Ways to lure ToT's?

2780 Views 25 Replies 20 Participants Last post by SPOOKMART, Oct 3, 2014

dawnthedead

Discussion Starter · Oct 2, 2014

Hey guys! I live at the end of a long street. The neighbors half way down the street give out full size candy bars. When the ToTs look the rest of the way down the street it looks dark. What can I do to get them to come down the street further? I was thinking of putting up a sign to come all the way down the street. Does anyone else do this?

We do a big yard haunt then only get a few trick or treaters. Its frustrating.

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Saruman of Many Colours

· #2 · Oct 2, 2014

Dare I say the dreaded "I" word? It's blasphemy, but: A large, colorful inflatable might be a good way of getting the TOTs' attention.

Even if you don't intend to use it on Halloween night itself, setting one up in the weeks beforehand would get the kids' attention.

Reactions: 1

Boone6666

· #3 · Oct 2, 2014

hhhm well my street isn't so long I guess but its dark the only street light is at the corner of my lot and most seem to turn there lights off or go out now that two
have small children but I have found over the years with my lights and display witch I started to put up yesterday has over the years brought a few more by.
I would say maybe if you really want them ask that naibor to tell them about your cool yard.

Reactions: 1

scareme

· #4 · Oct 2, 2014

lol I read the title to this thread and thought only on a Halloween forum does this sound not creepy. lol And I know what you mean. I suggest lights. Lots of bright lights. The back can stay dark for you haunt, but the front needs to attract the kids, and parents. I grew up on the end of a dark street and we only got a few toters also. Even when my cousin would stand on the front porch and yell, "We have juice boxes and full size candy bars." My parents didn't let us put out lights (they were for Christmas). I think that must have been what scared me, and made me the haunter I am today. I now get about 1,000 toters, and I love it.

Reactions: 2

dawnthedead

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 2, 2014

LOL As I was typing the title I thought this was going to sound completely creepy. Another dilemma is how to word a sign that doesn't make me sound like a predator. I was thinking of a sign that reads "Trick or Treaters Welcome" "All the way down the street"

Reactions: 1

Scatterbrains

· #6 · Oct 2, 2014

Street is dark....opposite of that would be.....lights.

You can get Amber lights at Walmart for a couple bucks...orange ones at Rite Aid for a little more. Put some lightes in a tree, on your house...on whatever can be seen from the other haunt. Use enough lights so folks know you are there.

I built these arches over my sidewalk using 2" PVC and wrapped them in orange garland lights. The PVC goes over green fence posts from Lowes. These also serve to run extension cords to the other side of the sidewalk so nobody will trip over the cords.

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Reactions: 5

Madame Leota

· #7 · Oct 2, 2014

I agree with those that said light it up. Make it glow and test it out before the big night to make sure it can be seen all the way down the street. Also, sound effects can be heard from pretty far away, especially if the wind is from the right direction. Don't just go the route of the haunted house sound effects though, as they can get lost in the din. Try playing scary music or horror movie themes that will catch their attention. I wouldn't put out signs or flyers, personally. I think it just takes away from the whole trick or treating atmosphere.

Reactions: 1

dawnski

· #8 · Oct 2, 2014

Maybe some disco beacon lights at the end of your driveway to attract attention? http://www.partycity.com/product/spinning+beacon+party+light.do You could attach it to some PVC pipe and put it on either side of your sidewalk.

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WitchyKitty

· #9 · Oct 2, 2014

My husbands aunt and uncle do a garage haunt...to let people know about it, each year, they put up a gravestone shaped/designed sign with a little display behind their house ( which is a busier road) for the whole month that lets people know there will be a haunted garage and ToT on Halloween night. It seems to work well for them, and is a neat little display/decoration for the season, too...rather than just putting up a normal sign or flyer.

Also, as people have said...lights, lights, lights that can be seen from down the street!!

Lol, for me, there is no helping my situation, as I live in a small end of the city cul de sac...only my neighbors ever even see my house, so I get very fer ToTs.

Reactions: 1

The Real Joker

· #10 · Oct 2, 2014

Maybe a door cover ($1 at Dollar Tree or Walmart) that says "Trick Or Treat" helps.
I did last year and had probably 3 dozen ToT's (compared to half the previous year)
Also LIGHTS! Orange or Amber like other have said. Around the door, fence and roof.

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QueenHalloween

· #11 · Oct 2, 2014

Maybe spooky music and fog? That has worked for us! Also, depending on how your house is oriented, maybe putting up window clings or posters in the windows to give the illusion of a spooky figure. TOT's could see that from far away if the lighting was right.

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DeadED

· #12 · Oct 2, 2014

There is a reason Rule number one of Haunting is lighting.

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boo who?

· #13 · Oct 2, 2014

At least one BIG treat!

Sometimes I look all year long for that one glorious treat(s)- one year, it was a small Huffy bicycle that I got on clearance for $22. Another year, I bought out a remodeling Big Lots and got a lot of toys at 90% off.

Once word got out at school the next day...

Even one inexpensive, but HUGE carnival stuffed animal will make a big splash. as Junior walks the neighborhood with a giant plush snake- every other TOTer will be asking which house it came from. Be sure to give any LARGE prize to a kid on foot. I usually have some sort of game of chance to draw the lucky win.

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Scatterbrains

· #14 · Oct 2, 2014

DeadED said:
There is a reason Rule number one of Haunting is lighting.

Rule #1 of Haunting is SAFETY FIRST!

z0mbie st0mp

· #15 · Oct 2, 2014

I had the same problem... I was the new guy in a neighborhood surrounded by non-participating and/or vacant houses...

As much as I don't like them... A HUGE inflatable brought the ToTs my way!

For size reference, I stand 6' 5" tall...

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Reactions: 2

rupertoooo

· #16 · Oct 2, 2014

As others of stated lighting should get the job done. If your budget allows I would look into LED lighting looking at Par 30 and Par 38 floods. Blue lighting will definitely be the creepiest while yellow and orange are both good all around colors.

A couple of places I have ordered LED Pars from are Action Lighting and Minions Web.

Scatterbrains recommendation is also excellent and again if your budget allows I would look at purchasing the following mini lights as I can personally recommend both but keep in mind they are incandescent. The purple bulbs are commercial grade 5 volt and are probably the best purple incandescent bulbs I have seen in the market place but they are expensive.

http://www.christmascentral.com/p-2...ini-christmashalloween-lights-black-wire.aspx
http://www.christmascentral.com/p-1...l-grade-mini-christmas-lights-green-wire.aspx

dawnthedead

Discussion Starter · #17 · Oct 3, 2014

Thanks for the great ideas guys! I do light my graveyard with green and yellow light but its just not enough. I will definitely up my lighting game and purchase something to catch the kiddies attention. I'm thinking strobes high in the trees so they'll see them down the road. Thanks again!

Palladino

· #18 · Oct 3, 2014

I poster throughout the neighbourhood - even a bit beyond - a week or so before Halloween.. (I take the posters and tape in my knapsack when I walk my dog). I make sure I poster near schools and community centres.
I advertise games with prizes and free apple cider. The adults who read the poster love the word FREE.
I also place an ad on the free Kijiji website (sort of like a Craig's List) and pay about $10.00 to keep it bumped up to the top.
I'm the only house on the block that decorates so I always have lots of lights that you can see for a couple of blocks!
I start decorating on October 1 and slowly add props, lights and decor throughout the month.
A couple of weeks before Halloween, I fire up the lights and any other effects I have every night so people see it in advance and can plan to come. (This also has the advantage of testing the lights and troubleshooting any problems).
I definitely have sound on Halloween. Spooky music, sound effects, whatever works with the theme that year.

These are the things I've found have worked to increase the TOTs. It's a shame to put all that work into it and not get the traffic on Halloween! Of course it depends on the demographic of your neighbourhood and the day of the week. I'm a little worried about it being on Friday this year. I've found weekend Halloweens are the slowest. Also, the weather is a huge factor. We've had great weather the last 5 or so years even if the weather earlier in the month is cold and rainy. I just WISH the weather to be good and so far....it's worked!

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Skeletoncrew

· #19 · Oct 3, 2014

Scatterbrain, I love the look of those arches .. Also that they serve double duty as a conduant for your electrical cords!

zombieprincess

· #20 · Oct 3, 2014

I understand your pain. We are near the front but there are several awesome houses further down and one year there was a whole "dark" section of our street and people could have missed them if one of them hadn't had out one giant inflatable to lure TOTs to their part of the street.

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