How to Celebrate Some Business Success With A Wacky Holiday
Yesterday we celebrated Earth Day. I saw many different small business posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. All mentioning it, but none taking advantage of the opportunity and tying it to their brand.
I scrolled through post after post, marveling that no one tied it into their mission. Sure some posted Earth Day sales. Some talked about reducing waste...the standard rhetoric. But no one integrated it into what their business message is about. No one used it to highlight what their brand cares about.
Could it be no one actually cares?
Doubtful.
I suspect it's more they hadn't considered how strong of a tool the copy content could be.
Why would a business want to use non-traditional holidays in their marketing content strategies?
Businesses can get big boosts from creating copy around small or wacky "holidays." You need to know when and HOW to use them to be effective.
Let's look at today as an example.
First, what sort of holidays do we have to choose from. I suspect we ought to skip out on International Nose Picking Day. Unless we are offering a nasal cleansing product. It might make sense then.
Our other choices include Talk Like Shakespeare Day and English Language Day. As a freelance copywriter and content creator, I could get behind these. They would make sense as they tie directly to my business.
That's step one; finding a holiday that relates to what your brand is about. Sure you could post about Lover's Day if you're a plumber, but what does that have to do with your business message? Do you have a love affair with unclogging toilets? I'm going to go out on a limb and say not even the most dedicated plumber enjoys it.
Now let's say you have a matchmaking service for busy millennial professionals. NOW it makes sense. You can use the "holiday" to draw attention to your services. You could even offer a special offer to coincide with the day.
There are other times when you need an idea to communicate with potential customers.
Say you're a bakery. You only have so many ways to tell people you make cakes, cookies, and all the delicious treats we can't get enough of. Today is also National Cherry Cheesecake Day. You could showcase a photo of YOUR cherry cheesecake and grab customer attention.
Grabbing attention is one of the best reasons to use off-beat holidays in your copy. People always love something goofy or unique to catch their eye.
How else can you use a wacky holiday?
Use humor.
A humorous piece of copy shows potential customers your human side. It gives you an opportunity to show off your personality. According to a survey done by B2B research firm Clutch, potential customers are 53% more likely to buy from a business that uses humor in its marketing and advertising. So if you're a liquor store celebrating German Beer Day, you could post a picture of the staff in Lederhosen. Add it to content promoting a sale on German brands and you've increased the potential for profit. Wunderbar!
There are a few items of caution to pay attention to when using holiday content.
Don't overuse them. It's fun to highlight something fun once in a while, but using them too often lessens their impact.
Make sure it aligns with your brand. If it doesn't tie in with what you do or your mission statement, it could send a confusing message to consumers.
Stay away from offensive "holidays". Your goal is to draw in more business, not drive away customers. If it seems inappropriate or might be offensive to your target audience, avoid it.
If you're not sure how to find celebrations for each day, you can check out websites like checkiday and nationaldaycalendar.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to practice writing copy in iambic pentameter. It IS Talk Like Shakespeare Day after all. See what I did there? 10 syllables...iambic pentameter!
I know, I know...time to find something different to use in my content creation.
Happy weekend!
~Sheral (owner/founder of C3 Specialties)