signing up for the Home Haunter Promotional sites isn't so much for the Trick Or Treaters, its more for getting people aware of my home haunt. I'm open the whole month of October and want visitors to check it out. I figure that once people are aware of it, the TOT will happen as a result. By the way, if I didn't say so already (I know I did), check out Misdom Manor on Facebook and "like" the page!

 

[JoeFromMo]

I hope im not repeating someone as i only skimmed through the previous posts, but I have heard of something called a pumpkin pole I think. Basicly its a long pole with a pumpkin or something similar that is lit up at the top. Stick it up high in the air so people can see it from far away and come looking out of curiouisity. I think i read about it on this forum were other people have done this with great success. I have often thought about doing it myself but havent.

 

[doto]

Oh damn, I thought this was a dating thread.

Helena ... Just curious, did you mistake it for a dating thread before or after you looked at the Dantes Inferno Room image?

 

[Huntress]

Fire. That's what fixed our issue. We had the same problem. We live on a cul de sac as well and we would get 20 kids max. My neighbor luckily was fed up to so we amped up our displays and then she started the tradition of doing flaming pumpkins. Last year we had 125 kids!