Strategies: Some tricks for Halloween treats
Halloween is big business for small business. According to the National Retail Federation (https://nrf.com/resources/halloween-headquarters), Americans will spend $6.9 billion on costumes, decorations, candy, greeting cards and party favors this year. More than 157 million will participate in Halloween festivities. Twenty million Americans will even spend $350 million on pet costumes. (I have to admit that I’m part of that group.)
In honor of this important and fun holiday for kids, adults, pets and big and small business, I’ve written a Halloween poem.
‘Twas the Week Before Halloween
(With apologies to Clement C. Moore, author of A Visit from St. Nicholas)
‘Twas the week before Halloween,
And all thru the mall,
The shoppers were spending,
They were buying it all.
They were scooping up candy,
Decorations and masks,
How much were they spending?
Oh, don’t even ask!
With all of those dollars
And credit cards flying,
Halloween’s now number two
In holiday buying.
Not Thanksgiving or Valentine’s,
Nor that day set for Mother,
Except for Halloween,
There’s only one other.
Merchants and restaurants
And businesses galore,
Find ways to use Halloween
To sell even more.
“It’s a holiday for kids,”
I hear you say.
Yeah, just visit a bank
On Halloween Day.
All the tellers wear costumes,
Some even quite funny,
And these are the people
Who’ve got all your money.
Halloween’s now part
Of all business culture,
So if you use it, too,
You won’t seem like a vulture.
You, too, can get a piece
Of all this spending flurry,
But Halloween’s soon,
So you better hurry.
“But Rhonda,” you cry,
“There’s just one detail,
The business I own
Is not in retail.”
It’s not like a lawyer
Has much they can do,
They can’t really offer
A special Halloween sue.
Use Halloween to let clients
Know of them you’ve been thinking,
So they’ll remember your name
Through all their holiday drinking.
You can send them a card
Or hold a big party,
It’s different than Christmas,
You’ll seem like a smarty.
Run a Halloween special,
Offer good things to eat,
Be creative, be clever,
Find a trick, find a treat.
If nothing works now,
When Halloween’s near,
Just print out my column
And save ‘til next year.
Then plan a promotion
With a Halloween tie-in,
One that will get
All your customers buyin’.
As I close out this column,
Only one thing’s to write:
“Happy Halloween to all,
And to all a good fright."
Among Rhonda Abrams' recent books is the 6th edition of Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies. Register for her free newsletter at PlanningShop.com. Twitter: @RhondaAbrams.
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