Search Results for ‘holiday marketing ideas’
To all our loyal followers, I just wanted to say Thank YOU! Thank you for reading Redhead Marketing Blog these past few years and thank you for sharing our articles with your own followers, fans and circles. It is very much appreciated.
You may have noticed I have not posted here in quite some time. Since February when Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and Non-Traditional Holidays was lauched to be exact. We did that because most of the topics I post on the Redhead Marketing Blog are topics we cover in the book and on the site. So rather than be redundant (and incur the rath of Google) we decided to only post there.
So my team and I decided to also create a blog specifically for new holiday marketing ideas. You can click on the book title above or visit www.QuirkyMarketingCalendar.com to check out the latest book. When you visit, click on a date on the calendar to the right of the page you can read about the daily holiday and get some ideas for how to market your business using those ideas. You can read all the blog posts since we started (in February). Many of the posts on the Quirky Marketing Calendar blog and site are new ideas not even in this year’s calendar.
Feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think about Quirky Marketing Calendar.
Wishing you much success with your marketing efforts. And if I can ever be of assistance, be sure to let me know. You can learn more about me and my services at http://speakingwithspirit.com/services/
Wishing you all the best and much success with your marketing and social media results!
Heidi Richards Mooney, The Redhead Marketer
May 30th, 2010
National Skin Care Awareness Month – Time for a virtual holiday makeover. In 2008, Sephora, the beauty and skin care company launched a holiday makeover initiative at MistletoeMakeover.com where women (or daring men) could get a virtual holiday makeover using advanced photo-realistic technology to try out the season’s hottest holiday makeup trends and share with like-minded friends. “Mistletoe Makeover” was created by digital marketing firm, EVB San Francisco, in partnership with virtual makeover company, TAAZ.com. “Mistletoe Makeover” exploded online with hundreds of thousands of women creating holiday makeovers. Take a look at Reese Witherspoon’s makeover as Santa’s Little Temptress!!
For more holiday marketing ideas, see my book, Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Grow Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays at www.QuirkyOffer.com. Free updates for 2010 when you purchase the current edition
September 14th, 2009
Have in common?
They all mark special ”celebrations” on the calendar. For instance September 13th is National Grandparent’s Day – acknowledge your favorite grandparents with flowers or volunteer for or create an adopt-a-grandparent association. Honor those who honor children (of all ages) in a special way. Have a grandparent’s day sale or special offering. Visit a nursing home or assisted living facility and read to or just talk to some of the residents.
September 13th is also Bald is Beautiful Day – if you are a barber you could host a “bald is beautiful contest” and have prizes for the roundest head, the shiniest head, the most interesting head … – In May 2001 Harrisburg Senators partnered with the American Cancer Society (ACS) for a special fundraiser at Commerce Bank Park. The Senators raised money for the ACS Hope Lodge in Hershey, a place where cancer patients and their families can stay free of charge while patients are receiving treatment at Hershey Medical Center. Bald is Beautiful Day consisted of players and employees offering to shave their heads if their fundraising goal is met.
September 13th is also Fortune Cookie Day – Give everyone a fortune cookie today – you can buy them at a Chinese restaurant or you can special order them online and include your own messages – go to http://www.fancyfortunecookies.com/ or www.goodfortunes.com to create yours or make your own with this recipe at http://www.redheadmarketingblog.com/fortune-cookie-recipe-for-business-success/.
September 13th is also International Chocolate Day – another great day to do a chocolate promotion – carry around gold chocolate coins wherever you go and hand them out with your business card (I use those glue dots to attach the chocolate to my business card and use this as another way to spread the word about my company in a delectable way. A chocolatiere in Florida makes chocolate coins and gives them to prospects wherever he goes, a great way to allow others to offer a sample and promote his business.
For more Weird Holiday Marketing Ideas check out Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany & Non-traditional Holidays!
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September 13th, 2009
– Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July each year. In France, it is called Fête Nationale (“National Celebration”) the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. (Source Wikipedia).
Today is Bastille Day
In honor of Bastille Day I thought it would be fun to showcase an event the *American Cancer Society hosts ever year called Jail & Bail.
Jail & Bail is an annual fundraising event that brings together community leaders and ordinary citizens for a common cause… to help fight Cancer!
Jo Walters, David Singer, Sabrina Singer and Marilee Maddox
For many years I was an active participant in Jail & Bail, serving as a Parole Board Member AND a Jailbird!
This year, the American Cancer Society’s annual Jail and Bail event, held recently at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel in Dania Beach, raised more than $150,000.
Here’s how it works: The fundraiser has community members “arrested” by local law enforcement officers and brought to the mock jail. While in custody, these “jailbirds” have unlimited use of a telephone to call friends, relatives, co-workers, business associates, etc…, to raise the bail in pledges to the American Cancer Society. The bail is determined by a “judge” at the “jail”. And, all donations are fully tax deductible contributions to the American Cancer Society.
The local ACS sends media releases with Parole board members names and companies and also provides volunteers with their own press release Template to send out to their own media contacts. This is also a great way to stay top of mind in the media when they are looking for a story or resource.
One of my good friends David Singer (an attorney in Hollywood, Florida) has been the local Jail & Bail chairperson for years. And he and his law firm have received prestigious placement in all the major media outlets in the tri-county area including print, radio AND TV. He works tirelessly to recruit Parole Board members who in turn find people to “arrest.”
And it’s a fun event.
What does Jail & Bail have to do with Marketing? It’s called Cause-related marketing. Whenever businesses support a cause that has potential to reach a lot of people in the community, it helps them not only create goodwill in the community, it often will gain incredible media attention. And that’s the kind of attention most businesses want. Because we don’t have to pay for it and we can feel good about giving back. As a “sponsor” you get visibility on marketing materials, mentioned during planning meetings and in media releases and much more. As a participant you get to work closely with other like-minded volunteers AND maybe even see YOUR name in the media.
Here are 5 tips to help you plan and execute a successful Cause-related Marketing Campaign:
1. Find a cause you can get your arms around. Something that feeds your soul AND does good in the community. You will find it more worthwhile and you will be able to relate better to the people who also believe in the cause – the volunteers, staff and supporters. Organizations are also looking for partners with similar agendas, those who can achieve their goals by partnering with the right businesses and individuals in the first place.
2. Set realistic, measurable goals for your program. Like any other marketing plan, you need to know what outcomes you hope to get from your participation. Include how you will achieve those goals.
3. Create a “partnership agreement” that both parties understand and agree to. A clearly defined agreement will include both “partners” obligations, rights and expectations. Remember this is like any other partnership and if you can add a little formality to it, then the chances of success increase and it creates a sense of comfort knowing in black and white what each partners responsibilities include.
4. Be an ambassador for your Cause. Let everyone in your own circle know what and how you are supporting the organization. You will be pleasantly surprised by how many people will give you a thumbs up and also will want to “help you in your cause.”
5. When all is said and done, do a thorough review to make sure the campaign met your goals, your needs and the expectations of all concerned. Remember that while you want to support a cause you believe in, the bottom line is your support should create awareness of, interest in and customers for your company.
So next time you are trying to decide what community event to support, look at your calendar and see what’s going on and find a local charity to align yourself with. And then let me know what you did. Maybe your story will end up in the next edition of Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays.
*The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem—by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer— through research, education, advocacy and service.
Grab a FREE copy of my ebook: GET MEDIA SAVVY!– The Ultimate eGuide to Promote Your Products, Services and Ideas to the World at: http://www.womensmediasummit.com/get-media-savvy/
July 14th, 2009
Gifts From the Garden Month - People like to do business with people whom they have a relationship. They tend to trust people they meet outside of the business setting. So how about it? Do you network in line at the grocery store? Do you take every opportunity to meet people and listen to their problems so that you can offer a solution?
Here’s what my good friend Bea Kunz of Sage Hill Farms and Vintage Store does: “I have two sets of business cards, one is my regular website with product for sale. The other is a card inviting you to join us for a introduction to “cooking with herbs.” This is the card I hand out to those I meet in grocery stores and other places where we are both strangers. I pay attention to what others are putting in their carts, this gives me an opening to a conversation. I can access the areas people might want or need help in by seeing what types of food they buy. I’m also aware that many are a bit sensitive to having a stranger or anyone interject their ideas on their choices. When offered something that is fun and free, it’s much easier to then introduce them to something better. Sage Hill Farms has gained more than a few small accounts just through this medium. Small accounts make large accounts when tallied up at the end of the month!”
Excerpt from the book “Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany & Non-traditional Holidays (the original holiday marketing guide) ~ www.QuirkyOffer.com
May 2nd, 2009
April 22nd is also National Jelly Bean Day – On October 15, 1999, the world’s largest jar of jelly beans was unveiled. It weighed 6,050 pounds. Did you know that each year, U.S. manufacturers produce more than 16 billion jelly beans for Easter — that’s enough to completely fill a plastic Easter egg 89 feet high and 60 feet wide (about the height of a nine-story office building.
Time for another “world’s largest jar of jelly beans?
BTW, I am giving a presentation to the American Business Women’s Association called Leveraging Social Networking to Grow Your Business. During the event I am having a “Guess the Jelly Beans” contest and will announce the winner at the end of the program. Someone will go home with a free copy of my Social Networking Formula for Success CD (value $47). And everyone will get a handful of Jelly Beans too!
Read the History of Jelly Beans at Xomba.com
Take this Jelly Bean Quiz
For more great ideas like these, check out Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and non-traditional Holidays.
April 21st, 2009
They each celebrate April 22nd!
April 22nd is Earth Day - In celebration of Earth Day 2008, WE magazine hosted a Green Commerce Survey and invited women and men all over the world to participate. For their time, WE gathered more than 100 resources to share with them as a special gift. WE magazine also focused their entire Spring 2008 Issue on Going Green issues. You can read it here: http://www.wecai.org/wemagspring08.pdf . Here is the list of Green Resources we compiled from the survey: http://www.speakingwithspirit.com/pdf/WOMENSGREENRESOURCES.pdf.
April 21st, 2009
Today April 16th is Guitar Picker’s Day
Invented by the people of Malaga, Spain in the 15th century The first guitars were very small and strung with four pair of strings. Each pair was called a course. As the guitar later changed into a larger instrument, this “four course” guitar became known as the ukulele. During the Renaissance the guitar was not taken seriously as a musical instrument, because the lute was the intrument of choice by musicians of that day.
Can you name a famous guitar player? How about George Harrison, lead guitarist for the Beatles or Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. There’s also Carlos Santana and of course who could forget Elvis Presley…..
If you are in the music business you could host a “world’s largest guitar concert” in the world. Call your local musicians union to contact guitarists. Go to local night clubs, lounges and of course look in the phone book and even Google local guitar players to get your band on… Contact other local music outlets to co-sponsor your event.
If you want to learn more about guitars visit Josh’s Guitar Lifestyle blog
Find your favorite Guitarists at Guitar 5 Day
Check out these great guitar trivia quiz’s at Fun Trivia
For more great ideas like these, check out Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and non-traditional Holidays.
April 16th, 2009
… to get you blog noticed, read and followed
Starting a blog may be the craze these days, but is it for you? Do you have what it takes to not just start a blog, but stick to it? Do you know what you want to accomplish with your blog? Do you know how you want to position your blog, what you want to write about and more importantly who you want to write for? A blog without an audience is still a blog, but it may not be effective in achieving your overall goals.
If you want to have an audience, you have to market your blog. You have to let people know it exists. Most people don’t write for themselves, they write for a consumer, a fan or someone(s) who has similar interests. Having others read what you write affirms that you have information worth reading. And if you have ever received comments on your blog you know that feeling that someone does take what you have to say seriously. Even when they don’t agree with your stand, they took the time to respond.
If you want to increase your readers and get more feedback from them (comments) you need to create a plan. And there are “little” things you can do every day to make that happen. In fact, I created a list of 15 tips to get your blog on the radar of your target audience and am sharing 3 tips today. That means I have content to span 5 blog posts. Maybe more if I decide to add to it. Here are those 3 tips:
Tip #1 ~ Create good content. Many blog consultants will tell you that content is king and that you need lots of it. I believe what you really need is strategically created informative or entertaining (and best if it’s both) content that interests readers and gets visitors to become followers. Writing posts strictly for the search engines may get you better rankings in the short term, but in the long term could hurt your credibility.
If you are having trouble coming up with content, start with a list of something in your genre or niche. Lists are very popular with readers and often lists get picked up and referred to on other blogs. On my blog WE Magazine for Women, I compile a quarterly list of Women Bloggers to watch. It is by far the highest visited (and commented on) post of all the blog posts we write.
Other types of content that are popular with readers is how-to advice. Teach what you know. On my Redhead Marketing blog I write about how to use weird, zany and unusual holidays to promote your business.
Write a 99 Ways to article. Or 33 steps, or 47 tips. Break those tips down into bite-sized pieces and do a series. For instance, the 99 ways could be broken down into a series of tips over a period of time such as a few days or weeks. Similar to what I am doing here with 15 tips shared over 5 posts.
For more ideas about what to write on your blog read How to Write Great Blog Content by Darren Rouse of Problogger at http://www.problogger.net/how-to-write-great-blog-content/
Tip #2 ~ Many successful bloggers have increased their following and built a loyal base by creating an online community on their blog. You can create a forum, a social network or a simple chat room. In fact, most blog software these days allows or has plug ins that will help you establish your community. For an example of how one person did this, check out JamieOliver.com. Keith Ferazzi (author of Never Eat Alone) has a great mix of website, blog and community to take a look at as well.
If you are not sure if you should include a “community” for your readers, check out “Should Blogs Have a Forum?” at Blog Herald
Tip #3 ~ Create a Directory on Your blog. The Directory can include resources your readers would value and want to visit often. By including the directory link you increase the likelihood readers will return (provided the content is good). You can start compiling your directory content based upon your blog posts.
For instance, if you write a technology blog and offer the latest and greatest gadgets in every post. The gadgets could then be compileed and referred to in a directory of recommended sites that your visitor can refer to often. A directory could work with almost any type of blog. A parenting blog could list parenting resources, magazines, books, experts, educational sources, etc. A social media blogger could create a directory of social media sites, social media tools, resources, plug-ins, experts, etc. You get the idea. One of my favorite blogs BlogHer has a directory of other female bloggers on their blog. It is one of the most popular and respected blogs in the blogosphere.
The point is a directory can increase readers because if the content is good, your readers are likely to refer to the directory on their blogs and in their newsletters and emails. After all, if they find a great resource, they too will want to let their readers know about it. Why not be the “it” they refer their readers to?
April 13th, 2009
Did you know April is National Humor Month?
No wonder April 1st is April Fools Day ~ a day for fun pranksters to have some fun playing innocent “jokes” on others (at least they should be innocent)
And Funny Sells! Just ask Sarah Lefton! Her quirky sense of humor and her Jewish pride were the impetus for a successful home based business. As the marketing director for a Jewish summer camp at Yosemite National Park, Lefton discovered that by changing the emphasis of the word Yosemite she created “Yo Semite”. She silk screened the term on a few T-shirts for herself and wore the Yo Semite T-shirts around the streets of San Francisco. People started coming up to her and asking her where they could buy one. Two days later, she had taken orders for 36 shirts and her Internet based business, Jewish Fashion Conspiracy was born.
Her Yo Semite shirts took off and Lefton has now added additional designs to her product line. They include Chanukah panties, and a “Jews for Jeter” shirt to honor the New York Yankee’s star Derek Jeter. She created her designs as a way to celebrate being Jewish and have fun at the same time. Her ingenuity and humor has received media attention from a variety of Jewish publications as well as Time Magazine.
Beginning at midnight April 1st, I will be posting April Fools quotes, trivia, humor and history. If you’d like to join in the fun, follow me at http://twitter.com/heidi
For more great ideas like this, check out my new book Quirky Marketing ~ 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and Non-traditional Holidays.
April 1st, 2009
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