7 Halloween marketing ideas for local retailers.
7 Halloween marketing ideas your business should incorporate
Halloween is just around the corner, and many business owners understand that this holiday is the one that kicks off the entire festive season. Getting your business ready for the holiday season is a fantastic way to create more cash flow. Check out the following tips to get some Halloween marketing ideas.
Halloween marketing idea list
Holidays create more business, as people need to buy décor and things for their celebratory events. The best business owners learn that marketing for the holidays is an excellent way to increase profits and drive consumer spending habits. We have put together a few ideas to help you get your business in the holiday spirit, including the following:
- Halloween costume photo contest
- Halloween-themed contest or giveaway
- Don’t forget about the Halloween candy
- Show your Halloween spirit both online and offline
- Create a Halloween-themed product
- Throw a Halloween party
- Offer Halloween discounts
Below, we will get a closer look at how each of these Halloween promotion ideas can help bring customers in and drive more sales for your business.
Halloween costume photo contest
There are many benefits to utilizing a photo contest with your Halloween marketing ideas. You can decide to make it for a particular group, such as making it for pets or children. Or you can make it costume-themed, such as cartoon characters. A Halloween photo contest is the perfect way to use social media as well.
You can also increase traffic by using custom hashtags with your picture posts. The selection of the winners should include prizes such as gift certificates, merchandise, and recognition. This is an excellent way to promote new products and services.
Don’t forget to save the various pictures that people post with your custom hashtag. These will be great marketing materials for future Halloweens, especially if they feature your products or branding.
Halloween-themed contest or giveaway
Hosting a Halloween contest or giveaway is another great way to use social media. In fact, you can do the entire thing on social media if you choose. One Halloween marketing idea that everyone seems to love is a scavenger hunt. This is the perfect way to introduce customers to new products, as the scavenger hunt can have clues centered around these items.
A pumpkin carving contest is another fantastic Halloween promotion idea. Halloween and pumpkins go hand in hand, and there is nothing better than a large group of people selecting their pumpkins and carving them. New products are excellent prizes to hand out and a way to let your clients know more about available items.
Do not forget your website when it comes to Halloween promotions. Creating holiday-themed landing pages is a fantastic way to get your site ready for the season. Depending on the business you are in, you may be able to have a contest for the best Halloween landing pages. One of the things to consider is making sure there are products you would like to promote on the Halloween landing page.
Don’t forget about the Halloween candy
A Halloween trick or treating event is always a hit. Whether you choose to host a trick or treat or are on a path where handing candy out will be natural, this idea can work well. Working with local organizations to donate candy, prizes, and merchandise is another way to get your name and brand out in the public eye, and it is cost-effective.
What if you live in an area without trick or treating or your business isn’t close to somewhere trick or treaters are likely to be? You can use this as both one of your Halloween marketing ideas and a way to build relationships with other nearby local businesses. Talk to other small businesses by you about creating a small trick or treating route. You can even make it interesting for the adults by creating a “treasure map” of discounts they can take advantage of while their kids get candy.
No matter how you choose to take advantage of trick or treating-related Halloween marketing campaign ideas, remember to use some business sense as you do. For example, have business cards on hand as people come by. Or hand out one-page flyers that briefly describe your business and highlight your offerings. Whichever you choose, make sure that it includes contact information, your website, and your social media links.
Show your halloween spirit both online and offline
Decorating for the holiday is a perfect way to show off your Halloween spirit, whether online or in your store. If you have a few retail locations, make sure they all have their own pumpkins. Depending on your business, you may want extra decorations or to opt for something more subtle.
Your website may benefit from the cursor being a spider or ghost for the season, and even a spooky soundtrack when visitors land on the home page. If you would like something more subtle on your website, then a few Halloween pictures on landing pages will help remind clients of the season.
Don’t limit your online Halloween decorations to just your website. Consider temporarily changing your profile and banner photos on social media to Halloween-inspired versions.
In store, you can opt for subtle decorations like straw bales, leaves, and pumpkins. For many business owners, going all-out is the only option. This may look more like inflatable decorations in the parking lot, the storefront covered in cobwebs, and decorations throughout the store.
You can even encourage customers to show their Halloween spirit. For example, offer a discount or a freebie to customers who show up in costume.
Create a Halloween-themed product
Depending on your business, Halloween promotions may mean creating themed products. For those in the jewelry industry, this is an excellent way to add some fall and Halloween pieces to your inventory. Business owners making t-shirts or coffee cups also can easily add Halloween flair to their items, too.
The possibilities are limitless and depend entirely on your business. For example, florists could create bouquets with Halloween colors, like black, orange, and purple. Or bakeries or restaurants could offer themed foods and drinks. If you offer a service, such as fitness classes, make one Halloween-inspired. This could be as simple as replacing a weight with a pumpkin or as complicated as a black-lit class where you encourage participants to wear neon and light-up sneakers.
Throw a Halloween party
If you want to take your Halloween promotion ideas to the next level, consider incorporating a Halloween party as well. This is an excellent way to build your brand awareness. It will also improve your foot traffic. After all, when you host a party at your business, people will have to enter your business to celebrate, and that can boost sales.
On top of that, the more products you sell, the more effective your review gathering efforts will be.
You can also incorporate some of the previous Halloween marketing ideas on this list into the party. For example, promote some of the Halloween-themed products you created. Announce the winners of your Halloween photo contest at the party or give the winners the prizes there. Or have an in-person costume contest to supplement the digital one. This is also your chance to show off the great decorations you put up.
Just keep safety in mind if you plan a Halloween party. Try to only offer individually wrapped snacks and make sure you have enough space for guests to spread out.
Offer Halloween discounts
Another excellent way to increase sales during the holiday is through Halloween discounts. While it may seem counterintuitive to promote a discount just on Halloween day, having a discount for the week or even month is a great way to attract new clients.
You will need to do some marketing campaigns to use this tip. These will include social media ads, radio ads, or local advertisements in the paper. It is also a good idea to send your customers SMS marketing so they will be up to speed on the latest happenings in your store for your Halloween promotion.
Do not fear: SMS marketing is not difficult. Click here to learn more about building your opt-in list.
Why should retailers care about Halloween marketing campaigns?
Many business owners want to know if there is a benefit to spending money on Halloween marketing campaign ideas. When done efficiently, using social media to promote your business during the holiday season can be a cost-effective way to reach more clients and therefore more sales. This is especially true when you can stay organized and keep all of your conversations in a single spot. With the above Halloween marketing ideas and tools to help you run your campaigns, you should be ready to see a boost to sales during the spooky season.
