Halloween is fast becoming a monsterretail sales opportunity, with U.S. consumers spending some $7 billion annually on Halloween candy, costumes and decorations. A trick for helping florists get more of Halloween's sales treats is to prepare our stores early with fun, inspiring Halloween displays that appeal to children as well as adults. 

Order now 

Halloween's a perfect occasion for generating quick sales and promoting our shops. But we should never solely rely on increased holiday consumer demand to boost our sales: an extra marketing push is always required! Prepare your store early, creating special Halloween-themed bouquets and eye-catching displays at least three weeks in advance. This helps create a sense of urgency in our customers by saying: 'This is for Halloween, order now before it's too late!' If customers feel they are late, we retailers are doing great: they will surely buy our flowers!

Shop windows

Successful sales days start with window and in-shop displays. The best displays show customers what they want: beautiful, inspiring Halloween arrangements at affordable prices. But beware: less is always more – especially in Halloween displays. Don't turn your shop into a pumpkin patch! Remember, flowers first! Displays and bouquets should creatively and tastefully blend fresh flowers with Halloween props – jack o' lanterns, candy and other Halloween-inspired gimmicks and trinkets. 

Fall flowers

Gerbera, Amaryllis and other large-headed stems work especially well in Halloween arrangements. Again, weeks in advance, my staff and I create some special Halloween arrangements, like hand-tied bouquets of orange Lilies and red Anthurium combined with black paper and rope extras. Halloween also marks the start of the fall decorating season and is therefore a great opportunity for promoting other fall flowers, the oranges and browns, like Chrysanthemum 'Tom Pearce'.  

Candy corn

Children love Halloween - especially the candy! Successful Halloween marketing strategies should therefore also attract the children out shopping with their parents. Children are often the first to see our shop window displays, creating the stopping power required for their parents to come in and buy. We always give candy and small (left over) flowers to children. Other fun Halloween products like bouquets with candy on a wire or orange and yellow flower arrangements adorned with candy corn will surely make some little boy or girl's Halloween sweeter! 

Florist first

Halloween is a fun, exciting retail sales event, but it does require some decorative restraint on our part: Don't overkill your shop with Halloween-themed decorations and props. We are florists first, not gift shops!