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Must read!!! Return to the forum

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  • Must read!!! Return to the forum


    Well… time to get a major discussion going! I have been a bit distant from the haunt business for the last couple years. I announced my return prefacing it with the fact that during my career I have been known to tackle important issues for our industry no matter who is on what side. Always for the betterment of the industry, I have argued for and against the same people. I argue points not people.
    On this return I went back to get a grasp on the state of our industry. I logged on to the Fright Forum… a ghost town (pun intended). Now I know there are a proliferation of Facebook Groups for the industry. So I joined several and started to get up to speed. I’ll be honest, it’s a PAIN IN THE ASS! There is NO WHERE NEAR the amount of communication and knowledge passed on through these Groups that we had through the Forum. Soooooo… I started looking!
    I am not alone. Just do a Google search. “Facebook Groups vs Forums” Just because something is new, doesn’t mean it’s the best option out there. In almost every article the gest is that for business purposes a Forum FAR outperforms a Facebook Group. Here’s what I noticed…..
    FACEBOOK GROUPS
    It’s a pain to keep track of topics. Two fold: first the posts can’t be searched, categorized or browsed. If you’re looking for a topic you have to SCROLL forever looking for it. Second, good discussions get lost too quickly and it is very difficult to reference it later. You see a good topic, but you don’t need it right now. When you DO need it…how do you find it???
    The biggest difficultly I found is the quick turnover. Someone makes a good post, great info something that really lends itself to a great discussion. Then a scene from “Up!” take over…SQUIRREL…. someone posts something (usually less important) and off you go…. Subject and discussion GONE! Important subjects do NOT get the amount of real discussion they deserve and too much FLUFF takes its place.
    FORUM
    Topics are better categorized. More pertinent discussion takes place, subject are better covered in WAY more depth. If you need that information later, it is searchable. You can even Google search and get back to the topic on a Forum, can’t do that in a Facebook Group. In our industry we have seen tremendous growth over the last 20 years (I have witnessed it personally). We went from cheesy non-profit haunts to attractions that can rival the Disney’s, Six Flag’s and Universal’s of the world to the point that everyone one of THEM are now in the game.
    Our growth was directly tied to the fact that our generation of Haunters did something NO ONE else had ever done…. we SHARED information!! The Fright Forum was one of the biggest and best tools in our arsenal.
    Now, I see this importantly useful tool being underutilized. The problem I see here is the slow stagnation of useful information. We may not even notice it at first, but it WILL take hold and our industry will be the worse for it. We NEED a tool like to Fright Forum for the professionals to continue to grow and develop our industry. That is NOT the purpose of Facebook Group!
    Facebook is quick communication… see what I did…oh I mean what you did… what were we talking about?? If you want to communicate with a bunch of friends and/or family and show them Lucy’s first steps, share a quick joke or a cool video clip…it’s PERFECT!! Continue to use it (I have a lot of stock in Facebook so I do want it to be successful). But for REAL communication let’s …. RETURN TO THE FORUM!
    Right now, if you want to post something important what do you do? You end up copying a post and putting it on Pro Haunters Hangout, Haunter’s Toolbox, Haunters’ Hangout, Haunted House Prop Builders, etc…. Transworld just posted the fate of TW 2020 on their Facebook page. Unless you go TO their page you wouldn’t have known. It the past TW would just post on the FORUM and EVERYONE KNEW!
    The Facebook groups have a purpose and most of it has to do with haunt enthusiasts. The Haunt BUSINESS people need to get back to BUSINESS!!! We need to RETURN TO THE FORUM.
    I will also post this on the various Facebook Groups. But my purpose is to RETURN TO THE FORUM so all important discussions from now on will now continue there…join me…
    R&J Productions
    Las Vegas, NV
    www.LasVegasHaunts.com

  • #2
    We are going to need some material and subjects to discuss. To draw the people we can bring here again. And to keep them returning Rich.
    Thanks
    Damon
    Damon Carson

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    • #3
      Yeah, it's kinda handy to have this forum when we're all stuck at home waiting out the zombie apocalypse...
      www.TerrorOfTallahassee.com

      Comment


      • #4
        On one of the FB groups comment was made that we need to move on and the FB Groups is part of that. But if you do just a little research the contrary is actually true. Private Forums are now in use by many groups . The main reason is that technically Facebook Groups are Forums without all the features and the information is OWNED by Facebook!!!! Maybe the BEST reason to use our own Forum!! Here's links: https://www.blogmarketingacademy.com/membership-site.../ https://memberpress.com/membership-forums-facebook-group.../ https://thestaceyharris.com/chose-private-forum-facebook...
        R&J Productions
        Las Vegas, NV
        www.LasVegasHaunts.com

        Comment


        • #5
          I agree as well having recently returned to the forums to catch up since TW was cancelled. I used to rely of this forum to keep a finger on the pulse of the industry and I'm in shock as to the decline of activity here. Of course I see that Larry is always posting but that hardly makes up for the amazing community content I'm used to seeing here.

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          • #6
            The issue is that you have a couple of Facebook Groups...but they really include everyone. The Forum worked best when it was the Haunt owners and operators. No offense, but when you get actors and enthusiasts as a major percentage of your group, the haunt owners are NOT going to share information. We need a PRIVATE forum where you can share info and know it's not going to your audience or your employees! This is the reason that most professional groups use a private forum instead of a Facebook Group.

            The point I made and NO ONE seems to be paying any attention to is the fact that on a Facebook Group YOU DO NOT OWN THE CONTENT.....Facebook OWNS IT and they can do anything they want with it!!! Now someone goes, " ...so what? Who cares who owns the info" Yeah until you start getting contacted by companies outside the industry because you mentioned something in one of your posts....

            The only way this works...is if we work it! Post on the Forum.... invite to haunters back than need to be back on the Forum!!

            If anyone has issues signing back in to the Forum (forgot sign in or user name) Larry said he can find the info for you. Either contact him or even send the info to me...I'll bug Larry and get it for you!!

            R&J Productions
            Las Vegas, NV
            www.LasVegasHaunts.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Facebook groups are not designed for long term information or discussions. This is a real problem for the industry.

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              • #8
                If the goal is to funnel people to a singular location for information wouldn't it be prudent then to limit the locations to access that information? If you want people to get back on the forum... delete the Facebook group. Until larry deletes that group there is no way to get the eyeballs back here. That is just my opinion. I remember many years ago before the Facebook group, there was activity every day with new posts and threads... ya know active discussion. Now this place is sadly a wasteland. Once again just my opinion.

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                • #9
                  I'd like to think that the industry does not need to have the Facebook page taken away in order to force them here. Perhaps the haunt industry is just in a low point right now regarding communication..

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                  • #10
                    when a story like this comes out ready about how actors are suing universal https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...182846589.html

                    Or we need to discuss how we're going to deal with the media asking us are haunts safe this Halloween... can't discuss this stuff on facebook i'm just saying.
                    Larry Kirchner
                    President
                    www.HalloweenProductions.com
                    www.BlacklightAttractions.com
                    www.HauntedHouseSupplies.com
                    www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I agree. Every single time you turn around someone creates another facebook group. Who can follow all that stuff. Right now considering what is happening we need to discuss serious topics without them being shared across facebook. Good call Rich.

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                      • #12
                        RIch,

                        Hello I'm returning! Waving back!

                        Patti
                        Did you know...The HauntWorld Online Haunt Directory networks with ALL of these websites to bring you the BEST possible results for increasing your haunt business:
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                        www.HauntedHouseMagazine.com
                        It's the most comprehensive online ad campaign you can buy! I'd love to earn your advertising business. Email me today at blacklightminigolf@sbcglobal.net.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by fontanaTHEFEAR View Post
                          If the goal is to funnel people to a singular location for information wouldn't it be prudent then to limit the locations to access that information? If you want people to get back on the forum... delete the Facebook group. Until larry deletes that group there is no way to get the eyeballs back here. That is just my opinion. I remember many years ago before the Facebook group, there was activity every day with new posts and threads... ya know active discussion. Now this place is sadly a wasteland. Once again just my opinion.
                          I am not in favor of deleting the Facebook groups, they do have a purpose. I too, if I have a minute, like to gaze through and see a cool video posted on someone's project or build, it is an avenue for vendors to post about a new prop and with losing TW , they need ever avenue available. But my point is that when conducting the BUSINESS of Haunts you need a BUSINESS Format to communicate through...period. So we return to the Forum, by USING the Forum.
                          R&J Productions
                          Las Vegas, NV
                          www.LasVegasHaunts.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Crickets, I'm afraid.

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                            • #15
                              I haven't been around lately been working thru covid. I'm about to quit every single facebook haunt group I'm member. No one is talking about real haunt issues, its just non-stop drama or self-promotion. I want to learn something. We do need to get back to the forums. I just wanted to follow up again. Where is everyone at lets go lets talk about haunting.

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