Cookie Settings
Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

Other cookies are those that are being identified and have not been classified into any category as yet.

No cookies to display.

Blog

+ Free advice and other musings

3 Last-Minute Halloween Contest Ideas for Publishers

by | Oct 24, 2015 | Harebrained Ideas, Internet Marketing Strategy, Online Marketing Tips, Social Media Marketing

Trick or treat! Quick and easy Halloween contest ideas for publishers in a pinch.

Halloween is fast approaching. If you’ve left your costume to the last minute then you’ve likely left your Halloween promotions to the last minute too. Here are some quick and easy Halloween contest ideas.

1. Make a Collections of Spooky Titles


Photo: Checkout some great reads at Dundurn Press

People will be less interested after Halloween so make sure the collection is up 3-5 days before Halloween, at minimum. Offer a special promo code for orders placed before midnight on Halloween.

 

2. Run a Trick-or-Treat Contest

Photo: Follow McNally Robinson on Instagram to see new releases & other fun stuff

Play a basic guessing game with your social media followers. “Which book is the Halloween candy hiding behind?” Post your guess to Instagram. All the correct guesses will be entered into a draw and the winner will get the book and the candy.

 

3. Challenge Your Colleagues


Photo: Always ready for fun. Play along with All Lit Up on Facebook.

Post photos of your staff in costume. Challenge each other, or your competitors, to raise funds for UNICEF or a local charity of choice.

You may also like …

Finding Community & Expanding Your Audience

Finding Community & Expanding Your Audience

April 14, 2025, Monique Sherrett presented at the BC Books publishing summit in Victoria BC | Session 4: Finding your community in marketing and publicity. The below provides a comprehensive overview of the "That's Wild" collaborative campaign, offering practical...

read more
Stick or Switch: Are you changing marketing lanes?

Stick or Switch: Are you changing marketing lanes?

Publishers are all looking for growth but, overall, sales are flat. Craig Riggs  of ReaderBound joked in a recent PubWest webinar, "flat is the new up." So many publishers are changing up their marketing, they are leaving Facebook and X, they are trying offline...

read more