Halloween is the best appetizer for brands and businesses to prepare for the holiday season leading up to December. Why? Because it’s the one time of year where you can literally scare away your customers and they’ll keep coming back and bring more business. There are so many different fears to play into that displays and experiences during Christmas pale in comparison to what you can conjure up during Halloween.
Make this All Hallows’ Eve one your customers and guests will never forget. In tourism and/or hospitality the experience can only go as far as the effort you place on the atmosphere. Halloween is all about setting the right mood through an even balance of scares and fun. It’s about understanding your customers and their desires.
Every year, Six Flags transforms its amusement parks into a Halloween destination for Fright Fest. The brand sets a terrific tone by integrating different elements of the holiday season throughout their parks. Characters dress up in Halloween costumes, zombies walk around and sit on in rides, haunted houses can be visited at an additional fee and even the rides are adapted with some kind of horror theme. It’s not so scary that a whole family can’t attend, but it’s a wonderful example of how to draw in guests by fully integrating themes throughout every aspect of your business.
If you’re host to haunted lodgings like the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego it’s the perfect time to capitalize on those urban legends. The Del is throwing a fun Hallo-wine and Spirits Party, a unique reception for guests and non-guests of the hotel. Throwing a celebration such as this is a great way to increase bookings because customers will already be at your hotel. Proclaimed haunted hotels can also cater to supernatural enthusiasts with ghost tours too, or even challenge guests to spend the night and host fun Halloween-themed events for the evening.
And if you’re a restaurant or bar looking to draw in tourists during Halloween, play to your strengths with themes and parties. Throw costume contests that work with your establishment if you have a particular edge, create a customized menu that represents your restaurant/chef so customers can recall it later, or go all out with the decorations to make it the best Halloween environment possible – creativity is appreciated beyond a fog machine and dimming the lights.
Fear is a unique emotion when developing a marketing plan. It can be introduced to drive sales by telling your target market they are missing out on the next big thing. But if we can transition this negative emotion into a positive experience it will have a lasting affect that will become a cherished memory. Have fun this Halloween, the more you do the more your guests will remember you for it and the likelihood that word of mouth traffic will increase.
-Tyler
(Photo source: Six Flags)