Every year my husband and I hold a large party at our home. We call it our annual Celebration … which covers the fact that his birthday, our wedding anniversary and Valentine’s Day all fall at about the same time – so we have a big “blended” celebration event!
This morning I read an article by Wendy Donahue titled “Happy Faux-lidays” she went on to describe this trend for custom-made occasions – isn’t that a wonderful term? And it surely defines the celebration we have too.
So why not establish a custom-made occasion for your business? Have you ever utilized Chase’s Calendar of Events (easy to find in Google)? This resource identifies every celebration on every day of the year. If you are a pie shop then National Cherry Day might just need to be on your calendar – and a reason for your own celebration.
For instance October is American Cheese Month, National Bake and Decorate Month and Chili Month, just for starters …. May is Barbeque Month, National Salad Month and National Vinegar Month – all great starting places for a promotion, ad campaign, contests with supplier support and online conversations.
Using a “Custom-Made Occasion” is a perfect starting place and can lead to giving customers new opportunities to try your place of business, and very often with very little money expended.
A contest, survey, community tie-in, special event and other creative ideas should all have a tie-in with your website and You Tube too. A recipe contest can become an event at your place, tied to the local elementary school with kids as judges, and with video documenting the entire fun experience going on your website and You Tube.
Why not make up your own holiday? Create your own trophies and awards, get the Mayor to proclaim it your day (easy to do with one call usually), send notices to current customers via email and on site signage. If you are a car dealer tie it into one of your new car features, maybe a treasure hunt using your new GPS system or if you own a large business get your employees to brainstorm and tie to a local charity so everyone wins and feels good about your organization too. Be sure to invite local media and take photos and videos for your social media campaigns.
Custom-made holidays might just be your reason to celebrate new business and energized employees and new customers.
I proclaim today: “Custom-Made Holiday Day!”
Bennett About Marketing 