Beware foolish mortals (and marketers): These SMS and email marketing ideas may lead to an increase in revenue and engagement.

While many marketers already have their sights set on Black Friday/Cyber Monday, another big holiday is creeping around the corner: Halloween. 

Halloween spending is back to pre-Covid numbers. In 2023, Halloween spending reached an all-time high of $12.2B. This year, consumers are eager to (trick or) treat themselves to new costumes and decorations, and host or attend parties. 

Keep in mind: this retail holiday isn’t limited to selling costumes or candy. Any brand can get in on the beloved traditions and fun celebrations.

Carve out room in your calendar for these Halloween marketing campaigns and strategies.

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1. Slashing prices with a flash sale

Slip UK, a pillowcase and sleep accessories retailer, got subscribers’ hearts racing by announcing a flash sale. Subscribers could enjoy 30% off select products, but they had to hurry as the deal was only valid for 24 hours. They made it even easier to shop the sale as the discount would automatically be applied. No magic words or promo codes needed.

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2. Boo-sting conversions with free perks

Snack brand Bobo’s offered customers a treat with a free bite included on all orders—and for a very limited time. Offering a free gift with purchase is a fun incentive strategy that fosters customer loyalty, but it’s also a great alternative if your brand doesn’t offer discounts.

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3. Matching products to spooky vibes

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Whether it’s going back to school with university color-inspired wallets and bags or showing their favorite horror film baddie some love, Thread Wallets has a look for every shopper’s tastes. They engaged customers with a BuzzFeed-esque question of “Which horror movie character are you?” And the answer was tied to a specific pattern. This email was both interactive and had a fun spin on marketing products during the holiday.

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4. Putting the fear in FOMO with limited-edition items

Personal care brand Function of Beauty brought back a fan-favorite for spooky season, their limited-edition black shampoo. The formula touts a haunting twist, but the real haunting would be felt by customers who missed their chance to snag a bottle or two as the collection would only be available for a limited time.

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5. Going trick or treating via texting

The INKEY List UK interacted with subscribers by asking if they wanted a trick or a treat. This conversation starter was playful and had an element of mystery as to what they’d get back from the brand depending on their choice. 

‍Pro tip: Engaging customers in two-way conversations makes it easy to collect zero-party data and personalize future messages based on previous interactions. Looking for other use cases for two-way texts? Try out onboarding quizzes, preference collection, educational content, cross-selling initiatives, and gamified experiences.

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6. Bewitching subscribers with engaging content, not just ghost stories

Kodiak Cakes was on a mission to treat customers over Halloween by sharing a recipe for candy corn cookies—something good to eat. This message serves a variety of their customers, whether they’re looking for treats to make for a Halloween party or something to nibble on when everyone is cozied up on the couch watching horror movies.  

‍Pro tip: Halloween food spending for 2024 will be up, and food shoppers are more likely to plan before their trip to the store. Either follow Kodiak Cake’s example and send subscribers recipes so they can add ingredients to their shopping list, or remind them they can save a trip to the store by buying pre-packaged goodies directly from your brand.

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7. Cutting time for errands with a BOPIS reminder

Many shoppers wish there was some sort of hocus pocus they could do for instantaneous delivery of all their purchases, but until that time there’s always BOPIS (Buy Online Pick-up In Store). Claire’s sent subscribers a last-chance SMS message that reminded them that they could shop online and get their items with a fast pick-up.

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8. Recommending post-Halloween party products

Farmacy Beauty knows there’s nothing scarier than not being able to get Halloween makeup off at the end of the night. They make it easy for their customers with their Green Clean product line. By including a direct link to the product line, customers don’t have to scroll and click to find what’s being recommended and can complete their purchase faster.

‍Pro tip: 78% of shopping happens on mobile phones. But mobile shoppers aren’t spending as much time on each page. Mobile shoppers typically visit only 2.3 pages per shopping session. It’s important to make sure the recommendations sent via mobile messaging are highly relevant and it’s easy to complete purchases on mobile.

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9. Unmasking shipping deadlines

Customers would be in for a real fright night if they missed the cutoff date for on-time delivery from ONEHOPE Winery. The wine brand texted subscribers with a friendly reminder that they had two more days to get orders in—and offered a discount on bundles. A time-sensitive offer like this encourages customers to act on the deal before it expires. 

‍Pro tip: 39% of beverage buyers go for the brands they know and love when shopping for Halloween. Ensure your brand name is front and center and that you have a contact card for instant recognition.

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10. Witching subscribers a happy Halloween

Halloween Costumes is a go-to retailer for the holiday—it’s in their name. They used SMS marketing to encourage sales past their prime shopping season as Halloween isn’t the only time customers could be on the hunt for costumes. They sweetened the message with an offer of a bonus 31% when subscribers purchased an e-gift card.

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11. Sharing iconic sightings

Drink Poppi didn’t share that they spotted a ghost, but they did spot a celebrity sipping their product in a Halloween-themed video. They texted subscribers so they could celebrate this iconic moment with the brand–-and take 20% off their next order to get ready for Halloween.

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Marketing opportunity: Spooky season in summer

Thinking of kicking off next year’s Halloween campaigns and sales early? Then you’ll want to add a Summerween campaign to your marketing calendar. 

Each year, Summerween gains more and more traction with consumers as they’re ready to say goodbye to the summer heat and embrace all things spooky season. Think Jack-o’-lanterns but watermelons instead of pumpkins, hot dog mummies, and telling ghost stories around the campfire. Summerween comes from the show Gravity Falls, where the citizens in the fictional town of Gravity Falls celebrate Halloween twice, once on Halloween and again on June 22.

Outside of the show, there’s no official Summerween date, but many brands send Summerween-themed marketing messages in July and August. It can be a fun and easy way to get more out of your Halloween campaigns without waiting until fall.

You can use some of the marketing campaign ideas listed in this blog to help plan your Summerween campaign, with a few minor tweaks:

• Help your customers save on food, drinks, decor, or clothing for a Summerween-themed BBQ
• Recommend products for a Summerween celebration or share non-promotional content like recipes or party planning tips
• Promote a Summerween limited-edition product
• Offer a free gift with a purchase that will be perfect for the upcoming spooky season
• Run a Summerween flash sale

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If you’re more traditional and sticking with the major holiday shopping seasons, be sure to check out The Complete BFCM Archive. The archive offers guides, tips, and templates so you can have the most successful BFCM marketing campaign yet. Also, check out our SMS gallery, Texts We Love, for more holiday marketing ideas and inspiration.