Prepare Your Business for Halloween
Halloween is approaching quickly!
While it may seem like October 31st is still far away, many people like to begin the festivities early, sometimes more than a month before the actual holiday.
Now is the time to get your business in shape for fun. This can also be a good way to kick off the upcoming holiday shopping season and encourage your customers to come back often!
Tips and Tricks to Make Your Halloween Business Soar
Consider these tips to boost your business during the Halloween season.
Decorations:
One of the cheapest and easiest strategies to get in the Halloween spirit is to decorate your business.
Festive decorations can increase traffic to your business. If you have a physical location, add Halloween-themed decorations to windows, shelves and walls. Keep decorations fun and safe, so avoid any decorations that may be frightening to children.1
Look for cheap decorations at a dollar store and pick up a few pumpkins and fall flowers from a grocery store or farm stand. Remember to avoid real candles in decorations due to fire hazards.
Create the right Halloween atmosphere. Provide wrapped treats, which are cleaner and safer than unwrapped. Items should be clearly labeled to let customers know of any food allergens. Halloween music or anything fun and upbeat can help further a fun atmosphere.
Website and social media:
Change your website design to reflect the season with simple graphics or photos.2
Add Halloween themed blog posts, such as décor or costume ideas.
If you host a special Halloween event, be sure to take photos and share to your website and social media accounts, as long as you have customer and employee permission.
Add custom hashtags to those you use regularly to increase brand awareness, location-based hashtags to build your local online presence, and popular hashtags for your Halloween-themed products.3
Seasonal email promotions:
Email marketing is a handy tool to keep your customers engaged in your business and special promotions, sales and events. An email message with Halloween-themed copy and design in addition to your event can help draw in customers so they read your content.4
Halloween-themed Item or Service:
A florist, for example, could create a special Halloween bouquet or a restaurant could create a signature dish that harkens to the season.5
Special deals:
Giving Halloween-themed sales and discounts can be a perfect way to get more traffic in the door. A select item or service or a special price gives people an added incentive to patronize your business. You can also give a “seasonal” discount such as 13% or 31% off a certain product or service.6
Local business trick or treating/fall-themed events:
October has many seasonal events that you can be part of, such as haunted houses, hayrides, apple picking farms and cornfield mazes. Look for ways your business could be part of the event, such as being a beverage sponsor or providing a free product as part of a “goodie” bag. During the event, you can also hand out coupons or flyers promoting your business.7
Participate in local business “trick or treating” events. Parents are always looking for safe and easy ways for their children to trick or treat safely, and participating can increase traffic to your business and goodwill in the community.
Don’t forget the parents. Provide treats that appeal to a more grown-up palette such as gourmet candies, a coupon for your business or a sample of your product. In addition to the trick or treating event, you can have treats available throughout the days leading up to Halloween.8
A little creativity and the right spirit can go a long way to boost your bottom line and increase your business presence and goodwill in the community.
And remember, if Halloween isn’t “right” for you or your business, October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a good alternative to show your customers and your community that you care!
Sources:
3, 5 Local IQ
2, 4, 6 INC
7 Fundera
This blog was originally published on September 13, 2022, adapted from an earlier version.
