Valentine's Day has become a major holiday for businesses, with people spending millions of dollars on their significant others. Recent statistics indicate consumers spend an average of almost $140 for Valentine's Day. The scope of this holiday goes far beyond the familiar items such as jewelry, romantic dinners, flowers, and chocolates. The fact is, every business can find a way to profit from Valentine's Day. Here are 5 tips to help you accomplish this.
1. Promote Experiential Valentine's Day Gifts
Many people, especially millennials and the upcoming Gen Z, are moving away from traditional gift-giving. This doesn't mean, however, they don't celebrate holidays such as Valentine's Day. They just do it in a different way, preferring experiences over material items. This is actually a great marketing opportunity for any business that can create coupons and promotions for romantic, thoughtful, or unique experiences such as meals, travel, spa services, or entertainment. Of course, if you sell material items such as clothing, jewelry, or artwork, you should promote these. However, it's just as valid to market pleasurable experiences.
2. Share Videos With Gift Suggestions
Sharing videos on your website and social media pages can give your customers ideas for Valentine's Day gifts. Another approach is to make a live video on Facebook or YouTube with a Valentine's Day theme. No matter what kind of business you're promoting, you can give it a timely theme. For example, if you have a pet grooming service, you might make a video with a dog in a costume and offer a gift certificate for pet grooming. A coffee shop can feature Valentine's Day cupcakes and any specialty beverage you've created for the season.
3. Get Creative in Your Promotions
Don't worry if your business doesn't create a product or service that's traditionally “romantic.” You can still find ways to tie it in with the holiday. Remember, everyone appreciates thoughtful gifts. Another recent trend to keep in mind is that many single people buy themselves gifts for Valentine's Day! The point is, you can promote anything to anyone for this holiday. Just make sure you use the appropriate images and phrasing in your promotions. If you offer financial services, you might offer a coupon for tax preparation with a tagline such as, “Let us take care of your taxes so you can spend more time celebrating Valentine's Day!”
4. Invite Customers to Post Photos and Stories
Many people enjoy broadcasting their love to the world. You can enlist your followers and customers to promote your business by asking for their photos, videos, and stories. Create a theme such as “Where did you meet?” You might hold a contest where participants can mention your business or, if appropriate, display your product. This is especially good for restaurants, cafes, bars, and other places where people congregate as your location will be tagged in the photos. Even if you don't have a physical location, you can require that people hashtag your business name.
5. Raise Money For Charity
A charity campaign is a good way to support a cause while getting positive publicity for your business. This approach also appeals to people who don't approve of overly commercialized holidays. Whether your business is brick and mortar or online, you could create a Valentine's Day promotion where you donate a certain percentage of profits to a worthy cause. If you have a local business, you might even consider holding a live event to raise money for charity. This could be a concert, auction, or athletic event such as a 5K race (depending on how the weather is in your area this time of year).
Valentine's Day is now a huge holiday that no business can afford to ignore. You can make any business or product relevant if you use the right images and phrasing. Considering how much money consumers spend on this holiday, it only makes sense that you should find a way to get your share.
Let The Friedman Group be your inbound and social media partner. To find out how we can help you grow your business, contact us.
