Did you know that March is National Craft Month? Or that May is National Healthy Vision Month? When I was employed in the radio industry, we worked closely with every different type of retail store to create marketing strategies for each client’s business. We often used the resource guide, “Chase’s Annual Calendar of Events” to help jumpstart ideas for retail advertising and promotional themes. This guide has a complete listing of all the national monthly theme holidays. It also lists daily holidays and events, but it’s best to tie in with a monthly theme when planning a longer term marketing campaign. I’ve identified several different types of retail stores and some of the monthly themes that would naturally mesh with the products these stores sell.
Also, many manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, or distributors might have access to co-op advertising dollars which can support your marketing campaign. Sometimes they have a 50/50 match of advertising dollars. You’ll need to prepare a marketing proposal (sometimes months in advance), so start working on that plan in April for that November ad campaign.
Hardware and Gardening Stores like Home Depot, Lowes, True Value
January: Radon Action Month (promote testing kits), Bird Feeding Month (seed, feeders)
February: Care about Your Indoor Air Month (air purifiers, filters)
May: Barbeque Month (grilling supplies), Gifts from the Garden Month
June: Perennial Gardening Month (plants, fertilizer, soil), Rebuild Your Life Month (tie in with “build” theme), Great Outdoors Month, Rose Month
July: National Grilling Month (sell grills, outdoor living products)
September: Mold Awareness Month (products that kill mold, paint, dehumidifiers)
Computer/Office Retail Stores like Office Depot, Staples
January: Clean Up Computer Month (promote computer repair services), Get Organized Month (filing, folders, containers)
February: Time Management Month (time systems)
April: Card and Letter Writing Month (correspondence supplies)
September: Update Your Resume Month (resume supplies, paper)
Auto Dealerships, Auto Supply Stores
April: National Car Care Month (promote service and parts)
May: Motorcycle Safety Month (tune-ups, safety inspections)
May: Good Car Keeping Month (service and tune-ups)
Food/Grocery Stores
February: Cherry Month (feature recipes, provide samplings), Return Shopping Cart Month (fun theme to get noticed/press coverage)
March: Frozen Food Month (promote different products each week, sampling), Peanut Month
May: National Hamburger Month (have a best burger recipe contest), National Salad Month
July: National Hot Dog Month (fire up the grill outside store), National Ice Cream Month (demonstrate how to make homemade ice cream)
August: Chicken Month (feature unique chicken recipes, sales on product)
September: Mushroom Month
October: Popcorn Popping Month
Fitness and Sporting Goods Stores
January: Shape up US Month (kick off New Year’s resolutions and promote exercise equipment, Skating Month (move skating supplies to front of store, cross promote with local skating rink)
April: African American Women Fitness Month (tie in with local Urban radio station, do remotes, sponsor on air healthy tips for women)
May: National Bike Month (promote products, do a bike check up clinic, sponsor a race), National Tennis Month (move tennis equipment to front of store, cross promote with local tennis club)
Banking Industry
January: Financial Wellness Month (promote financial consulting services)
March: Credit Education Month (do credit checks, review what scores mean)
Pet Supply Stores/Veterinarians
February: National Pet Dental Health Month (feature dental care products)
April: Pet First Aid Awareness Month (hold clinics for consumers)
June: Adopt a Shelter Cat (offer new pet start up kits or wellness check)
August: Animal Remembrance Day
October: Adopt a Shelter Dog (offer new pet start up kits or wellness check)
November: Pet Cancer Awareness Month (teach about signs)
March: National Music in Schools Month (have discounts on instrument rentals), National Play Recorder Month (demonstrations in store), Sing with Child Month (promote children’s CD’s)
August: National Piano Month (offer discounts, have recitals in store)
Photography Stores
May: National Photo Month (hold a month long photo contest-prize is a camera)
January: Creativity Month (share real customer’s completed craft projects)
March: National Craft Month (hold in store demonstrations of different crafts), Youth Art Month (sponsor an art contest for local school district)
Health Industry
The health industry has truly capitalized on national monthly awareness campaigns. Here are just some of the major health related themes by month. Local hospitals could sponsor monthly health tips on radio and television stations, dentists could promote their business based on Dental health months, Opticians and Eyewear stores can develop their campaigns tied to healthy eye care months.
February: American Heart Month, Children’s Dental Month
March: Colorectal Cancer Month, Eye Donor Month, Kidney Month, MS Month, Safe Vision Month
April: Stress Awareness Month
May: Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month, Arthritis Month, Better Hearing and Speech Month, Fibromyalgia Month, Osteoporosis Awareness Month, Healthy Vision Month
August: Cataract Awareness Month
September: Sickle Cell Month, Healthy Aging Month
October: Celiac Disease Month, Dental Hygiene Month, Down Syndrome Month
November: AIDs Awareness Month, Alzheimer’s Disease Month, Lung Cancer Awareness Month
By the way, one monthly theme can be tied to every business-April is Customer Loyalty Month. Use this month to send out a special thank you to your customers for their business. This is a great time to kick off a frequent shopper/buyer campaign, greet customers at the door with a carnation or rose, hand out coupons to folks as they walk in the store, create an email blast with discounts to thank your shoppers, have an in-store customer appreciation party (with cake, treats, freebies). The ideas are endless.
