Halloween Promotions: 9 Ghoul-Proof Ways To Market Your Business

It's no secret that handling an influx of customers during any holiday season can be a scary task. But with a little bit of creativity (and maybe a few ghosts and goblins), your Halloween promotions are sure to be a treat!

In this guide, we'll show you some spooktacular marketing ideas to help get your retail or hospitality business ready for the Halloween season.

So grab yourself some candy corn, and let's get started!

How can Halloween promotions benefit your business?

Halloween is an excellent opportunity to get creative with your marketing and connect with your customers personally. By incorporating Halloween into your promotions, you can show that you're fun, festive, and, most importantly, approachable!

Think about it - what other time of year can you dress up your boutique's storefront in cobwebs and skeletons and not get strange looks from passersby? Halloween is the perfect time to let your brand's personality shine through!

As the second-biggest retail holiday in the year, with $10.1 billion spent in the US alone,  there's also a big financial incentive to get involved in Halloween promotions [1].

Here are three ways Halloween promotions can benefit your small business:

Increased foot traffic

One of the best things about Halloween promotions is the increased foot traffic they can bring to your business. That's because Halloween is one of the few holidays that people actually enjoy going out and doing things! So whether you're hosting a Halloween party at your bar or giving away free Halloween candy at your store, make sure your promotions are enticing enough to get people in the door.

Improved customer engagement:

Halloween provides the perfect opportunity to get your customers involved in your promotions. Incorporating interactive elements into your marketing can encourage customers to participate and engage with your brand.

An opportunity to show off your brand's personality:

People buy from brands they know, like, and trust. And what better way to build that relationship than by showing off your brand's personality? Halloween is the perfect time to let your customers see the human side of your business. So go ahead and have some fun with your Halloween promotions - your customers will thank you for it!

Halloween promotion ideas to get your business in the spooky spirit

1. Get festive with your storefront:

One of the easiest ways to get into the spooky spirit is by decorating your storefront. Adding some Halloween decorations to your window displays can be a great way to catch people's attention and get them in the door. 

Research shows that window displays influence a person's decision to enter a store [2] . So go ahead and get creative - your customers will appreciate the festive touch!

Tips for decorated storefronts:

• Keep it tasteful: Remember, you want to attract customers, not scare them away! So avoid any décor that might be considered too scary or offensive. That means no blood, guts, or gore.

• Make it interactive: Add some interactivity to your display by incorporating games or puzzles. This will make it more fun for people to look at and encourage them to linger longer.

• Sustainability is key: 81% of people prefer to buy from sustainable sellers [3]. So when choosing your Halloween-related merchandise, make sure to go for eco-friendly options whenever possible. Instead of plastic spiders, try using paper ones. And instead of Styrofoam tombstones, opt for cardboard or wood.

2. Post a Halloween giveaway on social media

Another great way to get people excited about your business is hosting a Halloween giveaway on social media. This is a great way to increase brand awareness and reach a wider target audience. And the best part is, it doesn't have to be expensive! Just come up with a prize that's relevant to your business and Halloween-themed, and you're good to go.

Some giveaway ideas for your hospitality business include:

• A complimentary drink or appetizer for customers who come in dressed up in a Halloween costume

• A Halloween-themed cocktail or menu item

• A contest for the best Halloween-themed selfie taken at your establishment

Some giveaway ideas for your retail business include:

• A Halloween-themed gift basket filled with your products

• A discount on all Halloween-related items in your store

• A contest for the best Halloween costume using items from your store

So get creative and have fun with it! Your customers will appreciate the effort.

3. Give out influencer swag bags

93% of Marketers Have Used Influencer Marketing [4], and it's not slowing down anytime soon. Halloween is a great opportunity to partner with influencers on social media and get some free exposure for your business.

Let's say you own a beauty salon. You could send a Halloween-themed swag bag to beauty bloggers and vloggers filled with your latest hair and makeup products. In return, they would post about your products on their social media channels and tag your business. This would be a great way to reach a new audience and get people excited about your brand.

4. Introduce a limited edition Halloween product

If I was to ask you to think of the most famous coffee chain in the world, what would come to mind? I'm willing to bet that many of you would say Starbucks. And do you know what one of the things that makes Starbucks so popular is? Their seasonal drinks! People go crazy for their pumpkin spice latte every fall, and it's become a Halloween tradition for many.

So why not introduce a limited edition Halloween product of your own? This is a great way to get people excited about your brand and drive sales. And it doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. It could be something as simple as a Halloween-themed cookie or cupcake. Or, if you own a hotel, you could introduce a Halloween-themed cocktail or menu item.

5. Participate in a trick-or-treating event

Oh, the memories. Knocking on neighbor's doors in your Halloween costume, eagerly waiting to see what kind of Halloween treats you would get. Trick-or-treating is a Halloween tradition loved by many, both young and old. And what better way to get people excited about your business than by participating in a trick-or-treating event?

This is a great way to reach a broad audience and generate some buzz for your business. You could hand out Halloween-themed coupons, promotional materials, or even some good old-fashioned candy. And if you really want to stand out, you could host your trick-or-treating event at your business.

6. Create a Halloween promotions video

Video is one of the most powerful marketing tools at your disposal. Last year, 92% of internet users worldwide watched online videos [5]. So, why not take advantage of this and create a Halloween promotions video?

Some of the most popular types of videos are:

• Music videos: Have you ever heard of the monster mash? It's a Halloween classic! Why not get all your employees together and create a Halloween-themed music video? You could even post it on Tik Tok or YouTube and get people talking about your business.

• Comedies: Do you own a restaurant or cafe? Why not host a stand-up comedy night, with Halloween-themed jokes, of course? You can create a promotional video to advertise the event and get people excited about it.

• Tutorial or how-to videos: Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with your makeup. So why not create a Halloween makeup tutorial video? This would be a great way to show off your products and interest people.

7. Promote a Halloween sale on your online store

Another great Halloween marketing idea is hosting a Halloween sale. You could offer some Halloween discounts on your products or services or even free shipping. And to really get people excited about it, you could promote the sale with a Halloween-themed video or email campaign.

Pottery Barn Kids promoted their Halloween sale, with discounts of up to 20% for costumes and treat bags! They promoted this sale with a Halloween-themed email campaign, which featured spooky images and Halloween-themed copy.

8. Sponsor a Halloween event

Halloween is a great time to get involved with community events. And one way you can do this is by sponsoring a Halloween event. This could be anything from a Halloween parade to a Halloween party. And it's a great way to get your business name out there.

Some brilliant ways to find community events taking place are:

• On social media

• In local newspapers and magazines

• On event sites like TimeOut

Want to take it one step further? Why not host your own event? This would be a great way to generate some buzz for your business and get people talking about you. You could include fun themed games such as a pumpkin carving contest or a spooky scavenger hunt.

Let's say you own a food truck. You could partner with other local businesses and host a Halloween-themed food truck festival. This would be a great way to showcase your food and get people excited about your business. And it would be a lot of fun too!

9.Write a blog about Halloween promotions

Content is still king, even during Halloween. So why not take advantage of this and write a blog about Halloween promotions? This is a great way to reach a wide audience and get people talking about your business. You could even promote your blog post on social media or email it to your subscribers.

Not sure what to write about? Here are some ideas:

• Halloween marketing ideas for small businesses

• How to encourage Halloween spending

• 10 Halloween campaigns for your small business

• The best Halloween marketing idea you can carry out

• How to increase you social media presence during Halloween

• Halloween email marketing tips

• Halloween sales tips
  
  Resurrect your business with a powerful POS system 

  If you want to create a scarily good Halloween for your customers that keeps them coming back each year, Epos Now can help. Our state-of-the-art point of sale (POS) systems handle things like sales trends, customer profiles, and loyalty programs to help your business achieve its goals. 

  • Access detailed analytics and reports on online engagement, foot traffic, sales, and trending products or services.

  • Connect with market-leading CRM and loyalty apps through the Epos Now App Store.

  • Access multi-award-winning inventory management systems that sync online sales and in-person sales for the most up-to-date stock levels.

  • Save customer contact details and shopping preferences for targeted marketing.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. These are just a few ideas to get you started. But really, the sky's the limit when it comes to Halloween promotions.

So get creative and have fun with it!