Take your list of businesses or consumers to your nearest graveyard, recite the spelling of Data Axle USA (that’s right … D-a-t-a-A-x-l-e-U-S-A), and wait for the magic to happen. OK, we’re kidding, but here’s a look at how Halloween actually relates to the way we approach everyday marketing.
Trick-or-treating is very similar to prospecting and cold calling.
Let’s say you decided to be the best-dressed (yes, it’s a real costume) for Halloween. What happens next? You go door to door making your sales pitch and asking for the treat (we call it the sell). What you do every day is like prospecting for candy except you probably can’t get away with dressing up like your supervisor.
Pick the right candy to distribute to your target audience.
Chocolate, fruit candy, licorice, or taffy? It hard to really know without understanding the people who come to your door. What if they have a peanut allergy? Find the right solution for the people you interact with every day to make the most of what you have.
Cheaping out on Halloween or a list will come back to bite you.
Ever have a costume rip at the seams? Yeah, it’s the absolute worst. Cutting corners trying to save a penny with Halloween or lists can cost you more in the long run. If you ruined your costume or realized your list is old and inaccurate, you’ll spend way more money to make things right. Quality is key.
Screaming won’t get your message out like a good direct mail campaign.
If you’re in the business of Halloween, direct mail can help you reach customers. Halloween pop-up shops are becoming increasingly popular. A targeted direct mail campaign to households with children around your temporary location will help you find new customers.
Bad candy is just like bad data, not up-to-date.
Taking candy from a stranger is a real danger. Parents often inspect their children’s candy at the end of the night to make sure there’s nothing suspicious. The same practice applies to data.
So the next time you plan a marketing campaign (or go trick-or-treating), consider these five tips when building your strategy. They’ll make sure you don’t scare away new businesses or customers.
