Using Current Events in Your Marketing Strategy

Using current events, like holidays and special appreciation days, are a great way to market your business. Smart businesses know that you can’t wait for your customers to come to you. Instead, put your business in front of them in fun and interesting ways by using current themes in your marketing campaigns. 

Sponsor Local Events

Why spend millions of dollars tying your name to a national event like the Super Bowl when your target audience is probably found within a 25 or 30 mile radius of your office? Farmers’ markets, local baseball championships, school bake sales, animal adoption events, 5k races — all of these are ripe for sponsorship opportunities. You reap the benefits of local advertising and marketing exposure while also boosting your brand’s reputation as a local company doing good.

Market Around Unusual Events

Did you know that there’s a National Air Conditioning Appreciation Week every year in August? (Go ahead and Google it!) Okay, it wasn’t exactly designated by an act of Congress, but it’s still a fun and memorable opportunity to reach out to your customers and prospects.  In the future, you could send out radius mailers highlighting this special event, offer discounts for work performed or ordered that week, or even give away donuts or other baked goods to celebrate the “holiday.” All of these can help make your typical marketing piece stand out.

Other unusual events around the year include the Autumnal Equinox (the beginning of fall), Get Organized Week (October – great time to highlight winter HVAC maintenance), and even National Hugging Day (January 21).

National Small Business Week and Small Business Saturday

National Small Business Week is a nationwide, SBA-sponsored conference and movement to recognize the importance of small businesses to the American economy and American culture. It’s another wonderful opportunity to showcase your status as a small business and encourage your customers and prospects to turn to you for their HVAC needs as a way of supporting all small businesses.

Small Business Saturday was launched by American Express to promote small retailers on the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year. However, it’s since grown to become a national movement to promote small businesses in general year-round. The finance company has created an enormous community across all the major social media networks to support this initiative, and anyone can join and take advantage of the exposure and marketing advice specifically designed for small business owners.

What current event opportunities have you found that work for your marketing? Share with us in the comments!

Image via Deviant Art (Creative Commons Licensed)

Using Current Events in Your Marketing Strategy