Spooky Marketing Tips for Halloween

 

In 2011, nearly $7 billion dollars was spent on Halloween festivities all over the country! This makes Halloween the second most important holiday for retailers, right behind Christmas. Now is the perfect time to ‘spookify’ your marketing strategy. Take advantage of the opportunity to be playful and have a little fun! Here are some tips that won’t scare your customers away:

1. Host a contest: Holiday contests are the perfect way to get people not only excited about the holiday, but also about your company. The best way to host these would be on your social media pages, such as Facebook. Encourage customers to post a photo on your company’s wall of themselves, (or even their children or pets!) in their scariest, cutest, or most creative costume. Come up with a creative prize for the winner, such as a free consultation and a bucket of Halloween candy. This is fun for your customers and you!

2. Send out promotional items: Whether it’s direct mail or e-mail, create a Halloween themed flyer that has coupons or other incentives. Include images of ghosts or candy corn with orange and other Fall colored fonts. Maybe your company is more playful and wants the background to look like dripping blood. Get creative! Other things that could be included are: safety tips for trick-or-treating, festive recipes, or pumpkin carving tips. By including those things, people are more likely to save the flyer and be reminded of your company every time they look at it, which will increase your brand recognition. 

 

 

3. Create a video: Videos are an awesome way to attract and keep your customer’s attention.Take this video, for example. It was made by Westlake Ace Hardware and got over 30,000 views, plus national media attention from a news channel. Not to mention the fact that it’s just plain awesome! Creating entertaining and shareable videos, will draw lots of attention to your business, which is the whole point of marketing. The best part is that all you need is a video camera, creative idea, and killer costumes.

What are some things that your company is doing to utilize Halloween in your promotions?hYperstrand Marketing has a bunch of great ideas and tools to help you along. And don’t worry, we won’t suck your blood  Happy Halloween!

Lead, Follow, or Get Out Of The Way!!! Says – “Franchiseboy”!

Be a leader!

You can own your own business.

That means you can decide what you want to do with your life!

Set your schedule to “fit” your family-time!

Do something you want to do, enjoy doing and can be rewarding to you and your financial future!

Have you considered buying a franchise?

There more than 4000 franchise companies and there is a franchise business model that you can own!

Home based, client services, retail, business-to-business and consulting to name a few!

There are tax service, cleaning, home repair, food, exercise, in-home care, auto service, human resources and a host of other categories of businesses that are franchises.

Ask yourself, do I want to be my own boss, set my own schedule and take the profit from my hard work to the bank? If the answer is yes – let’s talk!

Gearing up for 2011

Simple tools you must make time for.

Review your business & marketing plans and update them for 2011

First, ask yourself “Did I reach my goals?” Spend some quality time reviewing your 201o goals and how they feed into this year’s goals. Next write out your 2011 goals, even if it’s generalized at this stage. If they aren’t in line with your business expectations, you should consider revamping them now. No sense having a goal that doesn’t get you where you want to be!

• Are your 2011 goals realistic?
• What do you need to put in place to start off strong?
• Do your current clients match your target market?
• Does your team understand your goals and brand image?

Need more help: www.elgin.edu/sbdc

Evaluate 2010 marketing efforts, make changes

Did your efforts produce the results you wanted? In order to get the results you expect you have to have the right tools in place.

• Do you have a solid CRM program & follow-up system? www.AceofSales.com– Promo Code: hyperstrand for a FREE 30-day trial
• Is your newsletter well received? http://www.slideshare.net/aceofsales/ace-of-sales-webinar-create-your-first-ezine
• Have you checked your SEO? http://www.meetup.com/Chicago-DIY-Web-Networkers/
• Promotional products ordered? http://www.ppa.org/buyer/need+more/case+studies/2008+case+studies/
• Are you networking in the right areas to get desired results? http://www.bnipodcast.com/2007/10/10/episode-026-why-network-marketing-works/
• Have you leveraged social media? http://www.slideshare.net/jderagon/Leveraging-Social-Media-for-Business

Bare minimum

If the checklist above seems a little overwhelming, consider hiring someone to help you for maximum results. If hiring is not in the budget, there are three things you should commit to doing in 2011. First, create a media/sales calendar and commit to your campaigns. Second, figure out your niche and brag about it. Third, build a strong network of business connections.

Marketing is essential to success and if you start off the year right, perhaps you will be one of the 46% that actually stick to their resolutions. Good luck in 2011 and if you need further advice, call: Sheryl Theisen | 630.940.7920 | www.hyperstrandmktg.com

Grow your Money and your Business today!

St Charles Chamber members, hYperstrand Marketing and First American Bank, have partnered up this week.

        

In an effort to showcase the strength of local businesses working to help each other, Gabe Murcia of First American Bank has set up a display for Sheryl Theisen of hYperstrand Marketing at the St Charles Branch, corner of Kirk & Rte 64.

Stop by the bank and discover how your business can benefit from putting your money in the care of people who care about you.

Then stop by the hYperstrand display for a chance to win dinner for two at Onesti Dinner Club in St Charles and find out how working with a marketing consultant can help you grow your business.

Chamber businesses partnering up is one more reason to be a part of the St Charles Chamber, a part of More Than Leads and a part of the community.

Come grow your business with us!