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Considerations Before You Start

Learn more about:

Kinds of Mazes. .......................... 3 Improve Your Chances of Success. ..................................... 4 Charging Admission.................... 7 Charging for Special Activities. ... 8 Admission for Groups &

Families....................................... 9 Consignment Selling................. 10 Value-added Products............... 10 Corn Maze Design.................... 10 Design Recommendations........ 12 Parking...................................... 13 Required Equipment................. 13 Advertising vs Publicity............. 14 Controls..................................... 16 Labour....................................... 17 Liability Insurance..................... 17 Helpful Websites....................... 18 And a whole lot more!

Corn Maze

Decision Making Tool

Maze vs. Labyrinth

A labyrinth has only one path and no dead ends. A maze is a puzzle using a series of paths and walls with some dead ends.

Do you like interacting with the public and hosting them on your farm?

Entertainment farming is very weather dependant. People are less likely to come if it is too hot, too cold, or too wet. Be sure your season suits this type of attraction. If the corn isn’t high enough until mid August you’ll have too small a window in which to attract customers. Another type of maze would ft your situation better.

The three most important factors in successful retailing are “location, location, location.” We all can’t be located on a major highway so you need good signage and publicity. You can advertise all you want but if customers can’t fnd you, your business will suffer. Talk to the local municipalities and provincial highway authorities to make sure they will allow you to erect directional signs.

If there are other corn mazes in the area assess them as competition. Visit them and ask yourself, “How can mine be different? Can I do a better job?”

Time is a critical factor. Not just the time to build a maze, but more importantly, the time and interest to promote your new venture. Some maze companies will design the maze, cut it out for you and do your advertising and promotion. Others will give you the tools. Making the public

Agdex 888-12

Note: The costs listed in this Decision Making Tool are based on 2007 values.