If you build it will they come?

[wildredhead]

Its kinda disheartening when so many people just drive past your display at 30 miles an hour. I realize that its kinda difficult when you live on a busy street, but how do you get people to come?

I have some flyers that I think I will put up around town, but what else?

[jjdurrant]

I list my address in the local paper's xmas lights directory.

[George Simmons]

wildredhead wrote:

Its kinda disheartening when so many people just drive past your display at 30 miles an hour... how do you get people to come?

I'm not sure I have an answer for that one. Two years ago I kinda wondered the same thing for the first couple of weeks the display was up. But after word of mouth got things flowing it has just gotten busier and busier. This year I'll probably be missing those quiet nights of the first year because it's gonna be pretty much wall-to-wall every night.

The number one thing, in my opinion, is to make sure your FM sign is prominently displayed and easy to see. If people don't know there's music involved your lights won't make any sense to them - it will just look like a bunch of things flashing on and off.

[ChrisBMacon]

I live in Macon Ga. and have found that when asking a chruch or chariety to assist in adverting your display in the bulk-mail advertising, is very effective. What you can do is offer a chariety donation at your display to be payable to an orginization of your choice and ask them to see if they can get free advertising from a Not-for-Profit.

[jimswinder]

I agree with Jeff....

a LOT depends on your neighbors...they can make or break the enjoyment of your display...when you start attracting THAT much attention, it is no longer just about you and your house...it affects everyone on your block.

My display is in a residential neighborhood, but unfortunately the street in front of the house is used as a main arterial (even though it is not one) to get from one main street to another...so there are a LOT of people going WAAAAY to fast down the street and when they get to the house they HAVE to slow down due to all the cars parked on both sides of the street creating a one lane road (had a few close calls last year). I have a feeling with last years "word of mouth" advertising and the display going from 32 channels and 10,000 lights to over 500 channels and 50,000 lights, that I may have a major problem with traffic this year. So I have already had some banners made ("CAUTION - Christmas Light Congestion Ahead") warning traffic further down both ends of the block to slow down. And I plan on being out in the road directing traffic every night...but that gives me a front row seat to see everyone enjoying the show...so I won't mind doing that. Plus I will have kids handing out Candy Canes to the people in and out of their cars. And I have ordered Safety Vests for the kids and other workers to wear (with "westseattlelights.com in reflective lettering on the back!! LOL)

IF it gets really bad, I may go to the city and see if we can block the street and only allow viewers into the area.

So just be prepared for the worst (best) scenario's of a boatload of people coming by and you will do just fine...

[jim6918]

Beware of what you wish for. Last year, my first year, started out slowly with traffic. I even avoided an article the local paper wanted to do when they heard about the display. Some time around the second week of December, the morning disc jockeys on my local AM station were talking about my display and how kewl it was, and it was non-stop after that. On Christmas Eve, a friend texted me while we are church and told me that he was about 20th in line to get to the front of the house. Weekends were clearly the busiest and it slowed down after Christmas until New Years Eve.

The traffic never really got out of hand, and most of the drivers were pretty darned patient for their chance to get to the house.

My neighbors were great, but I made sure to announce about keeping their driveways clear.

[PaulXmas]

Even before LOR I had a few people stop.

A tour bus would come by nightly.

All by word of mouth...except last year Dec24 I was on the news.

Not sure if that or even LOR had increased the traffic.

It is way too cold most of the time to stand outside but we do look out the window and always see someone.

Every year there should be more and more people...

[Bob Wingert]

Already have visitors! The word spread quick since we setup last Saturday. Did not have to the lights on last night as I needed the laptop for my Fantasy Hockey draft Had two families ride over from another neighborhood to see them, disapointed to say the least when it was dark. They asked if we'd be back on for tomorrow, Absolutely!!! The point of my story is, word of mouth will be the best!

[jimswinder]

Setup already???? Wow you are early!!

I had a lot of gawkers when I did my Test Set-Up this past weekend...but did not have any lights on...

[Bob Wingert]

jimswinder wrote:

Setup already???? Wow you are early!!

I had a lot of gawkers when I did my Test Set-Up this past weekend...but did not have any lights on...

For Halloween Jim... This is my 'dress rehersal' for the BIG DAY!

[jimswinder]

pokrplr wrote:

For Halloween Jim... This is my 'dress rehersal' for the BIG DAY!

Oh Yeah...forgot about you Halloweeners... LOL

[Guest Don Gillespie]

You will not have to worry about the people coming to see your display the word will get out soon aftger you start your shows I agree with Jeff and Jim make sure you have your tune to station sign in a highly visible spot once people know there is music with the lights they will watch your show for some time and chances are they will come back another night and even stay longer good luck

[taybrynn]

No advertising by choice. I live off the beaten path and on the end of a small 10 home cul de sac, but most community locals have found me. Was very modest traffic in 2008, probably tripled in 2009 ... and I'm not sure what to expect in 2010. It's been fun watching it grow on its own, but also enjoy that its still a bit of a secret, so doesn't have the hassles that a wildly popular show has to deal with. Be careful what you ask for.

[mike in tulsa]

You can also use the following link to list your display. It is also a great tool to find others so you can view their displays.

http://tackylighttour.com/

Take care,

Mike

[amcdonald307]

My situation is more odd duck than the norm. I live 10 miles out of a small town in the middle of no where (farm land). Locals here feel reluctance to come down what they would consider a private road (it is in fact a 1/2 mile of County road, but dead ends at my house). Even seeing flashing lights from a distance isn't enough for some to consider an invitation, so I feel I have to proactively invite them.

The first few weeks of my first display (2 years ago), I recognized all of what few cars we did get as friends and family. So I put up a flyer on the local grocery store public bulletin board. That brought in about 5-10 "strangers" a night. A few weeks before Christmas I did a phone interview with the local newspaper (they called me), and that seemed to open up the flood gate. I don't have a good count, but I would say it was rare not to have 5-10 cars out front at any given time, and the most I counted at any one time was 68 in a line almost 1/2 mile long.
Last year I did not put up flyers and would say I averaged only 3 or 4 gawkers a night. I admit I found that quite disappointing.

Our local theater does those slide shows of advertisements before the movie starts... I'm thinking this year of doing a slide there just to let people know they are welcome.

[jim6918]

amcdonald307 wrote:

My situation is more odd duck than the norm. I live 10 miles out of a small town in the middle of no where (farm land). Locals here feel reluctance to come down what they would consider a private road (it is in fact a 1/2 mile of County road, but dead ends at my house). Even seeing flashing lights from a distance isn't enough for some to consider an invitation, so I feel I have to proactively invite them.

The first few weeks of my first display (2 years ago), I recognized all of what few cars we did get as friends and family. So I put up a flyer on the local grocery store public bulletin board. That brought in about 5-10 "strangers" a night. A few weeks before Christmas I did a phone interview with the local newspaper (they called me), and that seemed to open up the flood gate. I don't have a good count, but I would say it was rare not to have 5-10 cars out front at any given time, and the most I counted at any one time was 68 in a line almost 1/2 mile long.
Last year I did not put up flyers and would say I averaged only 3 or 4 gawkers a night. I admit I found that quite disappointing.

Our local theater does those slide shows of advertisements before the movie starts... I'm thinking this year of doing a slide there just to let people know they are welcome.

Do you have a circular driveway at your house? Or do the cars have to make u-turns?

[jimswinder]

amcdonald307 wrote:

Last year I did not put up flyers and would say I averaged only 3 or 4 gawkers a night. I admit I found that quite disappointing.

I wholeheartedly agree with this statement...it would be VERY frustrating (for me anyway) to have gone to all this time and expense for only a few people to enjoy it.

I know we SHOULD do it for us...but are we really?

Obviously we do it for the attention it brings us!! LOL

[jim6918]

jimswinder wrote:

amcdonald307 wrote:

Last year I did not put up flyers and would say I averaged only 3 or 4 gawkers a night. I admit I found that quite disappointing.

I wholeheartedly agree with this statement...it would be VERY frustrating (for me anyway) to have gone to all this time and expense for only a few people to enjoy it.

I know we SHOULD do it for us...but are we really?

Obviously we do it for the attention it brings us!! LOL

It sure is a double edged sword. I think I would have been heart broken to have gone to all that work for NO traffic, but on the other hand, I would hate to have to take down the display because of traffic complaints. My wife says I am never happy.

[jimswinder]

jim6918 wrote:

My wife says I am never happy.

We're damned if we are and damned if we aren't...

I'll take too much traffic over no traffic any day!!

[amcdonald307]

jim6918 wrote:

Do you have a circular driveway at your house? Or do the cars have to make u-turns?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=s&ie=UTF8&ll=44.688297,-108.830802&spn=0.00262,0.004372&t=h&z=18

There is a big circle driveway and voiceovers do encourage people to use it, though very few do. Cars come in from the north (top of map), and park on the road west of the circle. They actually back up off the road facing the house, and no one gets within 200 feet of the display. The road is fairly wide, and the crowd has been a very self policing group (always an exit lane, and never block my own vehicles in - but they do tend to scatter if I come out and get in the car!). We are actually going to ask the farmer to smooth the field out to the west (left) so we can catch any overflow traffic just in case. (Christmas eve is very busy, especially if I intend to make a "public invitation").

My only neighbor concern is on the corner 1/2 mile a way, and I do communicate with him to make sure he doesn't get upset. In-laws live right next to us 600 ft away, and don't care if I make them mad! (kidding, they actually do support it).