25 Halloween Marketing Ideas Retailers Can Use To Boost Revenue

Halloween is a great time to boost your retail sales and build your brand. But how do you get started? 

In this blog post, we’ll share some tips on when to start your Halloween marketing, what kind of marketing to do, and how to make the most of this spooky holiday!

Benefits of Halloween marketing

It’s no secret that US consumers love celebrating Halloween. And with that comes an opportunity to increase sales and a chance to grow your revenue. Here are some benefits of Halloween marketing.

Increased sales

Halloween is a great opportunity to boost your sales. People in a festive mood for Halloween are more likely to make impulse purchases. 

Brand building

Halloween is also a great opportunity to build your brand. You can create Halloween-themed marketing campaigns that will get people talking about your brand, which increases brand awareness and helps you attract new customers.

When to start Halloween-themed marketing

You should start your Halloween marketing campaigns around August or September. This will make sure that your campaigns are well-timed and that people will see them with enough anticipation to plan their purchases.

It’s never too early to at least start thinking about Halloween marketing (along with the rest of your holiday promotions for the year). The earlier you start, the more time you’ll have to plan and execute a successful campaign. 

As you phase out Halloween merchandise and prepare to stock your shelves with Thanksgiving and Christmas products, Halloween items can be moved to the discount section of your store and marked down accordingly. 

25 Halloween marketing ideas

1. Create a spooky display including your best products
2. Host a Halloween event
3. Offer Halloween-themed product bundles
4. Send out Halloween-themed emails
5. Create Halloween-themed social media content
6. Get involved with local Halloween events
7. Use Halloween-themed marketing collateral
8. Offer Halloween discounts and promotions
9. Give out Halloween-themed goodies with purchases
10. Give reward points toward your loyalty program for shoppers in costumes who make a purchase
11. Offer a discount for customers who come in costume
12. Host a Halloween raffle and add an entry every time a customer visits your store
13. Give out coupons for future purchases with Halloween purchases
14. Have a contest for the best Halloween costume
15. Offer prizes for the best photo taken in front of your store’s Halloween display
16. Give a percentage off for every purchase made on Halloween
17. Have a special Halloween-themed sale
18. Create a direct-mail campaign
19. Host a pumpkin-carving event
20. Decorate your website
21. Invest in local Facebook ads
22. Create user-generated content (UGC) to promote your store
23. Host an annual Halloween scavenger hunt
24. Give out free apple cider
25. Let customers stack discounts on Halloween eve

Some great examples of retail Halloween marketing include:

1. Create a spooky display including your best products

To increase foot traffic, create a spooky display in your window or at the entrance of your store. This will help catch the attention of passersby and entice them to come in and check out your Halloween offerings.

2. Host a Halloween event

Another way to increase foot traffic and sales is to host a Halloween event. This could be something as simple as a Halloween-themed window display contest or a spookier event like a haunted house. The idea is to draw foot traffic to your store. 

3. Offer Halloween-themed product bundles

Capitalize on the holiday by creating Halloween-themed product bundles. This is a solid way to upsell to customers and increase your average order value.

4. Send out Halloween-themed emails

Get into the holiday spirit by sending out Halloween-themed emails to your subscribers. It’s an accessible way to promote your Halloween products and specials. Better yet, make it a Halloween countdown marathon where you send a daily Halloween-themed email starting in October. 

5. Create Halloween-themed social media content

Create Halloween-themed social media content to promote your store and products. You reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. Anything including TikToks, Instagram Stories, static posts, Facebook shoutouts, or Reels can work with a bit of creativity. 

6. Get involved with local Halloween events

Halloween is a great opportunity to get involved with local events and festivals. It’s a way to connect with potential customers and get your brand in front of a large audience. You can get involved by sponsoring an event, setting up a booth, or even just handing out candy on behalf of your brand.

7. Use Halloween-themed marketing collateral

Halloween is the perfect time to create some fun and festive marketing collateral. This could include Halloween-themed flyers, posters, coupons, and even outdoor store displays. Going bold with your Halloween efforts helps your store stand out from the competition.

8. Offer Halloween discounts and promotions

Halloween is another opportunity to offer discounts and promotions on your products and services. This is a low-effort way to increase sales and attract new customers. You can promote your Halloween discounts through your website, social media, and even local advertising.

9. Give out Halloween-themed goodies with purchases

Halloween is the perfect time to give your customers a little something extra with their purchase. A small treat or trinket related to the holiday shows your appreciation and makes your customers smile. 

10. Give reward points toward your loyalty program for shoppers in costumes who make a purchase

Halloween is a great time to boost your loyalty program. You can do this by giving out bonus points to shoppers who come in wearing a costume and make a purchase. People engage with your program and are encouraged to come back to your store. You can also promote your loyalty program on your social media channels and in your store.

11. Offer a discount for customers who come in costume

Halloween is the perfect time to show your customers that you appreciate their business by offering a discount to those who come in costume. You can promote this discount ahead of time on your website and social media channels, and make sure to let your customers know that the discount will be available at the register.

12. Host a Halloween raffle and add an entry every time a customer visits your store

You can increase customer foot traffic and sales by hosting a Halloween raffle and adding an entry every time a customer comes into the store. You can use this opportunity to promote your loyalty program and give out prizes that will encourage customers to come back and shop with you in the future. This way, customers interact with your brand and your products, and it will bring attention your store leading up to Halloween.

13. Give out coupons for future purchases with Halloween purchases

If you really want to incentivize customers to shop with you during the Halloween season, consider giving out coupons for future purchases. This could be a percentage off their next purchase or a free item with a minimum purchase. 

You could also tie it into your loyalty program and give customers an additional 10% off their next purchase if they use their loyalty card when they purchase Halloween items. Whatever you do, make sure the coupons are easy to use and have a clear expiration date so customers are encouraged to use them right away.

14. Have a contest for the best Halloween costume

While you want to make sure your sales are spooky good this Halloween, you can also use the holiday as an opportunity to have some fun with your customers and create a sense of community and loyalty. One way to do this is to have a contest for the best Halloween costume. This can be done in-store or online, and it’s a great way to engage your customers and get them talking about your brand.

15. Offer prizes for the best photo taken in front of your store’s Halloween display

With the rise of social media, one of the best ways to get your store noticed during Halloween is to encourage customers to take photos in front of your store’s Halloween display and post them online. To sweeten the deal, you can offer prizes for the best photos.

16. Give a percentage off for every purchase made on Halloween

Offering a percentage off of every purchase made on Halloween gets people in the door. You can promote this discount in a variety of ways, such as through social media, email marketing, or even by putting up a sign in front of your store. 

Be sure to let customers know what the discount is and how they can take advantage of it. You may also want to consider running a Halloween sale leading up to the big day. This will give customers an incentive to get their Halloween shopping done early, before the rush.

17. Have a special Halloween-themed sale

A Halloween-themed sale ensures you capture as many purchases as possible. Many retailers offer special discounts and promotions during Halloween, so it’s important to stand out from the crowd. Here are a few tips on how to make your Halloween sale a success:

18. Create a direct-mail campaign

With direct mail, you can target specific neighborhoods that have a high concentration of families with young children. Include a map of your store’s location, and highlight any special sales or events you’re offering. Be sure to include a call to action so recipients know what to do next.

19. Host a pumpkin-carving event

Pumpkin carving is a quintessential part of the Halloween season. Retailers can take advantage of this by hosting their own pumpkin carving event. This is a great opportunity to get customers in the door and generate some goodwill. 

20. Decorate your website

Retailers who take the time to decorate their website for Halloween can create a more immersive and engaging experience for their visitors. By adding Halloween-themed banners, images, and even audio or video content, you can make your site more festive and exciting. Additionally, by decorating your site you can also show your customers that you’re a retailer willing to go the extra mile to provide a great experience.

21. Invest in local Facebook ads

Investing in local Facebook ads can help promote your store during the Halloween season. You can target people in your area who are interested in Halloween-related keywords, and you can also target people who have visited your store in the past.

You can offer discounts, promote special sales, and host events that will attract people to your store. With a well-planned campaign, you can generate excitement, foot traffic, and sales.

22. Create user-generated content (UGC) to promote your store

By leveraging UGC, you can create a buzz around your brand and drive more sales. To encourage UGC, you can run social media campaigns that offer incentives for customers to post about your product. For example, you could offer a discount to customers who post a photo of themselves wearing your Halloween costume.

23. Host an annual Halloween scavenger hunt 

Giving customers a reason to come into your store during the Halloween season is key to increasing sales. One way to do this is by hosting an annual Halloween scavenger hunt. This event can be both fun and effective in driving traffic to your store. To make the event more enticing, offer a prize for the person who finds the most items on the list. 

24. Give out free apple cider

Give out a traditional fall drink like apple cider for free. It’s a smart way to increase foot traffic, build goodwill, keep customers returning, and build a sticky brand reputation. 

25. Let customers stack discounts on Halloween eve

Many retailers offer discounts on Halloween eve to increase sales. However, some retailers take it a step further and offer customers the ability to stack discounts. 

Customers can combine multiple discounts to get a bigger discount on their purchases. This encourages customers to buy more products. Make sure you have enough inventory to accommodate the increased demand. 

Boost your retail sales this Halloween

With some careful planning and execution, you can use Halloween as an opportunity to boost your retail sales. Hopefully, this guide helps you get creative with ideas for this year and the next.