Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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BUSINESS TO BUSINESS Halloween: Big Axe Promotions by LOUIS FERACA Let me admit up front that I really like Halloween. When I was a kid I loved dressing up as some horrid looking creature and walking to hundreds of houses to scare, get scared and get candy. Now as an adult (technically) I love being the one to scare the little ones and pass out the candy. My trademark skit is to put on a really freaky mask, full length black robes and carry a giant plastic axe. Then I pace back and forth in front of my house shouting, "Bring me more children! I want the children!" Some kids won't even set foot on the lawn (the candy goes farther this way). To the parents who escort the shivering little ones to the door I often ask, "Hey, does this robe make my axe look big?" Good times Halloween. Good times. Within every holiday is an Halloween is a great time to have fun while excuse ... um ... opportunity creatively promoting your business. for promotion. Halloween is one of the best because being an almost entirely commercial holiday, there is no need to feel churlish about openly using it as an advertising vehicle. There are countless ways to insert promotions into Halloween but let's just look at three easy ones: spirit, safety and convenience. Getting into the spirit of Halloween sets a fun and upbeat image for your company or organization. Having those among your staff who are willing, dress up for the day is an inexpensive way to make your space enjoyable for customers to visit and builds morale among your staff. Win/win. Doing a little decorating around the entrance or lobby is good too. Passing out candy and party favors (with your logo on them please!) doesn't hurt either. If you'd like to take it up a notch, advertise a customer costume competition and give rewards/discounts to any customers who come in wearing a costume. Note that you must be absolutely certain that a customer is in fact wearing a costume before you award any prizes! That's a mistake you'll only make once. Safety is a concern for all parents and getting on the side of their children's safety is guaranteed to create good will. Passing out glow-sticks, glow-in-the-dark bags, and reflective stickers is inexpensive and the items carry your message all over town that night. If your message includes a phrase like "Keeping Kids Safe" along with your logo then everyone who sees them will know you care as well. With a little extra effort, you could arrange to hand out your Halloween safety items through the school system. Schools like promoting safety and will be happy to help. Life is hectic. Every parent is pressed for time and would appreciate any company that saves them one more trip to the store. You can come to the rescue by combining the spirit of Halloween with safety items and advertise yourself as a convenient and fun place for parents to pick up the glowsticks and glow bags etc... while they shop or dine in your establishment. It doesn't get any better than that. There are Halloween promotions to fit any budget and any type of business. Give it some thought and see where pumpkins, ghouls and big axes fit in with your LOUIS FERACA, Owner, U.S, Logoadvertising plan. works, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 28 UCW OCTOBER. 2-8, 2013 It Pays to Donate! Donate your unwanted furniture during the month of October. Mention this Up & Coming ad and we will pay Register to win a pair of ACC Football Championship tickets you "donation dollars" to use towards your next purchase. Winner of the 2013 Best Used Furniture Store Fayetteville's New & Used Home Improvement Super Store. Improving Homes. Improving Lives. 205 Forsythe Street Open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon. - Fri. Sat. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. theReStoreWarehouse.com 910.321.0780 "Thanks for voting us Best Place to Commune with Nature!" 536 N. Eastern Blvd. • Fayetteville, NC. • 910.486.0221 • www.capefearbg.org WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM