As always, the holidays kick off with the spookiest day of the year.
After Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter, Halloween is one of the public’s most loved holidays. It’s all about dressing up, having fun, and escaping reality for an evening. What’s not to love? But things are going to have to change this year.
For many of us, Halloween is going to look very different. Parties and trick-or-treating aren’t going to be possible for a lot of communities who usually indulge in a bit of fancy dress. Most people will be celebrating All Hallows’ Eve from the comfort of their own home – probably while enjoying a scary movie or two.
So, what can brands do to help customers get into the spirit of things at home?
Halloween in lockdown?
We don’t know how things will look by the time Halloween rolls around, but we do know customers’ shopping habits are changing.
Over the years, we’ve seen a consistent increase in spending over the holidays. In 2019, the US saw a total $8.8 billion spent over the holiday. But a great deal of this is generally on goods to help them celebrate – candy, costumes, and home décor being the most popular items to buy.
With more of us spending time inside watching TV and on our devices and a night in on the books, Halloween this year is as good a time to kick-start the holidays with a bang.
3 marketing tactics to use this Halloween
1. Look the part
To have an impactful Halloween campaign, consistency is key. And the first thing you need to work on is your costume for the holiday.
Your social channels, website, and marketing emails all need to look the part to hook your audiences over the holiday. Festive images, buttons, and signatures will all help your readers get into the spirit of things.
By keeping things playfully spooky, customers are more likely to be in a good mood when interacting with your brand. Shoppers often buy 2x what they need when they’re in a good mood or enjoy their experience on your website.
2. Contextualized content
We usually talk about contextualizing content in regards to location, weather, and recent purchases, but holidays also require contextualization beyond a basic themed template.
Email copy and calls to action should be your first priority for the Halloween holiday. Discount codes are a great way to contextualize your marketing during the lead up to the holiday. Bar, restaurants, and entertainment venues can use email subscribers’ locations to deliver details about events nearby.
Contextualizing your email marketing will significantly improve customer experience. It’s an intelligent form of personalization that goes far beyond first name salutations. You’ll be demonstrating a keener understanding of your customers, their goals, and their needs. Their engagement levels will rise, making them more inclined to shop with you.
By contextualizing your Halloween content, you can connect with subscribers on an emotional level. We know that a lot of people’s Halloween plans will be canceled this year. Add this and emphasize with customers stuck at home by offering them something to do with their time.
3. Limited-time offers
Flash deals are the perfect tactic to drive sales to record highs on a single day.
The sense of urgency created by a flash sale is perfect for driving spontaneous purchases. Modern shoppers are savvy. They know to look around to hunt down the best deal for the products they want. When it comes to the holiday season, shoppers have come to expect special offers from brands. The best way to drive canny customers into action is with a real-time offer.
Using countdown clocks and clearly defining the dates your offer will run from will hook readers by emphasizing the pressing deadline.
Have fun with it
Never forget, the reason Halloween is such a popular holiday is because it’s fun. So, make sure you’re injecting a bit of fun and excitement into your marketing campaigns this Halloween.
Getting festive with your marketing will not only engage customers, but it can also boost your brand awareness and drive revenue. Halloween marketing doesn’t have to be fancy or complex. Simple, effective, and consistent campaigns will improve customer experience and help them form stronger connections with your brand.
The more engaged and connected shoppers feel, the more likely they are to return to your brand, time and time again.
