St. Patrick's Day is one of several holidays (including Valentine's Day and Halloween) that has gotten a lot bigger in recent years. Aside from parades, people are going out, dressing up, holding their own theme parties, and even buying each other gifts. It's also expanded beyond the original theme of a strictly Irish or religious holiday. It's now a day people use as an excuse to socialize and have a good time. St. Patrick's Day also presents your business with many marketing opportunities. With so many people looking for ways to celebrate, there's no reason why you can't turn this into a profitable day for your business.
1. Create A Special Product, Service, Or Promotion For St. Patrick's Day
Think of a way to create a promotion and advertise it on your website and social media pages. This is straightforward if you have a restaurant, bar, club, or coffee shop as you can create dishes, beverages, and desserts with a St. Patrick's Day theme. No matter what you sell you can offer people a special coupon or promotion. You don't have to limit your promotion to one day (this year the holiday falls on Saturday, March 17, 2018). Make it for the whole weekend if not for an entire week. You might also combine your St. Patrick's Day promotion with the beginning of spring, which is only a few days later!
2. Send Out Emails With A Holiday Theme
If you have an email list, don't overlook this opportunity to incorporate St. Patrick's Day into your messages or newsletter. You might include colorful images such as a leprechaun or four-leaf clover. Think of a way to tie your message to the holiday, perhaps with some history, a recipe, or party tips. Email is an effective tool to publicize any promotions you're doing, whether in a store, on your website, or on your social media pages. As with any email, remember to include a strong call-to-action at the end.
3. Hold A Social Media Contest
No matter what type of business you have, you can invite your followers to send in photos, memes, or videos with a St. Patrick's Day theme. You can award a prize such as a coupon or a gift. Use your imagination to come up with a fun idea for a contest. There are apps that make it simple to create contests on Facebook. Instagram contests are also good for getting people to send in photos of their favorite costumes, locations, foods, or anything relevant to the theme.
4. Provide Safety And Public Service Tips
St. Patrick's Day is a holiday that's often associated with drinking alcohol. As society is now more aware of problems such as DWI, it's always good to remind people to stay safe and not drink and drive. If you have a local business, you might provide information about transportation alternatives in your area. Safety tips can be included among your other blog posts or social media messages during this holiday.
5. Broadcast Live On St. Patrick's Day
Live video has really been taking off over the last few years. Doing a live stream video from your business on St. Patrick's Day is a great way to get people to visit your store, showroom, and/or website. If you have a physical location, make sure you take the time to decorate it and create a festive atmosphere. Even if your business is web-based, you can broadcast from your home office or maybe near your local St. Patrick's Day parade. You can use this opportunity to mention any promotions you're running. One of the biggest benefits, though, is to use live video to engage with your customers. On platforms such as Facebook Live you can talk to people and answer questions.
As St. Patrick's Day joins the ranks of other popular festive holidays, think of as many ways as possible to tie it in with your business. In addition to the above tips, remember to add some extra green and appropriate decorations to your website and social media posts and pages!
To learn how The Friedman Group can help your business engage your target audience, generate leads, and optimize profits, contact us.
