We’ve blogged many times about how to leverage key calendar dates in your marketing plan. For example, earlier this year we focused on Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day with ideas on making your pub’s voice heard amongst the buzz on social media.
This time we’ve pulled together a yearly round-up of dates for your marketing planner – the big ones but also some smaller which may not be directly related to the pub industry but provide an opportunity to stand out creatively.
Grab a brew and let’s get into it….
Random Act of Kindness Day – 17th February
Picture the scene, it’s February and every single pub in your town or city has been pushing Valentine’s Day like crazy. That big romantic event has now passed, and your competitors are pretty exhausted from desperately trying to get noticed in this oversaturated social media meltdown plus your customers are tired of being relentlessly marketed to.
Now’s the time for you to step in with something kinder and ask for nothing in return. Set yourself apart from everyone else and show your softer side by focusing on Random Act of Kindness Day.
Pick a selection of social media followers and randomly appear in their inbox with a gift… a voucher for a meal, a free drink or an invite to an event. Of course, let your followers know what your plan is (you want them to watch their inbox) but don’t shout too much about what you’ve done – after all, acts of kindness aren’t really kind if the aim is to show everyone what a good person/business you are. This is about offering your loyal followers a little gift to say Thank you!
You can also encourage your followers to carry out acts of kindness themselves and make the world a sweeter place for one day.
Love Your Pet Day – 20th February
OK, we see you raising your eyebrows at this one but let’s think outside the box. If your pub offers takeaways and delivery, then this is a great way to highlight that service…
‘We know that on Love Your Pet Day you’re going to want to spend the evening at home with your beloved companion. How about 20% off takeaways just for today? That way you cuddle up with your pet without missing out on your favourite meal!’
International Women’s Day – 8th March
IWD is all about empowerment and celebrating women around the world so a simple discount code for female customers isn’t necessarily going to cut it. Instead, produce some heartfelt content celebrating the women in your team and how invaluable they are to your business – focus on their unique skill set, ability to boost morale or excellent management skills.
You’re a business so celebrate their presence within business terms and make it meaningful!
Glastonbury Festival – June
Lots of people miss out on Glastonbury tickets or aren’t able to attend for various reasons, so bring the festival vibe to your place. As Glasto fever heats up, join the conversation by inviting everyone down to your pub (garden if you have one) to dress up, dance and let loose.
If live music isn’t an option, then set up a playlist of key artists from the festival and show the big sets from Glasto on the TV. Dress your pub with lanterns, paper bunting, floor cushions and provide glitter (sustainable of course) and then go live on your social channels throughout the weekend to encourage more and more people to join the party.
Go Sober for October (Stopover)
Now you may think that a pub has no place marketing during Stopover but this is a chance to demonstrate your stance on inclusivity. Talk about your low and no-alcohol range – virgin cocktails, delicious spritzes and 0% beers and let your followers know that you fully support their abstinence from alcohol!
It’s not necessary to stay at home to stay sober! Plus, if any of your staff are joining in with Stopover then give them a voice on your social media channels and let people know they’re not alone.
Christmas Jumper Day – 14th December
Let’s end with this fun key date in December, the perfect antidote to pre-Christmas stress! No need to go big here but put the Christmas marketing on hold for a day to encourage pure festive joy in your pub. Share pictures of your staff in their jumpers and perhaps offer a little something to anyone who wears their Christmas jumper to your pub… a free drink or entry to a prize draw on the night.
There’s an opportunity here for user-generated content so perhaps ask guests to share a picture of themselves in their jumper at your pub and use a hashtag to collate the entries. The most festive person wins a prize and share, share, share the content.
Finish your brew…
We’re full of plenty more ideas so if you’d like us to get creative on your behalf then please reach out. We’d love to hear from you!