Halloween is one of the biggest shopping holidays of the year, being massively popular in the United States and parts of Europe. In 2021, the average Halloween spending per person in the U.S. was estimated to reach more than US$100. And in 2022, total spending is expected to reach £687 million in the UK alone.
Businesses that offer Halloween-specific products such as costumes, candy, pumpkins and decorations do very well at this time of year. But actually, Halloween presents a 'fangtastic' opportunity for a variety of enterprises to bring in revenue through special deals, offers, incentives and news.
In this article, discover how different business sectors can capitalise on this major holiday through the wizardry of SMS!
What you’ll need to send Halloween SMS campaigns
You'll need two things in place before sending out happy Halloween messages to your customers.
Firstly, you'll need to choose an SMS provider – an intermediary between mobile network operators and SMS subscribers. The provider will send your Halloween text messages on your behalf – in bulk and via the fastest, most reliable routes.
Secondly, you'll need a list of subscribers who have opted-in to receive SMS marketing campaigns. This is a legal requirement in most countries.
There are several ways to obtain opt-ins. You could have customers tick a box via your online checkout, set up an online landing page to capture phone numbers and permissions, or encourage people to text a shortcode number to sign up.
Related: use the Periodic Table for Brilliant SMS Marketing to guide your Halloween text message campaigns!
Halloween SMS campaign ideas (that work!)
1. Flash sales
A flash sale is where you significantly drop prices on selected products or services for a short period of time, e.g. 24-48 hours. Running a flash sale can attract new customers, generate high sales quickly and help you shift excess inventory.
2. Loyalty campaigns
Halloween is a great time to dust the cobwebs off your loyalty program and make it work a bit harder for you.
Reward existing customers with special offers, discounts or incentives that make them feel valued. For example, why not entice customers with double points when they buy Halloween items? Or use Halloween to promote early Christmas deals – buy a Halloween item to receive 10% off a different product range during the first two weeks of December?
3. Engagement campaign
Even if you don't want to promote a particular product or service, Halloween provides plenty of opportunities to engage customers. Consider a 'trick or treat' text-to-win contest to encourage interactions – provide a handful of prizes for the winners (treats) and text funny Halloween messages back to everyone else (trick!).
4. Drive traffic to your website
Get even more value from SMS by using it to drive traffic to other platforms, like your website or social media pages. Generate some good quality Halloween-inspired content (e.g., list post, how-to, personal story, infographic or newsworthy article), publish it online before 31st October and use SMS to promote it.
15 Happy Halloween SMS templates
We've put together a whole host of Halloween SMS templates to suit different sectors – and right at the bottom, you'll also see some universal Halloween text messages that any business can use to drive engagement.
For retail and e-commerce:
Halloween greetings, [Name]! You'll be spellbound when you see our spine-tingling 48-hour flash sale on [Product]. Shop now! [URL]
No tricks, just treats for you, [Name]! As a valued customer, grab 25% off any purchase until midnight on 31st. Enter HLW25 at checkout: [URL]
Fancy some free candy, [Name]? Spend over $25 online this week and we'll deliver some spooktacular sweets with your purchase! Happy Halloween!
For the beauty industry:
Halloween gel nails - FLASH SALE! Choose from five spooky designs – just [Price] for a full set! Call [Number] to book.
Pumpkin spice and all things nice... FREE Halloween-scented candle to take home after your [treatment]. 🎃 Book now [Name] while stocks last! [URL]
Witching you a very happy Halloween dear valued customer! Here's a devilish treat just for you! Take 15% off your next [treatment]. Book here: [URL]
For the financial services industry:
Want to have a fun-filled Halloween but spooked about spending too much [Name]? Fear not! Use our wicked money-saving tips to keep costs down. [URL]
Retirement savings giving you the heebie-jeebies, [Name]? Make no bones about it; a financial plan will soothe your soul. Get a free consultation: [URL]
Happy Halloween [Name]! Get an un-BOO-lievable deal on car insurance when you also take out home insurance. 👻 Learn more: [URL].
For the hospitality sector:
Hoping for a killer Halloween, [Name]? Enter our SMS contest for a chance to win a one-night stay in our Halloween-themed suite! Text RIP to [Shortcode]! ⚰️
Hi [Name], hungry for scary snacks and terrifying treats? Visit [Cafe Name] this Halloween for takeaway boxes of [Treat Type]!
Ghostly greetings from [Restaurant Name]! Join us for pumpkin carving fun 4-5pm this week and enjoy our early evening spooky menu! Book now: [URL]
Universal Halloween messages any business can use:
Having a scary Halloween party, [Name]? Spook us with a terrifying pic of you in your Halloween costume! We'll post the most gruesome on our Facebook page. 😱
Hey [Name]! Need ideas for a spooky Halloween? Read our latest blog for creepy, hilarious and fun Halloween decorations! [URL]
How do ghosts wash their hair, [Name]? With sham-BOO! Join in our frightful fun over on Twitter – tell us your most spooktacular Halloween joke! [URL]
Let the spooky Halloween fun begin!
Halloween is a 'fab-BOO-lous' opportunity to increase sales and thrill your customers! Even if your business doesn't sell Halloween-related items, you can still use this seasonal holiday to give your audience 'pumpkin' to talk about.
Ready to send out happy Halloween wishes to your customer base using SMS? Get started free with Messente.
