Multi-channel Halloween marketing campaign scenarios for a spook-tacular effect

Are you tired of generic Halloween marketing ideas? Do you want to run something more attractive and effective this year? We fully understand - and we've got your back. Your efforts are justifiable, as Halloween has turned into one of the world's biggest cultural and commercial events. Customer spending has been increasing annually and, as for 2018, has reached a total of 419 million British pounds. Most people love Halloween’s unique atmosphere and perceive it as a perfect occasion to be a little bit more creative and simply have a lot of fun.

If you are one of these people - first and foremost, high five, you are truly a cool one! We have prepared two multi-channel marketing campaign scenarios that will turn a visit at your salon on Halloween into an out-of-this-world experience. Each campaign is described in detail, includes sample advertisement texts and can be easily customised to fit your personal needs - and if you don’t want to go full-in, you can still make good use out of a few particular ideas. Without any further ado - let’s get this party startled! (warning: this article will contain an unhealthy amount of bad Halloween puns).

Scenario 1: The Witching Hour

The plot On Halloween, your salon turns into an area of a witches’ sabbath. All the salon’s employees are witches and warlocks who are more than happy to host other witches and warlocks arriving at their doors! The premises

• All clients will get a free “witches brew” cocktail.
• All clients dressed up or having witchy accessories (hats, brooms, wands) will be invited to lucky dip a prize from the witch’s cauldron. The prizes will be goodie bags, consisting of mini products and Halloween sweets, and some of them will include vouchers.
• If a client refers the salon to a friend and they decide to book their appointment, both of them will receive a £25 voucher.

SMS/email marketing

• At least two weeks before Halloween, send your clients a message announcing the upcoming event: The Witching Hour is closing in - we are calling out to all witches and warlocks to join our beauty sabbath! Boo-k your appointment on Halloween and arrive in your witchy attire - horribly fantastic things are going to happen! We are awaiting your presence, [YOUR BUSINESS NAME]
• If you have any free slots left a week after that, send your clients (excluding the ones who booked for that day) a follow-up message regarding the upcoming event: You can still trick-or-treat yourself by joining our Halloween event! All of our guests will be charmed with delicious witches brew cocktails - and those who’ll decide to express their true selves with witchy accessories will not leave empty-handed. Book while you can, spots are limited! Stay charming, [YOUR BUSINESS NAME]
• After the event, target the clients who had their appointments that day with an additional treat: Thank you for joining our beauty sabbath! You have put a spell on us and we hope to see you again soon. If you found our salon bewitching, refer it to your witch friend - if they book with us, we’ll be happy to reward both of you with £25 vouchers. Creep it real, [YOUR BUSINESS NAME].

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Social media

• At least two weeks before Halloween, publish a post announcing the event on your social media fan pages (mainly Facebook and Instagram): Witches and warlocks, the Witching Hour is closing in - join our beauty sabbath and trick and treat yourself like never before. Book your appointment on October 31st, attend it in your witchy attire and… prepare to be wickedly amazed! We are spooking forward to hearing from you - remember, the number of spots is limited!
• Follow-up the initial announcement with a few “warming up” posts - it's a good idea to share some teaser photos of the salon decor and the team costumes. Nothing too revealing, just a little warm-up!
• After the event, share photos of the salon, the dressed-up team and clients. However, remember to ask for their official permission first!

Things to prepare

• Salon’s decor - take inspiration from all of the most classic witchy symbols, such as brooms, black cats, ravens, potions, runic stones, candles and spellbooks. You don’t have to be super serious about it - for example, as you invite other witches, it’s cool to prepare a “broom parking” near your entrance. To run a prize dip, you will need a large cauldron.
• Your appearance - you and your employees have to be dressed up! Long dresses, diabolical make-up and messy hair are more than welcome. If you are on a budget, simply wear a black dress or a black suit and bring along witchy accessories (they can be bought everywhere during the Halloween season).
• Specials - prepare goodie bags, made of mini-products, samples and Halloween sweets to put in the prize dip. Throw in a few of your vouchers to spice up the game! Also, find recipes for cool-looking, non-alcoholic drinks - think about using dry ice, as it gives a smoke effect, food colouring and ice cubes or gummies in spooky shapes.

Scenario 2: Bloodlust

The plot On Halloween day, your salon becomes unfriendly to even the smallest rays of sunshine - it’s time to host guests straight out of a coffin! All your team members and you are vampires, hosting a fang-tastic party at your mansion, and you are going to have a terribly good time. The premises

• All clients will get free “blood cocktails”.
• All clients arriving that day can take part in the best costume contest and win a £50 voucher.
• For spas and beauty clinics: 15% discount on all anti-ageing services.
• For hairdressers: 15% discount on colouring your hair black, red or green.
• For nail technicians: 15% discount on dark nail colours and Halloween-themed nail art.

SMS/email marketing

• At least two weeks before Halloween, send your clients a message announcing the upcoming event: Rise from the grave and shine, vampire beauties! Visit our vampire mansion [YOUR BUSINESS NAME] on October 31st and enjoy your [CHOSEN PROMOTION]! Make sure to arrive in your vampire attire, as we will reward the most fang-tastic costume with a special prize. Book your appointment right off the bat!
• If you have any free slots left a week after that, send your clients (excluding the ones who booked for that day) a follow-up message regarding the upcoming event: You can still trick-or-treat yourself by joining our Halloween event! If you are a sucker for cocktails that are just your (blood) type, we are well-prepared for your visit. If you want to enjoy your [CHOSEN PROMOTION], hurry up - there are only a few slots left! We are awaiting your pale-faced presence - the [YOUR BUSINESS NAME] vampire mansion.

Social media

• At least two weeks before Halloween, publish a post announcing the event on your social media fan pages (mainly Facebook and Instagram): On 31st October, our vampire mansion opens for all the blood-lusting beauties! Sink your teeth into the special promotion we prepared for that day - [CHOSEN PROMOTION]. Make sure to showcase your vampire vein-ity and arrive all dressed up, as we will reward the greatest costume with a scary good prize! Make your appointment today, the number of slots is limited!
• Once again, follow-up the initial announcement with a few “warming up” posts.
• Share the photos from the event afterwards.

Things to prepare

• Salon’s decor - bats hanging from the ceiling, tons of burning candles, red roses and maybe a little coffin here and there and you'll be in a blood-sucking mood in no time!
• Your appearance - full-on victorian-era vampire dresses or suits are more than welcome, but if you are on a budget, simply wear a black dress or black suit pants + black shirt combo, make your complexion pale with makeup and your lips blood red. Buy yourself a pair of fake fangs and make your hair sleek and shiny.
• Specials - non-alcoholic Bloody Maries will be perfect - consider splitting the supply into four separate vessels and signing them as “Type A”, “Type B”, “Type AB” and “Type O”!

A well-prepared Halloween event can be a great advertisement for your salon, resulting in more than just one busy day. It can earn you tons of good publicity and appreciation, boost your reputation and improve the loyalty of your existing clients as well as allure new ones. It doesn’t cost a lot to prepare such an event and the prizes you give away that day are clever enough to both be attractive and tie the client up to your business even more at the same time. A successful SMS/email marketing for hair & beauty salon is already half of the success - with the bulk messaging and advanced targeting options available in Booksy, you’ll spread the word in two seconds flat and will be able to spend the rest of the time preparing your spook-tastic costume. Amaze your clients this Halloween and prepare a day worth screaming about!