5 Halloween Marketing Ideas Stores Should Try This Year

From dressing up with friends to eating candy until you’re sick, people of all ages love Halloween. Retail stores certainly enjoy the holiday season, especially since more candy is sold during Halloween than any other time in the year.

With the increased demand for candy, costumes, party supplies, and more, stores can draw in more customers and boost sales going into Q4. To help, we came up with five Halloween marketing ideas to add to your repertoire year after year. 

5 Retail Halloween Marketing Ideas

1. Decorate and dress up

We get it — winter is around the corner, and you don’t want to set up Halloween decorations just to replace them with Christmas decor. However, consumers want to feel the spirit of the season when shopping. In fact, a 2005 study found that impulse buyers purchase more when stores play music. So, decorate your store and bump those tunes to get shoppers in the mood.

At the same time, you can add to the fun by having staff dress up in costumes on the last weekend before the holiday. We suggest following the same theme so customers can easily identify employees. Not only will this get your store employees in the Halloween spirit, but it will add a splash of fun for shoppers. 

Make sure you share your team costume photos on social media to keep your store top of mind! 

2. Create pre-packaged trick or treat bags

Children love candy, but they don’t always like to shop. By handing out pre-made goodie bags at your small business, you can keep kids entertained while their parents shop. You can also stand by your front door and pass out bags to anyone who walks by. 

What if you store mostly caters to adult shoppers? Not a problem — everyone loves candy!

On top of putting candy in the bag, be sure to include a coupon and other marketing collateral. First off, the discount will encourage shoppers to come back and buy more. Second, shoppers may share photos of their sweet treats on social media and generate free press for your store. 

3. Offer limited edition Halloween items

Why is it that McDonald’s only offers the McRib for a short time each year? Although the supplies are available year-round, offering it for a limited time gives it a more significant appeal. The same could be said about pumpkin-flavored drinks that dominate the market every fall. 

What Halloween promotions would work in your store? 

Depending on what you sell, it might help to think past the standard Halloween goods like costumes, decorations, and sweets. Instead, think about creating a branded item like a collectible figurine that guests can look forward to each year. 

4. Give your logo a spooky makeover

What good are these Halloween marketing ideas if prospective shoppers don’t even notice your brand? Over time, people become desensitized to new things. Your customers may overlook your branding as they scroll through emails and advertisements. 

Shake things up by making a Halloween logo for your store! Not only will it be eye-catching, but a themed logo also gives shoppers a glimpse into your store’s personality. They know they will have a fun time getting their Halloween supplies by visiting you. 

If you want some ideas for your local business, check out these holiday-themed logos. 

5. Host a mask decorating contest

You can’t go anywhere without a mask, so why not make wearing it a little more fun? This year, your store can host an online mask decorating contest. While this will certainly be fun for the kids, no one is stopping adults from playing along too! All you have to do is create rules, decide who will judge, and create a fun announcement.

To spread the word, we suggest using email marketing and social media. You should encourage participants to upload their photos to Facebook and Instagram and tag your store. These tags will make it easier for you to sort through submissions, but more importantly, they will help get your name out on the web.

What about after Halloween?

While these ideas will work leading up to Halloween, you want to ensure consistency throughout the year. Your technology will play a major role in ensuring success. Choosing the right point of sale system is one of the most important decisions as a business owner. 

With the Epos Now POS, you can:

• Take cash, card, and contactless payments
• Integrate with marketing applications 
• Sync your system with bookkeeping programs like Quickbooks
• Create gift cards and run a customer loyalty program

Connect with a POS consultant to learn more about Epos Now.