Halloween isn’t just for creative costumes and buckets of candy. It’s a prime opportunity for small businesses to get crafty and attract new customers while re-engaging existing ones. The National Retail Federation expects Halloween spending to hit record highs in 2025, showing that consumers are ready to open their wallets when it comes to frightfully good fun.
For small-business owners across industries — from HVAC and plumbing to med spas, restaurants, and local boutiques — now is the time to create clever campaigns that drive both foot traffic and online engagement. By combining offline and online marketing, you can reach more prospects looking for Halloween festivities in your area. With that in mind, here are 13 Halloween marketing ideas your small business can use to stand out this spooky season.
1. Send a “Spooktacular Savings” Email Campaign
Email is one of the most effective ways to reach your audience quickly, especially with perfectly timed messages. With Townsquare Interactive’s email and SMS marketing platform, you can send a Halloween-themed promotion like “Scary Good Deals All Week” or “No Tricks, Just Treats for Our Loyal Customers.”
Be sure to personalize messages by name, customer type, or appointment history to boost open and click rates — paying extra attention to the subject line. Research shows that emails with personalized subject lines have a 50% higher open rate than non-personalized ones.
2. Run a Limited-Time Halloween Flash Sale
A short-term promotion creates urgency while adding a festive touch. Fitness studios could offer a flash sale on class packs or memberships for those who join a Halloween-themed class. Restaurants could offer a unique Halloween menu with curated cocktails and dishes. Contractors might offer a “Boo-tiful Home Checkup” discount, while boutiques could bundle orange-and-black accessories.
The possibilities are endless. And you can use Townsquare Interactive’s business management platform to keep track of it all, from automated reminders to customer responses.
3. Host a Contest
Invite customers to show off their best costumes or pumpkin-carving skills! You can run contests both in-store and online. For example, set up a mini photo booth in your shop where customers can snap selfies in their costumes and then post them on their social media profiles. Create a branded hashtag, and ask customers to tag your shop when they post!
Whether you’re a doggy daycare hosting a Halloween parade or a medical facility spotlighting employees’ pumpkin-carving skills, the user-generated content will go a long way toward generating engagement online.
4. Offer a “Treat Yourself” Special
For service-based businesses like med spas, salons, or chiropractic clinics, a “Treat Yourself” offer fits the Halloween theme perfectly. Try offering discounts on relaxing or rejuvenating services like pumpkin facials or hair masks, with messages like “Skip the Tricks! Treat Yourself to Glowing Skin.” Promote these specials through automated text reminders and social media ads.
5. Dress Up Your Website and Social Media
A few seasonal design tweaks on your website can make your online presence feel timely and fun. Townsquare Interactive’s web design services can help you create festive graphics or update your site for the season.
You can also feature your limited-time offers in social media posts. Create Reels, Stories, and carousel-style posts that include spooky emojis and trending Halloween sounds. Need social media marketing support? We’ve got you covered there, too.
6. Partner With Another Local Business
Team up with another business for a Halloween event or promotion. For example, an HVAC company could partner with a local cafe for a “Warm Up This Fall” giveaway. A plumber could join forces with a contractor for a “No Frights, Just Fixes” home maintenance bundle or fall service special.
Using Townsquare’s business listings tools, you can ensure your online listings are accurate across the web and increase local visibility.
7. Create a Halloween-Themed Add-On
Offer an upsell to your traditional services that’s fit for the season. For example, feature a “Fright-Free Furnace Tune-Up” that includes an optional air-quality check. Or promote a “Pumpkin Spice Pedicure” upgrade with a festive scrub (and, as another partner offer, maybe a coupon to a local coffee shop).
These themed add-ons are an easy way to increase the average order value while giving customers something fun to talk about. Promote them through SMS or your online booking calendar using Townsquare’s integrated scheduling software.
8. Host a Community Trunk-or-Treat
If your business has a physical location or parking lot, hosting a trunk-or-treat event is a family-friendly way to meet new customers and neighbors. Hand out candy, display branded materials, and post event highlights on social media.
A trunk-or-treat event is a fun, low-pressure way to build community goodwill. Even better, you can get several nearby businesses involved in the fun and cross-promote each other.
9. Share Halloween Safety Advice
Sharing safety tips is a no-brainer for insurance agencies, law firms, contractors, medical practitioners, and any business that wants to demonstrate concern for the community’s well-being.
Contractors can post safety reminders about outdoor lighting and walkways, while medical practices can share advice about trick-or-treating safely. These educational posts position your business as a trusted local resource.
10. Run a “Guess the Candy Count” Contest
This classic game never gets old. Display a jar of candy corn or other Halloween candies in your store or online, and ask customers to guess the total number for a prize. Promote the contest through both online channels and in-person visits to encourage multi-channel engagement.
11. Offer Discounts for Costumes or Pumpkin Photos
For an even simpler take on costume contests, you can offer exclusive discounts to anyone who shows up at your location wearing a costume on Halloween. Send an email or SMS campaign encouraging customers to visit dressed up for a freebie or a percentage off their entire purchase.
From cafes to boutiques, any business with a physical location that customers frequent can create buzz and social media visibility with this no-fuss strategy.
12. Use SMS Marketing for Last-Minute Promos
Sometimes, the best campaigns are the ones you think of at the eleventh hour. Use Townsquare Interactive’s automated SMS platform to send last-minute reminders about a “Spooky Saturday Flash Sale” or appointment availability, for example. With 98% of Americans now owning a cell phone, the likelihood of your customers receiving and opening your text messages is high. Your messages can convert quickly when customers are already in the Halloween spirit.
13. Share Behind-the-Scenes Fun from Your Team
Humanize your brand by sharing your staff’s Halloween celebrations, from costume contests and potlucks to decorated offices and charity fundraisers. Authentic, lighthearted content helps customers connect with the people behind your business and keeps your brand top-of-mind.
Make the Most of Halloween With Townsquare Interactive
Halloween is fun for people of all ages, including adults with purchasing power who love to get in the spirit of the season. With a mix of traditional and digital marketing efforts, you can attract more customers while building brand loyalty.
Whether you’re sending a themed email, hosting a local event, or tracking campaign results, Townsquare Interactive’s business management platform is a must-have tool for all your campaigns. It makes it easy to plan, organize, automate, and measure the results of your Halloween advertising ideas and marketing efforts, all in one place.
Ready to plan out your marketing ideas for Halloween? Let Townsquare Interactive help you turn this Halloween season into your most successful one yet — and prepare you for even better holidays ahead.