Did you know that Halloween is currently worth more than $9 billion annually? Today, customers are spending more money than they ever have before on all things Halloween. This includes Halloween costumes, decorations, candy, and events. Because of this, you can’t afford to miss out on everything this exciting holiday has to offer. Even if you don’t exactly sell plastic cobwebs or fake zombies, Halloween can represent a real opportunity for your brand and your bottom line. Here’s what you need to know about how you can make the holiday work for you:
Halloween Ecommerce Statistics
This year, about 175 million people are projected to celebrate Halloween. Each of these ghouls and goblins will spend about $86.79 per person on the holiday, according to recent research conducted by the National Retail Federation annual survey. The primary reason behind this spending is that, largely, Halloween is a highly affordable holiday. It doesn’t cost as much to celebrate as Christmas or Halloween (no expensive gifts for extended family members or major meals to cook, traditionally), and consumers are happy to put the money they’re saving back into the economy in the form of fun holiday shopping that doesn’t feel as mandated as it might for other holidays. As if that weren’t enough, consumer confidence is also at its highest level in almost a decade. People aren’t ultimately that worried about the uncertainty of the global economy, and they’re letting that show through in their spending habits. With that in mind, here’s your complete guide to doing Halloween right and using the holiday to boost sales this year:
3 Smart Ways to Leverage Halloween This Year
Want to utilize the momentum of the holiday to make more sales this year? Great! The act of wanting this means you’re already well on your way to doing it. The question, now, is how to go about executing your plan. Here’s your roadmap to three tried-and-true tactics you can use:
Before You Get Started…
Before you dive headfirst into a plan to use Halloween to boost your sales, it’s important to define your goals. The best way to do this is to decide, first and foremost, what you want to achieve via your Halloween promotions. After all, meeting your goals requires you to set some goals first. To this end, are you looking to earn new customers, spread the word about your product, good, or service? Or move a product that’s been sitting on the shelf? No matter what the case may be, defining your goals first and foremost is the best way to meet them. While each brand’s approach to defining Halloween sales goals will differ, here are a few ways to set a goal and make a plan to reach it:
- To increase followers and engagement, offer giveaways on your social media platforms. This is a great way to get people excited about your offerings and encourage communication between and around your customers.
- Want to build out your online community? Offer contests and other creative campaigns. Photo competitions and hashtag contests are both great options.
- If you want to boost sales and leads, try interactive methods like offering quizzes, recruitment, rewards, and surveys.
Once you’ve defined your goals for Halloween sales, it’s time to get to work actually increasing your bottom line during this spooky and fun-filled holiday. Here’s how:
1. Create a Custom Quiz
We’re living in the world of interactive content, and custom quizzes are a great way to cater to it as much as possible. If you’re looking to boost sales this Halloween, take a few moments to create a quiz that directs your customers toward your products, goods, or services. Companies like Negative Underwear do this with simple, “size-finder” quizzes built into their website and social media pages. These quizzes then point customers toward various products that will fit their needs. Follow suit if you want to create an authentic and engaging social media presence that earns you sales this Halloween. If you want to use quizzes as a method to increase engagement, make them more Halloween-specific. Input facts and stats about Halloween, and give people who get the answers correct a small discount on your products, goods, and services. It’s a great way to boost the Halloween spirit and have some fun all at once.
2. Reward Word of Mouth
Keep customers coming back for more this Halloween by rewarding those who spread the word about your company via word-of-mouth. If you’re looking for a fun way to drive Halloween sales, offering coupons or sales to people who recommend or refer your company to their friends is an excellent option. At the end of the day, customers are your most powerful weapon when it comes to making more sales. By vouching personally for your product, they stand out as some of the most helpful and effective marketing tools out there. Looking for a way to apply this to social media or other digital platforms? Consider running a referral contest or giving both the referrer and the referee both some money to spend at your company when they make their next purchases. This is a great way to keep people coming back.
3. Hand out Coupons (Instead of Candy)
Watching your dental health (or your waistline) this Halloween? Consider handing out coupons rather than candy. An effective, yet underrated, way to increase Halloween sales, coupons work by encouraging customers to make purchases and rewarding them for doing so. What’s more, coupons can convert customers from the online to offline shopping experience, which helps you create an effective multi-channel marketing pipeline. Not sure how to use coupons? Consider offering a Halloween discount for every person who registers their details with your company. The more you incentivize purchases, the more purchases will come your way. You can also offer free shipping, free gifts, and any other special reward that seems applicable to your company and customers. No matter what you do, don’t forget to share these coupons on social media to make the most of the traction that a social post will create for your promotions.
The Secrets to a Very Profitable Halloween
While Halloween may not be considered a “shopping holiday” in the traditional sense, it’s a great opportunity for your brand to get creative with your marketing. By offering unique Halloween promotions, rewards, deals, and discounts, as well as running fun, interactive contests and events, you can drive more sales this Halloween season, and enjoy a higher number of conversions from new and existing customers alike. Not sure where to start? Need help with your Halloween promotions? Contact our team today to learn more or to find the services you need today.
