Haunted Businesses

Objects moving by themselves, disembodied voices, ghostly apparitions -- who you gonna call? Forget the 'Ghostbusters.' We called a paranormal investigator and a marketing expert to find out how these haunted businesses can put their ghosts to work.

Just one look at new network TV shows of the past few years, and it should come as no surprise that all things paranormal are haunting our collective unconscious. From cable reality shows that follow real life ghost-hunters to the fictional mediums, night stalkers, and ghost whisperers that haunt the big three broadcast networks, all things otherworldly have seen their stock rise.

Ghosts? Give Me a Break!

While there are no easily obtainable statistics on the number of "authentically" haunted businesses out there, a quick online search will put you in touch with hundreds of businesses -- mostly "destination businesses" like hotels and bed & breakfasts -- that claim to have a haunted history, and use this fact front-and-center in their marketing. One well known example is the RMS Queen Mary, the fabled Art Deco era liner permanently docked as a hotel in Long Beach, CA. Her several on-board ghost tours are a year-round draw.

What could all of this possibly mean for your business? Does a haunted dry-cleaner have the same allure as a haunted hotel with a unique history? "Give me a break!" you may be thinking to yourself, "I don't even believe in ghosts!" Fair enough, but if your business, or the building that houses it, has an interesting or unique history -- or perhaps even it's own ghost -- you don't need to believe to get the attention of customers who do.

We checked in with a paranormal investigator and a marketing expert to find out how any business with a unique or "haunted" history can use this to their advantage.

Ghost Watchers

Al Tyas will passionately discuss ghosts and the paranormal with you for hours, but one thing he does not like to talk about is his day job, for which he holds two top-secret security clearances. Al is founder and chief of the Washington DC Metro Area Ghost Watchers, or DCMAG. He and his team -- most of whom have very serious day jobs in law enforcement, government, or the sciences -- spend their free time investigating hauntings in the capital beltway area.

More than a few DCMAG investigations have taken Al and his team to small businesses throughout the DC metro area, but many of his clients don't want it widely known that they've invited ghost hunters to take a look around.

He tells the story of one client, owners of an upscale restaurant in northern Virginia. "They kept saying, 'There's no ghost, there's no ghost, there's no ghost.' They just didn't want to believe what was going on in their own establishment."

"Employees at this restaurant wear period clothing as part of the ambience. So this girl -- it's her first night -- goes downstairs and sees another woman in period dress. This woman asks the girl, 'So this is your first night?' and then promptly vanishes into thin air right in front of her. The girl just flips. She completely loses it and starts screaming out the story of what she just saw. Then the chef comes forward to say he's seen the woman too. But still the owners are saying, 'No ghost!'"

DCMAG got involved when the restaurant owners called one of Al's other clients -- owners of a business widely known to be haunted.

"They wanted to know how to get rid of their 'not-a-ghost'"

"They're afraid that if they promote it too much, it will hurt business," Al says, "or attract the 'wrong' kind of business -- people looking to steal a chunk of brick or some other haunted souvenir. They're afraid it will be another Amityville." He's referring to the famed Long Island haunted-house case from the early 1970s that spawned a media circus of books, movies, and hoax accusations.

"In my experience, just the opposite happens," he says. "When you advertise an authentically haunted place, your revenue will go up."

One DCMAG client who agrees is Fay Hobbs-Carter, owner of the The Christmas Attic. Fay owns two Christmas-themed stores in Old Towne Alexandria, Virginia. Both are haunted. Al and his team have done extensive investigations at both businesses. At her second store, House in the Country, they uncovered the tragic history behind it's haunting -- a young woman, just weeks before her wedding in 1868, was set aflame in a kerosene lamp accident. She lingered in pain for a full day before succumbing, and according to Fay and her staff, her spirit lingers there still.

How can that kind of tragic tale possibly be good for business at a Christmas store? While respectful of her ghosts and the stories behind them -- these were real people, after all -- Fay is always looking for ways to extend business beyond the Christmas season. It's widely known in town that her stores are haunted, and Halloween is already her second busiest time of year, so when the city approached her about getting involved in a town-wide ghost tour -- part of an effort to make historic Alexandria attractive to visitors seeking a paranormal encounter -- Fay jumped at the opportunity. The tour brings visitors right into the store, where they can see haunted history up close and be well-placed to make a purchase. Even if nothing is bought during this visit, they've had a positive, highly interactive experience in Fay's store that they are likely to remember and talk about.

Al believes that it's about the experience that you create for your customers. "I think most businesses that publicize their ghosts find a positive way of using their haunting."

Marketing a Haunted Business

Kim T. Gordon is a nationally recognized marketing expert who, through her company, National Marketing Federation, Inc. and Web site, SmallBusinessNow.com, specializes in helping small business owners grow their businesses.

We asked Kim if she had any marketing ideas for the small business owner whose establishment has a unique or haunted history -- and whether they should even consider publicizing their ghosts.

"It depends on the business and nature of the alleged haunting," she says. "A dark and awful story could damage the appeal of a happy business like a bed & breakfast."

"However, business owners that don't promote their haunted history may be missing the boat here because there are people who actively seek out these kinds of destinations throughout the year."

If your business has been host to ghostly goings on, or an unseen member of your staff goes bump in the night, don't call the Ghostbusters just yet. Kim has put together six tips for marketing a haunted business.

1. Weave a compelling story as the basis for your marketing.
   Research your haunting -- find out the history behind it and use this to build a rich narrative about your business. Part of the allure of a haunted destination is the story behind it. The context you create with a rich back-story will help differentiate your business. Even ghost-less businesses with a unique history can take advantage of this advice.



2. Make sure your business has a Web site.
   Absolutely essential for a business that wants to use it's haunted history to bring in more customers. Many haunted businesses are destinations unto themselves -- especially hotels, restaurants, and other attractions. "You've got to reach people nationwide who are interested in these sorts of venues," says Gordon. "The Web is the best place to do that. This is the kind of thing that can really take off online and take advantage of the viral nature of the web."
   
   Make sure you are seeking reciprocal online links with other "haunted Web sites" or haunted businesses that do not compete with yours. This will put your business in front of an audience already seeking ghostly encounters.
   
   There are also many online directories for travelers and enthusiasts looking for haunted destinations. Make sure your business is listed with them.



3. Make use of search engine marketing.
   Make sure that people who are searching online for ghostly getaways find your business. Gordon says you should consider using pay-per-click search engine advertising as well as optimizing your site to ensure you show up at the top of relevant search results.
   
   You should consider creating a special landing page within your Web site for visitors arriving from a "haunted business" search results page. This will allow you to target them with the aspect of your business they will find most appealing, while ensuring that customers who come to your site through the "front door" see a less ghost-happy marketing message.



4. Set up a special "Haunted Info" voice mail line.
   One offline way of reaching customers interested in paranormal encounters, is to set up a special voice mail line with info about your business and its ghosts. You would then use this number in all of your marketing that emphasizes the ghost angle of your business. This is another way to put the paranormal in front of customers who are seeking it out, while providing a ghost-free experience to everyone else.



5. Host special "Haunted Events."
   By hosting a special "Haunted Event," you can turn your business in to a destination at different times of the year -- the most obvious, of course, is Halloween. Things to consider: Ghost tours, séances, book signings (of course the book should have a relevant haunted theme!), historical re-enactments, or you could bring in a "horror celebrity" (Wonder what Elvira is up to these days?)
   
   One thing to keep in mind for events, if possible, is to find co-sponsors to share the costs and help boost the potential marketing venues for the event.



6. Use Radio
   Gordon says that radio is an excellent tool for doing advanced promotions and co-sponsorships around your haunted events. In fact, she suggests that if your business relies on local trade, partnering with your local radio station is an excellent way to promote your haunted event.

Perhaps you're able to find a rational explanation for every creak and groan you hear late at night, when you're alone and closing out the register. Perhaps you'd rather not know too much about just what it is that's making those creepy sounds -- but if your business has a ghostly reputation, you don't need to believe in ghosts yourself to cater to all of the believers out there who do.