7 Ways to build business in May after Mother’s Day – 12 Months of Marketing

7 Ways to build business in May after Mother’s Day – 12 Months of Marketing

This Sunday is Mother’s Day and without doubt, you have been putting most of your marketing effort and resources into promotion of Mother’s Day gift sales (and quite right, we deserve it!) But once Sunday’s over, what’s a marketing junkie to do? Here are 7 ways to build business between the Mother’s and Father’s Day observances:

May 9 is Miniature Golf Day
Do you have a miniature golf course nearby? With spring in swing and summer on the horizon, organize a customer-appreciation event or partner with the course to extend a special offer to your customers. Purchase gift cards or passes to gift to a few of your more valuable customers, to gift-with-purchase of specific items or purchases over a certain dollar amount, award in a drawing or as a contest prize or even partner with the miniature golf course to purchase gift cards at half price in order to resell them to your customers.

And speaking of golf, golfers are getting out on courses both miniature and full size now that the weather is improving. Partner with local golf clubs for cross or cooperative marketing. Extend male-oriented offers or donate samples or a gift basket for drawing to local clubs. Purchase branded golf gear such as towels, golf balls and tees, golf tools, hats, polo golf shirts, lip balms, etc. for retail sale, prize awards or gift-with-purchase.

May 10 is Lost Sock Memorial Day (no, really)
Lost socks, we all have them. I have a milk crate in my laundry room which at any given time over the last 15 years has held anywhere from 25-50 socks whose mates never made it into the laundry. Somewhere in my house I expect to find a large pile of single socks, but somehow I never do.

Celebrate lost sock memorial day by giving clients the opportunity to trade a single sock in for a free sample or branded tchotchke. Hold a lost sock memorial happy hour with cover charge being a sock; or request that attendees bring new socks that can be donated to a local charity.
Hold a sock-raiser and ask customers to bring a pair or package of new socks with them to their next appointment to be donated to a local youth services organization, your local children’s cancer treatment center or another charity.

Purchase branded or boutique-quality, one of a kind socks, stockings, tights or slippers to add to retail, gift-with-purchase or enhance your gift baskets. Hold a trivia contest or post facts about the history of socks. Believe it or not, I found a rather lengthy set of historical sock facts at www.lonelysock.com.

The 2nd Wednesday in May is Receptionist’s Day
Extend an offer or send a small gift or gift card to receptionists located in businesses near yours, or to those with which you partner for marketing and events. Be sure that you give your own receptionist/s a special pat on the back, gift, thank you or acknowledgement (and do so more than once a year!) Send flyers or postcards to managers and executives at local businesses to let them know Receptionist’s Day is coming up and to make specific gift suggestions or extend special offers.

Invite local receptionists to attend a reception, open house, luncheon or happy hour. Feature refreshments, hold a fashion show or partner with a stylist or esthetician to provide free mini-makeovers, manicures, pedicures or massages. Invite a local photographer to attend to photo-document the event, take pictures that attendees can use as head shots or as social media profile shots, or purchase for themselves or as a gift to others.

Purchase branded or custom humorous or inspirational message-designed t-shirts, tank tops, pens, notebooks, folios, totes, lunch bags, travel and coffee mugs, note cubes or phone/message pads, stress balls, office supplies or other items to retail or gift at your event, or to add to your regular retail. Extend a thank you and a special offer to attendees following the event via email or direct mail.

May 15-21 – Backyard Games Week
Add a selection of backyard games (croquet, badminton, volleyball, bocce, hula-hoop, horseshoes, toss games, etc.) to your retail for the summer months. To launch and let customers know you have them, give one each away in free drawings every day this week or every day this month.
Create a backyard games gift basket to give away as a contest prize or to be donated to local school or charity auctions. Donate a backyard game (or gift basket) to a local day care, senior center, youth services organization, church, etc.

Purchase branded tchotchkes such as water bottles, sun screen, lip balms, stadium seats, visors, sunglasses or other backyard gear for retail, gift or gift-with-purchase.

Hold a backyard games tournament at a local park; create a larger scale event by working in cooperation with marketing partners and extending invitations to both/all sets of customers and/or special interest groups like day cares, private or public schools, senior centers, churches, large employers, media, civic organizations, etc. Organize a backyard game-themed customer or employee appreciation event. Or work with your marketing partners to hold a larger event.

May 16 is Love a Tree Day
When was the last time that you stood back and analyzed the appearance of the outside of your business? Take time to beautify the area leading to your entrance, check your signs for burned out lighting or dirt, add a sandwich board or large sign with a compelling reason for people to come in to see what your business has to offer or with your employees (or all by your lonesome if necessary!) weed your flower beds and add new trees, shrubbery and flowers. Create an employee or customer outdoor seating area where they can enjoy the scenery while eating lunch or taking a break.

Get involved and support community-wide efforts to beautify your downtown or business park. Purchase branded t-shirts, tank tops or hats and work as an employee team to help weed and clean sidewalks, parking lots, city parks or adopt a local stretch of road.

Partner with nurseries and lawn and garden supply stores for cross or cooperative marketing. Purchase floral or tree starts to gift or gift-with-purchase. Post tips on your Facebook page about local flora and fauna, lawn and garden care, etc.

May 21 – Memo Day
Give away branded memo pads to customers/employees as a token of appreciation, kudos or thanks. Distribute small branded memo pads to customers as bag stuffers or send branded memo pads to the office staff of local businesses or give them away to vendors, suppliers, your landlord, etc.

Hold a contest and award prizes for the cleverest, funniest and most original memo pad messages. Purchase branded or custom message/image designed note cubes or memo pads, pens, pencils, etc. to add to retail or to gift, gift-with-purchase or for contest prizes.

Write memos of appreciation to employees, customers, local leaders, community service organizations, local politicians, public servants, etc.

May 25 is Tap Dance Day
Extend a special offer to dance teachers and the employees of local dance studios, performing groups, stores retailing dance wear, shoes, etc. Partner with local dance studios, performing arts facilities, clothing, shoes and supplies stores, etc., for cross or cooperative marketing.

Partner with a local dance instructor or studio to hold a demonstration workshop for your customers in a cross marketing effort; provide them with a special offer to extend to their customers from your business.

Hold a drawing and reward one or more winner/s with gift certificates they can use for dance lessons or to purchase dance wear or shoes. Hold a history of tap dance trivia contest or post facts and connect people with local resources on your Facebook, blog and email newsletter.