Although Halloween last year turned out to be more like an unfortunate trick than a treat, upcoming October is expected to bring everything back to normal, at least at some level.

Halloween spending in the US hit the 5-year low in 2020, dropping down by $1 billion compared to 2019. No surprise, though - due to the pandemic-related restrictions, many parties were cancelled and thousands of trick-or-treaters decided to stay home to avoid being exposed to the virus.

However, as people are getting used to this new reality, they are also looking for safe ways to mark the occasion rather than not to celebrate it at all. In fact, many retailers have already noticed a buzz within the Halloween industry, some of them reporting a demand for accessories as early as the beginning of June.

So one thing is clear – Halloween 2021 will happen and you have to be prepared for it.

In this post, you’ll find some Halloween SMS templates and campaign ideas that will help you get the best out of this season.

Fangtastic SMS campaign ideas for upcoming Halloween

To hop on the Halloween e-commerce train early, start crafting your SMS copies and planning your campaigns now if you want to get ahead of your competition.

Here are a few suggestions for you to begin with.

Build buzz for your sales

SMS is a great channel for building suspense for your upcoming deals. Shoppers are already looking for the best Halloween deals (see the graph below) so it’s a great time to put yourself on their radar.

Search volume for “Halloween sale” in the past 12 months (Google trends)

Although last year some of the searches for “Halloween sale” appeared through the whole month of August, it started to get more and more intense from the beginning of September.

Assuming that you already have a list of subscribers, consider this time to start with your Halloween text messages. You don’t have to come up with specific offers yet – just let them know there’s something great coming up that they can look forward to.

Offer subscriber-only deals

Since your subscribers have once agreed to receive your marketing messages, these are the people who are interested in your brand and what you have to offer. Therefore, they are also more likely to convert.

Offering special discounts for subscribers only can not only make them feel valuable and likely help you make more sales but also grow your subscribers' list. Seeing that there's an extra benefit to opting in for your text messages, prospects and customers might consider joining the list.

Promotion SMS message for subscribers only

Organize a contest

Keeping your audience engaged is crucial for your overall success, but not always possible by sending promotional messages only.

Running a competition via text messages can be a great way to get shoppers involved. There are several ways to do it:

  • Use your website or social media channels to invite visitors to join a competition by texting a keyword to your short code, e.g. Text HALLOWEEN to 123456 to win a bag of candy. This can also result in new subscribers joining your messaging list.
  • Existing customers can simply reply to the message you send them to enroll in your competition, e.g. Reply NOTSCARED to win a spider web decorating kit.
  • Send your subscribers a link to your social media channels if you run your competition there, e.g. Post a picture of yourself in costume last Halloween and enter a contest to win a new camera: [short_link]

Promote your website content

To drive more traffic to your store, share links to the content you create via text messages.

For instance, if you write a blog, you’re likely to give your topics a spooky twist around October or so. You can create Halloween listicles, like:

  • TOP 10 Costume Ideas For Trick-Or-Treating With Pets
  • The Best Halloween Recipes Of All Times
  • 5 Spookiest House Decorations In 2021, and so on.

If you have the necessary resources to create a video (short horror movie?) or engaging infographics (e.g. Zombie apocalypse survival kit), that’s another way to catch the attention of your subscribers and bring them to your store. Visuals are appealing, and when done right, can even improve customer’s perception of the brand.

Halloween text message to drive traffic by sharing content

Bonus: Combine SMS and email marketing for better results

Sending only text messages or relying on email marketing alone reduces your chances of higher ROI – so why not try to combine these for the upcoming Halloween (and beyond)?

Although these two channels are quite different, it's actually one of the strengths of this combination. While emails work better for long-form content, SMS is great for clear and direct messages that require reacting fast.

For instance, by sending a nice, informative email, you can inform your subscribers about upcoming sales, events, contests, or whatever you can come up with. Then by sending a text later you can simply remind them about your previous email, whether you want to encourage them to act on it or just open it if they haven't before.

13 Halloween SMS templates for any business

Below you will find some SMS templates that you can use by simply adjusting them to your business or just draw inspiration to create your own.

Template #1

Peter, trick or treat yourself to something new today! Buy any item over $30 and get a FREE pumpkin carving kit! Shop now: [short_link]. Text STOP to opt-out.

Template #2

Witching you a happy Halloween! We’ve prepared some scary good deals – use the code HW2021 to get 13% OFF! Shop before 10/31: [short_link]. Text STOP to opt-out.

Template #3

Hi Ann, last day of our exclusive Halloween sale! Extra 31% OFF + free shipping with code SPOOKTACULAR. Visit our shop: [short_link]. Text stop to opt-out.

Template #4

Jessica, still no costume? Check out our list of the most creative Halloween costumes of all time to draw inspiration: [short_link]. Text STOP to cancel.

Template #5

Un-BOO-lievable! Only this week and only for you – 50% OFF everything with the code SUBSCRIBERS. Get your treats at our store: [short_link]. Text STOP to opt-out.

Template #6

Jenn, celebrate the scariest day of the year with your favorite [product name]. 13% OFF + free shipping until midnight! Visit: [short_link]. Text STOP to opt-out.

Template #7

Happy Halloween! Start preparing for the winter season with our spookish discounts of up to 66%! In-store or online: [short_link]. Text STOP to opt-out.

Template #8

Harry, we BOOlieve your Halloween costume was great last year, why not share it with everyone? Enter the competition on FB to win $50 OFF: [short_link]. Text STOP 2 opt-out.

Template #9

Winston, use the promo code FABOOLOUS and get an extra 13% OFF on all the latest collection items. See you at our store: [short_link]. Text STOP to opt-out.

Template #10

Lynn, had a chance to read our latest email newsletter? Use the discount code provided to get 31% OFF any item in our store. Happy Halloween! Text STOP to cancel.

Template #11

A candy a day keeps monsters away! Today only – FREE bag of freakishly good candy with every order. Shop until midnight: [short_link]. Text STOP to opt-out.

Template #12

Arthur, freakishly good Halloween deals are now LIVE! No tricks only treats – come and get yours at: [short_link]. Reply STOP to cancel.

Template #13

Halloween is coming! Prepare for the scariest day of the year before it’s too late. Use the code HW21 at checkout for free shipping: [short_link]. Text STOP 2 cancel.

Cast a spell with your Halloween text messages  

Whether Halloween this year will be once again spent enjoying at-home activities or we’ll be able to get back on trick or treating, preparing for it is like half of the fun, right?

Start crafting your SMS marketing campaigns early to make sure you get your piece of a (pumpkin) pie this year. The direct and personal nature of a text message makes it a great opportunity for any business to connect with their subscribers on a deeper level, strengthen their relationships, and
 induce some fear of missing out on freakishly good offers!

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