The spookiest season is upon us. That means all manners of ghosts, ghouls, witches, and…real estate agents? Halloween is a time for kids and adults to have a little bit of fun and join in on the frightening festivities—and that includes real estate professionals.
As a real estate agent connecting with clients, building a new seasonal marketing strategy inspired by the Halloween holiday can be very beneficial for your business.What does real estate Halloween marketing look like? Follow this guide to find out how you can bring everything from candy to costumes into your marketing practice and expand your client base—all while having a lot of fun. Read on for our scary-good tips.
#1 The open “haunted” house
If you’re looking for fun Halloween marketing ideas, hosting a “haunted” open house might be the perfect way to attract potential buyers. Open houses are nothing new. When looking for buyers, they’re a perfect way to bring in leads and build up excitement around a house. Throughout the month of October, consider making your open houses haunted houses as well.
You don’t need to go around actually scaring potential buyers. However, Halloween offers a unique opportunity to stand out and bring a little more fun to your home showings. To make your haunted open house pop, consider:
- Seasonal decorations – From hay bales to pumpkins to rubber tombstones—you can decide just how festive to make your open house with fun Halloween decorations. Accentuate the features of the house with well-placed decor that will not only draw eyes to the fun festivities but to the best assets of the property as well.
- Dressing up – As the host of this haunted open house, it’s your job to bring the Halloween spirit. Find a costume that’s equal parts professional realtor and Halloween aficionado. You don’t have to deck yourself out in a full costume. Halloween accessories like a witch hat or pumpkin pin will do the job. Whether you’re classically spooky or characteristically cute, you can bring a smile to a potential buyer’s face and leave a lasting memory that might mean a boost in business.
- Specialized brochures – Often realtors make up fliers and brochures for their open houses, so this season, bring the Halloween spirit to your written materials. Add a few jack-o-lanterns, spice up your sentences with some scary adjectives, and, as always, be sure to list the correct time and address. Nothing’s scarier than printing the wrong information. If you don’t know how to get started, find a free real estate brochure template online!
- Halloween candy – It should go without saying that no haunted house is complete without a bowl of Halloween candy. Whatever your sweet of choice is, make sure it’s available to all who arrive at your open haunted house.
When implementing this fun take on the traditional open house, don’t forget to follow the necessary protocols for any event where you might have strangers in a home. As Ari Rastegar, of Rastegar Property, says, “Make sure you also have the right insurance in place and are taking all necessary security [and safety] precautions.”
#2 Sponsor a Halloween community event
Bring your business to the forefront of your community by sponsoring a Halloween event for the whole neighborhood to enjoy. Before the holiday season starts filling everyone’s schedule, fall is the perfect time to get out and connect with neighbors.
What your Halloween event looks like is up to you, but consider the following options when brainstorming something that will attract a whole host of new potential clientele.
- Apple picking – Bring your community to the local orchard and invite families to pick apples. You could also share your best apple pie recipe or put together your own caramel apple dipping station, adding a little extra seasonal sweetness to a great seasonal event.
- Fall fair – Even if a Ferris wheel is a little out of your budget, you can still create a fun fair atmosphere this Halloween season. Find a pumpkin patch, rent a Halloween-themed bounce house, or connect with a local farm to put together some haunted hayrides. Bring the community out for a Halloween event they’ll remember you for years to come.
- Charity drive – Join your neighbors in raising money for a cause this Halloween. Put together a can drive, a raffle, or a costume contest that can bring in smiling faces and help contribute to a worthy charity. Not only will it build trust, it’ll also be something the whole neighborhood can take pride in.
Look to other industries for ideas about putting on fall events. Sharon Lloyd, the operator of the Balsam Ridge Christmas Tree Farm in Raymond, Maine, hosts a yearly fall festival, and says, “It’s just one more avenue to meet your public.”
#3 Bring the festivities online
The best way to make an impact this Halloween might just be through the internet. Few other places allow you to interface both directly and broadly with a variety of marketing materials. Plus, now you can tailor your online messaging to bring out the best parts of the Halloween season.
Wondering how to combine your digital real estate marketing with the season’s focus on candy, costumes, and scares? Consider these easy-to-adopt options for bringing your Halloween marketing online.
- Social media contents – Invite your followers to post their best Halloween looks, decorations, and recipes for a social media contest. This is a great way to engage customers on social media. Partner with nearby small businesses to offer prizes like local gift cards, homemade sweets, or handcrafted gift baskets.
- Planning with your community – Connect with your community to find out exactly what they’re looking for during this spooky season. Claim your free Business Page on Nextdoor to start engaging with neighbors. Are they looking for fun neighborhoods to see Halloween decor or recommendations for the best local spots to get Halloween treats? Use your Business Posts to see what they’re interested in and help provide the information they need.
Bring your marketing materials online and spend this Halloween sharing real estate-related information as well as some spooky treats.
#4 The reverse trick or treat
Going door to door is a classic model used to drum up real-estate leads. A kind smile, firm handshake, and pleasant demeanor can make total strangers turn to you when they’re thinking about selling their house. Capitalize on this timeless method by turning it into a seasonal marketing opportunity.
Consider your Halloween door-to-door visits a kind of reverse trick or treating. That means:
- You bring the candy – Since you’re showing up uninvited, it might be nice if you bring the treats. Choose a bag of your favorite candy and offer it at the door. You may also consider bringing some adult beverages for the homeowners you visit. While everyone might not accept, it’s often a great way to impress whoever answers the door.
NOTE: Keeping the pandemic in mind, make sure the treats you offer are all sealed and in their original packaging. - Leave your info – Make sure you walk away from each home you visit by leaving your contact information. Whether you design a Halloween-specific card or use your all-season info, it’s important to make your mark and give your potential customers an easy way to get in contact with you.
#5 Halloween gifts
To make the season extra special for your former or current clients, consider sending or hand-delivering some gifts to remind them that you’re here whenever they need you.
Occasional gifts can help build up trust and keep you in your customers’ minds. Some businesses even go to great lengths to offer gifts to their customers. Victoria Risko, a luxury real estate agent in Beverly Hills, speaks to the importance of giving thoughtful gifts that really show that you’ve been listening to your clients. “If a client just had a baby, I give saving bonds for college, or a new set of golf clubs to a client who admired my swing—it’s always very client-specific,” says Risko. While you may not need to break the bank for an appropriate gift, even a small token could go a long way in fostering long-term client-agent relationships.
Here’s how you can tailor your gift ideas to the Halloween season:
- Hand-picked pumpkin – Many homeowners like to display pumpkins in front of their houses before and during Halloween. Consider dropping off a pumpkin to your clientele or even carving your own jack-o-lantern to give as a gift. Even simple efforts such as these can make a big impact and can even allow you some time to get into the spirit of the season yourself.
- Candy corn in a decorative vase – While it might not be everyone’s favorite, candy corn is a Halloween staple with its easily recognizable white, orange, and yellow patterns. Layer these treats in a crafty way inside of a decorative vase or jar to give as a Halloween gift. That way if your giftee isn’t a fan of the candy, they still have something to enjoy and display in their home for decoration.
- Fall soaps, lotions, or candles – Fall leaves, fresh-baked apple pie, cinnamon, and sandalwood—the scents of the season are unmistakable and beloved by many. Consider giving the gift of smell with a collection of fall soaps or candles that can make the house you sold (or are in the process of closing on), feel like an autumnal oasis.
If you’ve recently closed on a house with a client, consider offering them a closing gift that fits the Halloween theme. As Pamela Liebman, the president and chief executive of the Corcoran Real Estate Group says, “It’s a thoughtful way to say thanks and memorialize an often daunting process.”
Begin your Halloween fun at Nextdoor
With these 5 tips, you can start prepping for a Halloween marketing extravaganza that can bring leads and big fun to your real estate business. On top of this Halloween-specific advice, there’s one more way to make sure you’re staying in touch with your customers all year.
Claim your free Business Page on Nextdoor, and get connected to neighbors who are looking for real estate businesses like yours. Your seasonal marketing can be the added touch that draws them to you and keeps them coming back anytime they’re in need of an agent they can count on. This Halloween, you’ll find a frighteningly engaged community on Nextdoor.
Sources:
Forbes. 14 Essential Things To Keep In Mind When Hosting An Open House. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesrealestatecouncil/2019/11/08/14-essential-things-to-keep-in-mind-when-hosting-an-open-house/?sh=689f213a1ff9
Press Herald. Maine maple producers tap into fall festival. https://www.pressherald.com/2021/09/22/maine-maple-producers-tap-into-fall-festival/
New York Times. Brokers Who Go Big With Their Closing Gifts. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/realestate/brokers-closing-gifts.html
Atlanta Blackstar. Black Restaurant Owner Fixes Cars In His Spare Time, Gifts Them to Needy People In His Rural South Carolina Community.
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