# Getting peoples attention. I need tips..



## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

My garage haunt was a pretty good success. But one thing i noticed was often times my son would have to run up front and tell people we were back at the garage. The trick or treaters wanted to go to my front door but the garage haunt was in my backyard in my garage. I even had a flood light on but it was like they wasnt sure what was going on. I even had the front of my garage decorated to look like a scary old haunted house and all kinds of stuff. It's hard to explain but you have to pull in to my drive way a bit then theres my garage. It's not a house that has the garage level with the front door/front of the house no what i mean ?? Sorry if it doesnt make sense. Anyway what could i do besides just take the haunt next year out of the garage and put it up on my front porch & front yard? ..


----------



## EverydayisHalloween311 (Oct 14, 2011)

Oh and i do a combo of yard decorations and a 1 minute long walk through haunted house maze type thing.


----------



## Jaybo (Mar 2, 2009)

Make the entrance to your haunt in the front yard, and have that entrance lead them to the garage in the back. Think of ToTs as cattle that must be herded.


----------



## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

I suspect anything you can do to de-emphasize the front door and emphasize the garage would help. When we used to set up on the back patio, I had a lighted path with a "Follow the path if you dare!" sign and left the porch light off. I didn't have anyone to watch if people walked on or actually took the path, but we had our typical 12-14 ToT's in those years, so I suspect the technique was effective.

Kind of like catching fish, I suppose...you have to dangle a 'bait' in front of them (set up something interesting/eye catching at the street), lead them to the trap (create a lighted path to the garage), then trap them. (bring them into the garage for 'dinner').


----------



## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Like Corey,I'd put the emphasis on the garage, and basically close off the front door.
Adding signs, lights, sound, and motion to the area around your garage will help too.
I'd say smell too, but that is much more problematic. Having slave labor up at the start of the path to move people along and to basically act as a midway barker will help too.
The more senses you can address (sight, sound, touch, taste, etc.) the better for attracting people and them remembering. It will get easier as time goes on too. If you always do your haunt in the garage, then people will remember from year to year, and will start prodding others to go in the right direction.


----------



## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Good luck! The year I moved my haunt to the garage, with lights, music and props in the driveway, we had people ringing the doorbell all night. We had a sign on the door saying candy was being passed out in the garage, and we still had to show people back to the garage. I even had some people go to the front door after they got their candy in the garage. I guess they thought they'd get more candy. I called to the first few, but after that I just shook my head and let them go.


----------



## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

make BIG arrow out of plywood or even big sheet of cardboard from a 'fridge...pointing to back yard saying CANDY--->...


----------



## slightlymad (May 25, 2006)

We use load noise to draw folks around curiosity gets them every time. a rule that i apply everyday is anything that involves reading, paying attention to ones environment or seems like common sense gets thrown right out the window. this applies doubly so when you add the excitement of halloween.


----------



## Scorpion (Jan 8, 2012)

Jaybo said:


> Make the entrance to your haunt in the front yard, and have that entrance lead them to the garage in the back. Think of ToTs as cattle that must be herded.


Agreed.. ToTs are the same as cattle fence em in and they will go where ever the fence allows them to go. line your drive with your display back to the garage. As they go back they will have something to keep them occupied.:voorhees:


----------



## rayster1900 (Jan 10, 2012)

Instead of using the card board as an arrow put it in front of the door painted the same color as the house, no door in front they will go to the back though the cattle shoot. Just an idea.


----------

