The last quarter of every year brings an opportunity for retailers to capitalise on a number of big money spinners and, if you have a farm shop, deli or wine merchandise, Halloween should now be at the top of your list.
Still not ready for the pumpkin pickers, trick or treaters and celebration seekers? Then here are some gift packaging ideas that should help fuel your profits ahead of Christmas.
Why seasonal campaigns are a strategic marketing opportunity
Amplifying brand awareness and loyalty, periodic marketing allows retailers to align their businesses with time-sensitive shifts in consumer behaviour, leveraging the hype attached to specific events. Here are three reasons why these kind of promotions work:
1. They up sales and increase your profit margins
- Tapping into predictable consumer spending patterns by providing theme-appropriate goods will give you year-round spikes in sales that buffer your profits.
- It’s a smart way to attract new customers, especially if you find a way to trump the competition.
- Limited-edition merchandise can be used as a subtle guerrilla marketing tactic to create a sense of urgency and encourage impulse buys.
2. They strengthen brand awareness and advocacy
- Playing the nostalgia card by acknowledging and participating in traditional celebrations fortifies your emotional connections with shoppers and local communities, deepening brand loyalty.
- They spark creativity, motivating new ways to position your products. And this, in turn, creates fresh interest in even the most day-to-day offerings.
- Successful campaigns generate hype, leading to UGC (user-generated content) and word-of-mouth endorsements, converting shoppers into active brand ambassadors.
3. They give you a competitive advantage
- Seasonally inspired visual merchandising and gifts deliberately displayed to attract attention will do exactly that.
- Put your themed merchandise out early enough (we recommend you start at the beginning of September), and you will extend your sales window by at least a month, capitalising on both the early birds and your last-minute shoppers.
- They’ll position you as a trend setter and demonstrate a willingness to meet consumer demands, which is a great way to build trust and long-term buy-ins.
How to embrace a Halloween theme
Step one is to get your visual merchandising on point. Here are some guidelines on how to market around this specific theme:
Make the right colour choices
Traditionally, orange and black were a number one choice, but now lime green, yellow and purple have joined the ranks, giving you more scope to be playful.
Refresh your countertop displays
Seasonal marketing calls for product-specific promotions, which are easily advertised by sprucing up your countertops with high-end risers, boards and domes that showcase each item optimally.
Include good signage
Attract attention and create seamless shopper journeys using pavement boards and table signs. They provide clarity and vital information that will help your sales staff manage the crowds.
Keep your accessories on point
Halloween is the time for pumpkins, ghosts, witches, spiderwebs and the like, so include these as part of your in-store décor.
Be traditional
Focus on food and drink items that embody the spirit of the occasion. It will create a sense of nostalgia, connection and inclusion for your patrons and their youngsters.
Pander to the senses
Let the smell of freshly baked pastries, popcorn and toffee apples waft through your store... and then watch them fly off the shelves.
Get personal
Branding is an essential component of any good marketing strategy, so personalise elements that will help you get noticed. This can either be done cost-effectively using simple things like ribbons and stickers, or you can go all out and overprint just about everything. Either way, you’re sure to be seen.
Halloween gifting solutions that set the bar
Transforming regular products into higher-value gift purchases is all about finding the right packaging. So, from curating hampers of your bestselling deli treats to displaying your wines in a more bewitching way, make visual impact a priority.
Containers
The following solutions can all be branded to suit your Halloween theme.
- Paper gift bags – simple but effective, they provide an immediate takeaway that saves customers from having to hunt down wrapping paper elsewhere.
- Wine boxes – from refined wooden versions to quality containers with magnetic closing systems, these add elegance to your Halloween themes.
- Bottle carriers – appropriate for everything from olive oils to spirits and wine, they are a stylish option that suit most budgets.
- Hampers and baskets – the ultimate in high-end gifting, we advise you fill them with a selection of picnic goodies or everything needed for a trick-or-treat celebration.
- Culinary boxes – specifically designed to house food products and a popular option for farm shops and delis, these can be overprinted to fit your Halloween theme.
- Fabric bags – cited as a top marketing tool, not only do totes afford you long-term visibility, but getting them branded as a special edition for any seasonal occasion makes them a highly desirable piece of merchandise that may well go viral on your socials.
Accessories
Jazz up your offerings with pops of colour in bright orange, lime green or deep purple to ensure that your food fits the mood.
- Shred and tissue paper – the perfect protectors for your hamper fillers, these help build suspense during the unboxing experience.
- Ribbons and bows – elevating your gifting with stylish finishing touches adds a perceived value which will inspire those all-important impulse buys.
- Tags and stickers – personal messaging builds brand loyalty, so whether you print something yourself or leave it up to your customers to add a hand-written note, they’re a worthwhile consideration.
Shop spooktacular gift collections at WBC
Brand our range of outstanding gift options and make sure you bewitch all your customers this Halloween.
We'll give you free access to our talented design team, and have your merch printed and delivered within ten working days. Call us now and let the ghoul times roll!
