More than 171 million Americans celebrate on Halloween each spending an average of $82.93 last year. That amount of spending is predicted to go up even higher this year.
Halloween is not just a fun holiday–statistics show that it is also one of the most expensive holidays! Americans spend a lot of money on Halloween festivities and the numbers just increase year after year. Now you must be thinking, “How can my restaurant take advantage of this festive season?”. Well the good news is that you still have a few weeks to prepare your Halloween game plan. So read up, take notes and get inspiration from these 5 tried and tested Halloween marketing strategies. Remember, for a business owner like you there is nothing scarier than an empty restaurant on Halloween!
Check out these 5 Halloween Marketing Tricks For Your Restaurant:
Trick #1: Decorate Your Restaurant
This is an absolute must and should be the first thing that you do. Go all out and decorate your restaurant from inside out. Catch the attention of passersby with carved pumpkins. Be sure to post photos on Facebook and Instagram. Be careful not to make your decor too scary though especially if you are a family-friendly restaurant. You want to be attracting customers and not scaring them away.
Trick #2: Offer A Halloween-Themed Menu
I personally love seasonal menu items and I know a lot of people also do! You don’t even need to spend too much time creating a new dish or drink. You can simply tweak existing menu items or decorate them to fit the occasion. Make sure it’s instagrammable!
Trick #3: Throw A Costume Party
What is Halloween without a costume party? Make your restaurant the go-to place this Halloween by hosting a fun party. You already have the decoration so why not maximize it, right? You can charge a minimal fee for a ticket that includes food and drinks. This is also a very great opportunity for building a good relationship with your customers. So get out there and party!
Trick #4: Give Discounts And Prizes
A holiday like Halloween will surely generate a lot of content on social media. Don’t waste this chance to get visibility for your restaurant! Create a contest where customers need to share photos of themselves at your restaurant. Customer generated content and testimonials are the best advertisements you could ever have.
Trick #5: Treat Your Employees
Post photos of your staff wearing costumes and let customers decide the winner. Or maybe have your staff make their own carved pumpkin and choose a winner. Don’t forget to give your employees a treat this holiday and make sure they are also part of the festivities. A happy employee always delivers the best service.
It’s true, people are always in the mood to splurge and celebrate on Halloween. However aside from the opportunity for your business to get more sales, take this as a chance to also make sure everyone will enjoy and have a great time. Happy Halloween!
