Halloween is one of the great nights out in America! It’s ranked up there with St Patrick’s Day, New Years Eve, and Your Own Birthday. As with many of the above events, it provides most bar and restaurant managers with an opportunity to boost their monthly numbers.

On Halloween you’re going to be competing for customer’s attention with every other bar they frequent. Standing out from the crowd is crucial to your success. And, if you’re already a party bar, you’d better have the best ideas in mind to put on a memorable event for your regulars. There are many factors to consider when prepping for Halloween. Here are some of the main pointers for you to consider when planning out your frightening festivities.

Decorations

It isn’t Halloween without pumpkins, fake spider’s webs, witches, bats and the like. Getting your decorations up earlier and earlier is becoming the norm, so follow the crowd and start the hype early in October, alongside your competition.

Show people you mean business. Generic decorations are all well and good, but this is one of the opportunities to standout and bring attention to yourself. Get something big, something scary, something that moves; you get the picture. Ensure that your guests can take photos with said decorative piece, and they’ll promote Halloween at your location for you on their social media accounts.

Costumes

Costumes are the essential element of Halloween. Yes, even more than pumpkins and candy. Halloween would not be what it is without everyone dressing up. Talk to your staff far in advance and see if they want to do a collaborative costume. It could make for a good team bonding event. Even better that it’s in the workplace on a busy night where you and your employees will both make money.

Some places will have prizes for best dressed and this is a surefire way to ensure that your customers come dressed to impress creating the best Halloween spirit.

When?

Halloween is on a Wednesday this year, the weekend before Friday 26th – Sunday 28th, is probably the best time to host your main event. However, don’t rule out hosting either another or the main event on Halloween proper. If you can put different spins on both events -a weekend party and a weeknight family event- you may be able to pull off an incredibly successful week of business for yourself.

Drink Specials

This is the easiest trick in the book. If you’re not offering “Spook-tacular Specials” for your event then you’re really missing something. Others will have a shot and cocktail special for the night. They may not be anything Halloween related, but they will be there to attract customers. Make sure you’re doing the same.

Analyze Your Competition

You have to know what you’re up against. If everyone in your area is charging a $10 cover and you weren’t planning on having a cover then maybe you could consider a $5 charge. Or you can focus some of your promotion on the fact that your event has free entry. A $5 charge for those not in fancy dress is also a good idea to promote the necessity of dressing up and taking part.

What are everyone’s decorations like? What offers and/or entertainment do they have? Looking at your competition will allow you to to work out how to best make yourself stand out from the crowd and make people want to come, and stay, at your bar.

After organizing the whole shindig you’re going to have to promote your event. Social media is often the best tool for reaching the most people, but in house promotion is just as valuable! Get flyers made and put signs in your table tents. You need to let the people out there know what you’re planning. If you do it right, your bar can get a reputation as “the” spot to go for Halloween.