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| Aug 02, 2006 8:10 pm |
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August marketing ideas |
Heidi Richards
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Did you know that August is National Inventor’s Month? If you are an inventor, think about some of the creative ways you can market your new product. How could you get noticed by the media, by your community and most importantly by your target market? How about Tryvertising your new product? According to TrendWatching.com, Tryvertising is, "a new breed of product placement in the real world, integrating your goods and services into daily life in a relevant way, so that consumers can make up their minds based on their experience, not your messages." Hotels, bars and restaurants make good use of Tryvertising their products to build a customer base and instill loyalty in their marketplace.
Did you also know???
August 2nd is Take a friend to lunch day. Since I have been busy writing this article today, I am going to take a friend to dinner tonight. How about you?
Other Observances in August include:
Golf Month – My daughter and I are taking up golf so we can Network on the Course while learning a new sport and exercising – Fresh air, exercise and meeting new people, what could be better (except maybe being served a Margarita on the beach by a handsome hunk :).
Coffee Month –Saatchi and Saatchi, the NY Advertising Agency developed a clever ad campaign for Folgers Coffee. They took Photographs of a tempting cup of coffee from a bird’s-eye view and then printed the image vinyl. These photos were then placed on top of steaming manhole covers with holes cut into the vinyl to allow the steam to rise. The effect was one of giant, hot, cups of coffee.
Hug Month – Hug marketing is the best! You can send a hug via mail, email or even give a hug in person – depending on your audience.
Romance Awareness Month – Remember the key in marketing and sales – people make their buying decisions based on emotion and back up their decision with facts. One man I know told me that every time he gets his car detailed there is a thank you note on the steering wheel of his car. And a woman who does a lot of business travel loves to go to a certain hotel because they always remember her favorite flavor of tea and have it stocked and ready in the room when she arrives and the next morning a newspaper from her hometown is waiting outside her door. How can you sweep your customers and clients off their feet this month?
It’s also the 25th anniversary of my company, Eden Florist – we are planning a big online contest where all you have to do is sign up and be eligible to win some fabulous prizes such as 25 long stem roses, silver jewelry, silver table ware, silver picture frames, etc. 25 prizes will be given away in all. The contest begins on Monday, August 7th – Visit: http://www.edenflorist.com to enter. (Void where prohibited by law).
Simplify Your Life Week is August 1-7 – Simplify your life – Hire a Virtual Assistant to do all those things you either don’t want to do or are just not really good at – remember that the most successful people “work from their strengths.”
Psychic Week is August 7-11 – Time to predict the future of your business. Take a good look at where you are today and where you want to be next month, next year, and 5 years from now. Use psychic week to get inside your customers’ heads by asking them what you are doing right and how you could improve upon your products and/or services.
Weird Contest Week is August 14-18 –– Frank Warren, started a collective art project that has grown into a highly-visited blog. How? By asking people to mail him a postcard with a secret they have never told a soul. Frank could use this week to host a contest for the weirdest postcard - Check out the site www.postsecret.com. (Disclaimer – some of the cards are a bit over the top and graphic!)
Friendship Week is August 20-26 – Offer discounts for your products and services during “bring a friend day” or “week.”
National Kid’s Day is August 6 – Are you a website development company? Do what the Publicity Hound suggested in her latest newsletter – create a “how to keep kids safe on the Internet” list and circulate it to your database – ask them to forward to their own family and friends using a forward to a friend technology in your email messages. Also post to your website and write articles around the topic, directing traffic to the list. (also great to promote during Friendship Week).
Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day is August 7 – Did you know that shoppers make seven out of 10 purchase decisions in a split second as they scan the products and services they want? What’s your packaging like? Does your marketing material need a makeover? Does the product you sell need a new package. When Chinese Laundry (a brand of women’s shoes) first hit the marketplace, their sales were flat. Once they figured out the perfect formula for packaging their product, sales soared.
Professional Speakers Day is August 7 – Could you use a little inspiration? Today is a great day to go hear a professional speaker in your community. And while your at it, make sure you acknowledge that this is his/her day.
International Left Hander’s Day is August 13 (it is also the official 25th Anniversary Day for Eden Florist & Gift Baskets – www.edenflorist.com) How about a left-handers day arm wrestling match? Give a prize to the winners to include your products and services. Also a good kick-off for Weird Contest Week.
Poets Day is August 21 Create a poem to market your business – here’s one of mine:
“Is your business down in the dumps?
Does your future look like doom and gloom?
Hire me to get you out of your slump
I specialize in helping small businesses bloom!”
Women’s Equality Day is August 26 – host a celebration for women in your community or sponsor one with another company, organization or group. Celebrate the women in your life – send flowers! Acknowledge your female customers on this day with a “special promotion” or discount.
Happy Marketing!
Heidi Richards, Founder & Chief Visionary
The WECAI Network - http://www.wecai.org, WomenofWisdom.com, and WeChamber.org Private Reply to Heidi Richards (new win) |
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