No doubt your haunted attraction has, or will have, horror-hounds flocking from miles away. A Point-of-Sale (POS) system can improve the experience of visiting your attraction for both the crowds of adrenaline-chasing guests and you. Whether you’re pre-selling tickets or taking payments at the box office, there’s a transaction with each guest at the entrance. Here are three of our top tips to ensure each visitor only experiences fright once they’re inside:
Selling tickets for your haunted attraction seems straightforward enough, but there are some things that will make the process more efficient, help you sell more, and avoid lost revenue. We put together a list of dos and don’ts around haunt ticketing and here are some rules of thumb:
Don’t leave your tickets in the front office.
It may sound obvious, but leaving items out–and doors–open is usually the result of thinking you’ll just be gone for a minute. It only takes a minute for sticky fingers to lift a stack of tickets. It’s also a good idea to keep the office tidy in general. Cluttered areas are tempting to thieves. They may think there is a treasure to rummage for.
Don’t pre-print tickets.
Or at least not until you really need them. (Print tickets as they are purchased with date and time stamps for validating and invalidating tickets.) Aside from tempting theft, printed tickets are invitations for crooks to counterfeit their own copies. Plus, if you print too many tickets, you’ll be looking at wasted money that could be in your cash flow. Save a tree, don’t pre-print.
Don’t pay per-ticket charges.
Some POS partners charge a per-ticket fee to you which can really add up. Gatemaster never charges a per-ticket fee. If you want to build a per-ticket fee into your own pricing plan to increase profits, go for it! That money should be going into your own pocket.
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Do discount tickets during slow times
You don’t want groups of people rolling in on Friday night with coupons when there are plenty of patrons willing to pay full price. By offering discounts only during slow times you’ll boost slow time sales and minimize excess congestion during peak hours.
Do offer a VIP experience.
By offering a more exclusive experience guests will rave when they leave and you’ll be able to charge more. Some simple ways to create a VIP option for your haunted attraction could be bypassing the line, a photo package, or anything else not included in a basic ticket price that might enhance the experience.
Do offer group passes.
You want guests to bring their friends and a great way to encourage that is with a convenient group pass for 3-4 people. Another way to promote group passes is by awarding single tickets for giveaways or contests. No one wants to go to a haunted attraction alone and will certainly convince their friends to buy a pass and join the fun.
In addition to selling and distributing tickets, be sure that the tickets themselves cover your details. If your attraction is timing-based, print the time-ticketing information where guests will see it and ensure they are on time. Print any refund policies or disclosures so guests know what to expect from the attraction. Include things like “You might get touched”, or “You may have nightmares”. These dos and don’ts will make your ticketing practice better for both you and your guests.
Creative by The Evoke Group