6 ideas to boost your Halloween profits
Cater for the kids as well as adults
Halloween doesn’t have to wait for the sun to set. Consider offering cartoon-inspired fun for your daytime family audience, and more gothic delights after dark. If you’ve the space, offer craft classes for kids and parents at lunchtime. Try pumpkin painting and carving, making Frankenstein’s monster masks or designing funky witches’ hats. Charge a small fee, offer a set lunch price, and spread the word on social media.
Choose a theme and decorations
For your evening events, think about a theme. Whether it’s Mexican with Day of the Dead, a night in the cemetery or Stranger Things, have fun with it. Remember, at Halloween, there’s no such thing as half measures! The decorations don’t have to be expensive, it’s all about creating a mood with lighting, fabrics and the kind of silly props you can pick up for a few pounds in joke shops or online.
Scream about it!
At Halloween, social media is key. Setting up a Facebook event means anyone searching for local Halloween activities can see what you’re planning. Tease your followers with glimpses of the games and food you have planned on Instagram Stories. Make it fun and your customers will do a lot of the hard work for you by sharing pictures on the night (this is why it’s important to create something different!) which spreads the word for next year.
Serve up spooky drinks
Customers love your hot chocolate? For Halloween, jazz them up with spooky decorations. Coffee a big hit? Try adding a pumpkin-spiced latte to your offer. And when it comes to cocktails, there are no end of opportunities to have fun. And don’t forget mocktails for the designated driver. Aperol, prosecco and a dash of beetroot creates a dramatic blood-red fizz to get the party started!
Think freaky food
Team your theme with your food to complete the picture. Try crazy skull-shaped eggs for breakfast and spicy pumpkin soup with Thai curry paste and coconut milk at lunch. Spooky cakes are a must. Decorate simple biscuits with scary designs and turn cupcakes into mummies or giant spiders. Food colouring is your best friend at Halloween!
In the evening, serve simple one-pots such as meat and veggie chilli with rice. Include this as part of the entry ticket for your Halloween party. Customers can personalise their chilli with jalapeños, cheese, and sour cream. Chilli can easily be made without the key allergens so you don’t have to cook up lots of dishes. Make sure your veggie chilli is vegan, too.
Stay safe
Halloween 2020 might be a little different to previous years if social distancing measures are still in place. Why not consider a masked party? It’ll make everyone feel more comfortable and it puts a fun spin on fancy dress. Check government guidelines at the time but if numbers in your venue have to be limited, definitely do book-ahead tickets. You could sell tickets that include a drink and/or a meal to maximise value. Pre-booked tickets will also help you plan the event, as you’ll know how many people to expect.
