Spooky winds, falling leaves, and crazy costumes!! Yes, you guessed it right. Halloween is around the corner. It is a month-long opportunity to increase your sales and engage your existing and potential customers in a fun and memorable way. According to the study, US people spent over $10 billion on Halloween in 2022. In 2023, these numbers reached an all-time high of $12.2 billion. US families spending increased by approximately 15% in 2023. Don’t you think Halloween can also become an excellent opportunity for your business? You can promote your product/services to your target audience by running Halloween marketing campaigns.

One effective way to reach your customers and engage with them is SMS marketing. This blog covers exciting Halloween marketing ideas to convert seasonal browsers into loyal customers.

How can SMS Marketing Enhance the Effectiveness of Halloween Promotion Ideas?

SMS offers high open rates, instant reach, high SMS delivery rates, and personalized touch. That’s why SMS marketing can enhance the effectiveness of Halloween promotion ideas. Crafting a Halloween SMS campaign can increase your brand awareness and audience engagement. Through SMS marketing, you can send limited-time offers, exclusive deals, and relatable and interactive content directly to your customers’ phones. In short, you can create a sense of urgency and excitement.

Imagine this: You receive an SMS regarding a flash sale on costumes during Halloween, which will last only for one day. It will be hard to resist! Right? There is more than one reason why you should focus on Halloween SMS marketing.

People are already excited and looking for various ways to celebrate, so this is the perfect time to encourage them to engage with your brand. Halloween marketing allows you to align your brand with the festive vibes. A killer Halloween marketing campaign can boost your sales, help you build community, and increase brand awareness.

In short, this festive season offers B2B and B2C brands excellent opportunities to boost revenue with their tailored campaigns. So, without waiting much, gear up your Halloween SMS marketing plans and watch how your sales metrics soar.

How to Identify & Segment Your Audience for Halloween SMS Campaigns?

Remember, Halloween is not only for families and kids. It is the holiday season that appeals to a wide demographic. To maximize your Halloween SMS campaign, you must practice STP marketing. It will help you understand your target audience and how to segment them and strengthen your brand’s position correctly.

You can target the following audience groups to run your Halloween marketing campaigns effectively.

Families and parents are usually more interested in decorations, costumes, and party supplies. Young adults and college-going students generally look for trendy costumes, special events, or party accessories. Taking about B2B and B2C businesses and professionals, you can engage them by offering them limited-time deals, special events/webinars, or special deals about your services/products.

Once you identify your target audience, the next step is to segment them. You can segment them based on demographics, geographics, behavioural, psychographics, or technographics.

Let’s say that with audiences you have segmented based on location; you can promote your local events or partnerships with nearby businesses. For the audience which you have segmented based on behavioural traits, you can send them costume offers or any other offers related to Halloween items. If you are into the food business, you can segment your audience based on their interests and engage all food lovers with exclusive Halloween-themed recipes.

To identify your audience, analyze your past SMS campaigns. Observe the purchase history and purchase behavior of the customers. It will help you find out which audience is perfect for your Halloween SMS campaign and in which SMS campaign, you got the massive response from your target audience.

Now that you know your target audience, let’s understand best practices, tips, and a few examples for crafting Halloween SMS marketing campaigns.

Best Practices & Tips for Crafting Halloween SMS Marketing Campaigns

Remember the practices and tips discussed below for Halloween SMS marketing campaigns before you hit the send button.

• Plan your Halloween SMS campaign in advance, early in October. It will help you build excitement and momentum.
• Your SMS should be short, crisp, engaging, and concise. The SMS character limit is 160 characters, so use them wisely. Utilize emojis to add a festive and fun vibe.
• Use phrases like “limited-time offer” or “only for today.” It will create urgency and encourage customers to take quick action.
• Greet your customers by name, observe their buying patterns, and use previous purchase data to craft tailored text messages. It will make your customers feel valued.
• Include a clear call to action, like “Monster-size Savings Awaits!” or “Frighteningly Good Discount Inside, Get Your Costume Ready, etc.”
• You can even include multimedia in your text message and take your Halloween campaign to the next level.
• Your text message should be compliant with regulations such as TCPA and 10DLC.
• Ensure all your content is relevant and keep the right balance between professional language and fun.
• To reach your B2B customers, schedule your SMS during business hours.

Creative Halloween SMS Promotion Ideas

Your Halloween-themed SMS campaigns should be strategic, aligned with the B2B market, and engaging. Check out a few creative Halloween SMS promotion ideas.

1) Exclusive Halloween Promotions

Who does not like a good discount? Craft a compelling SMS campaign and offer spooky discounts or limited-time offers to attract customers and encourage them to make a quick purchase.

SMS Examples – Beauty & Salon

If you are into the salon and spa business, you can run exclusive Halloween promotions by sending the following text messages.

Halloween is here, and here is the treat Just for you! Enjoy 20% Off on hair spa. Expires in 24 hours! Use code: SPOOKYSPA20”.

You can even send SMS like this.

Hey, Boo-tiful. Be the queen of the Halloween party with our special Halloween makeup package. Click here to claim –[Link].

This exclusive offer will drive revenue and create urgency, which encourages immediate action.

2) Countdown to Halloween

Businesses can build excitement by running a countdown to Halloween SMS campaign, special offers, or some fun content. It will help you keep your brand at the customers’ top of mind through daily engagement. You can do this by offering daily deals or interactive content.

SMS Example – Restaurant & Bar

Are you into the food and beverage business? Here is how you can attract and engage your customers with your brand.

Happy Halloween [customer name]. Only 7 days left until Halloween! Enjoy a 10% discount on meals until Halloween. Try our new recipes and treat yourself to delicious food. Click here to find more [Link].

Or you can send some Halloween quizzes regarding recipes via SMS.

Hey, [customer name]! How much do you know about Halloween recipes? Revert A, B, or C, test your knowledge, and win spooky rewards.

3) Costume Contest and Challenges

If you want to engage your audience, then host an online Halloween contest and promote it via SMS. People love to show how creative they are, and when they know there is a chance to win a prize, it can boost participation.

SMS Example – E-commerce & Retail

If you run an eCommerce clothing store, you can host a social media contest and promote it via SMS. You can even give participation incentives to all participants.

Hey [customer name]! Show off your Halloween spirit in our online Halloween contest and grab a chance to win a $50 gift card. Reply ENTER to Enroll in the contest. For more details, click here [Link].

A retail store owner can also send general Halloween event SMS like this.

Are you ready for some fall fun [customer name]? Join us for a Spook-tacular Halloween event at [your store name] at [Date] & [Time]! Enjoy 5% discounts on all orders. RSVP now! [Link].

4) Special Preview of Upcoming Products/Services

Your B2B customers will love to get an opportunity to access your new tool/product/service along with a Halloween-themed spin, which can give them a competitive edge.

SMS Example – SaaS companies

If you are a SaaS company owner, giving your B2B customers beta testing opportunities for the upcoming product will build excitement. You can do it with a Halloween-themed exclusive offer.

Be the first one to test our latest tool [product/service/tool name] exclusively on this Halloween! Reply YES to claim your spot & get ready for the spooky sneak peek before everyone else – Try with our beta trial!

5) Seasonal Product/Service Bundles

Offering seasonal product bundles or service bundles for B2B businesses can provide value. Usually, B2B business owners look for such bundled services or products at a discounted rate.

SMS Example – Car Dealership

The seasonal bundle services make it easier for businesses to choose and offer them multiple benefits.

Halloween Special: Grab our insurance and maintenance packages at 25% off. The offer ends soon. Treat your business today!

6) Limited-Time Subscription Packages

Usually, B2B customers are interested in trying exclusive limited-time subscription packages that add value to their business. You can send them the following SMS.

SMS Example – Travel & Tourism

Limited-time subscription packages will encourage B2B customers in the travel industry to upgrade their packages. Here is how to do it.

Don’t let this spooky season scare you! Upgrade your travel subscriptions today to enjoy exclusive perks. Offer valid till midnight! Click here to learn more: [Link].

7) Business Trick-or-Treat Surprise Offers

Do you want to create excitement and curiosity in your B2B clients and expect them to act quickly? Run a Trick-or-Treat surprise offer campaign. There is a high chance that your loyal customers or potential leads will interact with this offer, boosting your engagement and driving more sales.

SMS Example – Hotel & Hospitality

Trick or Treat! Unlock an exclusive 15% discount on your next hotel supplies order! Click here to claim your treat: [Link].

8) Cross Promotion

Want to keep the festivity spirit by combining it with a seasonal treat? The local business collaboration can help you with it. It will not only promote your business but help you build community. Here is how to do it.

SMS Example – Real Estate

The following Halloween-themed SMS will combine the house hunt thrill with the seasonal treat. Partnering with a local café will add value and create a community that will attract potential buyers to schedule visits.

Hey [customer name]! Looking for your dream home? Partner with [local café name], and grab the free pumpkin latte with each house visit this weekend! Get ready to sip & explore! Reply BOO to book!

9) Halloween Giveaways

We all like giveaways, right? It is an excellent technique that businesses can use to generate excitement, increase engagement, and drive Halloween sales.

SMS Example – Healthcare

If you are in the healthcare industry, you can send your customers the following message to build community, strengthen partnerships, and increase brand loyalty and engagement.

Join our Halloween Giveaway! Win the wellness package for your clinic! Revert WIN to enter. Let’s boost your team’s spirit this spooky season!

10) Post Halloween Follow-Up

The fun should continue even after Halloween. If you want to keep the momentum going, send your customers a follow-up SMS that thank them or offer them a post-Halloween discount.

SMS Example – Restaurant

This SMS makes your customers feel that their presence matters to you. Also, offering them a limited-time discount will encourage them to revisit your restaurant.

Hey, [customer name], Thank you for celebrating Halloween with us! We appreciate your participation. Enjoy 15% off on your next meal – Valid until next week.