Halloween is just around the corner and that can only mean one thing: spending. Halloween is one of the biggest holidays of the year for marketers, with total spending in the US alone forecast to reach $10.6 billion this year.
Second only to Christmas, Halloween is one of the biggest commercial holidays. With everything from costumes to spooky-themed bed linen flying off the shelves, it’s easy to see why. So how do you prep for a fruitful winter and a Q4 lacking any sales scares?
Expand into other niches
Remember that Halloween is a pretty universal holiday, and it changes as you venture around the world. There is the family-friendly aspect, the pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating, but there are also the adults who enjoy it and enjoy dressing up for the inevitable parties. Over 65% of adults in the US plan to celebrate Halloween, according to the National Retail Federation. Then there are those that consider it a lifestyle, with dark and moody homes and hobbies. Additionally, let’s not forget that Day of the Dead is gaining traction outside of Mexico and more trends are popping up from all around the world.
All of these people love the seasonal fun that comes with October and are willing to spend money to celebrate it.
Start your campaigns early
You might notice we said “October” there. Halloween is definitely a holiday that is more than a day long. With a thriving social life and so much to do, it can last the whole month of October. You’ll want to start your marketing campaign early to get ahead of that. We would suggest having everything ready to start by September to get the most out of your customers, who will be buying elements of their costumes all throughout October. However, the biggest boom will be in this next week, leading to October 31st.
Create dedicated Halloween marketing material
This is where you can have fun with it. Create your dedicated Halloween affiliate links and landing pages to ensure that your customers are directed straight to your themed offers and products. Use Halloween imagery – and of course puns – to entice customers to your products. The best part about this is that there are so many angles to Halloween imagery that you can find something that suits your brand. You can go cute and playful, with little ghosts, or more gory, or historical with tarot cards and witch imagery. With your chosen angle, you can create your landing pages, email campaigns and social media content to maximise conversions.
Get creative with offers
This is a good opportunity to put together some creative offers. Free shipping, discounted bundles, and buy-one-get-one deals can incentivise big-ticket purchases. Take advantage of people’s impulsivity, which will be high at this point. Use urgent messaging and limited-time offers to incentivise customers who have the deadline of October 31st to do what they want to do. Once that day’s over, in the UK it’s Christmastime and in the US it’s Thanksgiving.
Conclusion
Halloween is one of the biggest spending spikes of the year because of its universal appeal. Many families, children, and young adults, are all celebrating in their own ways. Even if it’s just to keep a bowl of sweets outside, it all means spending. Get your marketing campaign together now to be ready for a sales spike – there’s still time before we move to Black Friday – then it’s Christmas!
