Have a “Spooktacular” Halloween
Let the holiday promotions begin!
Often when we think of running a holiday promotion, we think of Christmas. Why not start at Halloween?!? What better way to get people to know you and think about you later in the year (when they are really stressed out and don’t have much time) than by offering them a little fun right now! If you have the ability to do so, why not take a day or even a week to host a Spooktacular Open House at your spa or place of business!
Set the ambiance by putting up some holiday decorations such as spider webs and pumpkins, play your favorite thunderstorm CD, burn a holiday scented candle, put out a bowl of popcorn, some organic apples, a pumpkin pie, some cinnamon spiced tea or fresh apple cider, and it is a party! Make sure that you have fun too! Maybe you want to dress up (think more the good witch than the naughty nurse here) or perhaps just try black scrub pants with an orange tee. That is a perfect and inexpensive way to look festive and yet still be able to work.
Start inviting your guests now. This event gives you a great excuse to call and personally invite clients who you haven’t seen in a while, or contact people on that “list” that have not yet made it on to your table. Send out an email blast or post a Facebook event. Perhaps you want to go as far as sending a Press Release to the Community section of your local newspaper. Make sure to invite your businesses’ neighbors, your friends, family, everyone! Tell them to bring their kids too. Everyone will get a special treat!
Next, you will want to offer treats. It might be a good idea to pre-make a batch of goody bags for both adults and kids. If you have a large work space you might consider allowing the kids to trick or treat from room to room (make sure no sessions are in progress, of course.) Parents love when their kids are happy, you can create a lot of good will by delighting a child! As a treat for the adults, you could offer complimentary hand or foot massages or a 5-minute neck and shoulder chair massage and hand out nicely made $10 off certificates for any service booked before the end of the year. Do you have promotional material? You know, pens, caps, calendars, that sort of thing? Those are treats. Give them away here! You could also hand out mini candles or sample lotion packages if you have them, or you might even hold a drawing for a free service or product. Make sure to let people know in the invite what is in it for them. Everyone loves swag and they love people who give them swag even more!
Make sure that you have on display a collection of holiday gift giving ideas including spa products and gift certificates that can be attractively packaged as a part of a gift bag or basket. Make sure to provide a price sheet including products and services of varying prices and a means to contact you. Make sure it is abundantly clear that you offer gift certificates and don’t forget to mention that you offer “Chair Massage at your Office or Holiday Event!” This is not the time for a hard sell. It is the time to plant a seed. Let them know how that you can take orders over the phone and that you will deliver. You can make their gift giving easy!
As the host of this Spooktacular Open House, you will want to make sure that everyone is enjoying their experience. Mix, mingle and be hospitable. Be sure to take pictures – this event will make a great album on Facebook and you can use these pix to incorporate into your November holiday marketing campaign. People will love to remember the great experience they had and will be even happier to see a great holiday offer to bring them back in. (A warming mud wrap, a decadent sugar plum scrub, a “can’t say no to” gift card deal, what other special ideas do you have to share?)
Send us an invite or post some pictures to let us now how it went!