Usher in fall and the start of the holiday season with these fun and creative Halloween marketing ideas that any small business can do.
1. Decorate!
If you have a bricks-and-mortar location, get in the Halloween mood by decorating with orange lights, black crepe paper, cobwebs, and garlands of bats, skeletons, and witches. If you are service-based, send your technicians out in special orange and black shirts or hats.
2. Hold a Halloween contest
Halloween is such a creative holiday that you could do just about any type of contest. Some ideas to get you started: Best homemade costume, spooky story, dog costume, jack o’ lantern, Halloween cupcake, “scary” drink recipe, haiku.
3. Create a guide filled with “tricks”
Tricks aren’t always a bad thing! Create a guide filled with insider tricks that your customers can use/do at home. A dry cleaner could provide tricks on removing stubborn stains, while a plumber can provide a list of tricks that keep pipes clean and unclogged.
4. Give out branded tote bags
High quality branded tote bags that are sturdy enough to carry a neighborhood’s worth of candy are always useful. You can either give them away to all customers, new customers only, or those who spend a set amount (like $25).
5. Treat your best customers
Mail your best customers a small box of high-quality, locally made chocolates, or a branded mug or goody bag filled with Halloween candy. Or, give them a coupon for a free product or service with their next purchase.
6. Rename bundled products or services
During October, give your bundled products or services a Halloween name. Incorporate words like spooky, scary, zombie, apocalypse, wicked, walking dead, ghost, boo, flying bats, witches’ brew – you get the idea!
7. Offer discounts to customers in costume
Get into the Halloween spirit by offering a discount to customers in costume on the day of or weekend before Halloween (when many people and businesses throw Halloween-themed parties).
8. Integrate Halloween into social media posts
Share Halloween photos that you and your staff have taken in past years, your favorite Halloween (or scary) movie quotes, decorations from the neighborhood, or costume ideas.
9. Hold flash sales
Whether you sell Halloween merchandise or decided to pull the Halloween theme into your service-based business (like with a special Halloween drinks menu), hold flash sales at random times during the month. You can offer buy-one-get-one discounts or 50 percent off coupons. Experiment to see what works!
10. Send out Halloween cards
Though many small businesses send Christmas or holiday cards to their customers in December, sending out Halloween cards is unexpected, fun, and guaranteed to stand out. You could even include a note that plays into the theme, such as “It’s a treat for us to work with customers like you!”
What is your small business doing to celebrate Halloween?
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Author information
Monika Jansen
Monika Jansen is a freelance copywriter and editor who helps with companies of all shapes on sizes kick their content up to the next level. You can find her online at www.jansencomm.com.
