The holidays get plenty of love from consumers, but it doesn’t start with Thanksgiving. It starts with Halloween! Halloween spending is expected to hit $9 billion this year, with each person spending an average of $86.79. Consumers love Halloween because it’s fun (who doesn’t love dressing up themselves, their kids and their pets?!) and less expensive than Thanksgiving and Christmas.
With Halloween just around the corner, here are three fabulous, spooky marketing ideas to get your small business ready for the fun!
1. Offer Spooky Scary Promotions
When we say scary, we mean scary GREAT! The big shopping holidays are almost here, so now is a great time to remind customers why they should shop with you. Get them in the door by offering big discounts. You can do this on any purchase or markdown extra inventory you want to get rid of before the holidays.
Special promotions and discounts will drive in traffic, so your store should look festive. Dress up the outside of your building with cobwebs and spiders, play Halloween music in the store, and encourage employees to dress up. If you have an ecommerce store only, talk to your web designer about adding festive elements and a decorative banner image.
2. Welcome Trick-or-Treaters
If you have a physical store, invite customers to trick-or-treat at your location. Some cities host trick-or-treating at the local businesses that you can participate in, but if you don’t have this option, send out an email or flyer letting people know of the hours. Invite people into your store by setting up a small table with snacks and beverages.
Get creative with the items you hand out. If you hand out candy, attach a coupon with a discount code that can be used in-store or online. Or, hand out promotional items in place of candy. Promotional items have a longer shelf life and keep your brand front and center. If you have an online store, let customers trick-or-treat online, giving them a free promotional item with a small purchase of $10.
3. Hand Out Branded Trick-or-Treat Bags
Another fun idea is to hand out branded trick-or-treat bags. Include a branded bag with each online purchase or hand them out to customers at your physical store. It’s inexpensive to have custom plastic bags made, and you can fill them with promotional items and a coupon to use on a future purchase.
To reach a targeted audience, attend a fall festival and give the bags to those who stop by your booth. The contact information you gather can be used for after the holidays, too. Or, use custom treat bags as part of a direct mail campaign.
Don’t let this Halloween go by without taking advantage of the spooky fun! People are ready to shop, so get your business and logo out there!
