I was born in an era in Australia where Halloween used to simply be an American custom we saw on TV shows. I’ve successfully ignored it for many years (and I’ll confess that I still hide inside with the lights off when kids come trick or treating), but over time I’ve come to see that there are some benefits to celebrating this spooky custom.

Marketing comes in many shapes and colours. In this instance it’s more of cultural message. When you decorate your clinic, or host a competition for the best pet costumes or post a greeting online, it tells your clients that you are relatable and that you don’t mind having a little fun too. 

And herein lies the conundrum for a lot of vets. We’re in the business of life and death. We are serious medical professionals.  Are we allowed to look like we’re having fun? The answer is YES!

The real world is tough enough. Now more than ever I think it’s important to let our hair down, and to remember that memories are made of occasions like this. A little light relief is a good thing – for our clients and our patients, and for our teams. Of course you can’t do anything that will interfere with workflow, but your clients may be thrilled to have their dog’s nails trimmed by a vet nurse wearing zombie makeup.

And the photos and client engagement are social media gold! People want to see this. They want to feel the connection to you and your team, and to feel involved.

So celebrate if you want to. It shouldn’t be compulsory and it may not be appropriate for particular situations, but if you decide to hang some cobwebs and plastic spiders in your reception area I don’t think anybody is going to complain.

Happy Howl-O-Ween!