By: Danny Bradbury
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and small businesses may be thinking hard about how to celebrate the event by showing a little love to their customers. Using a variety of channels––from social media to store signage and email––even the smallest companies can put their own unique twist on the day, giving their brand––and perhaps even their sales––a boost. Here are some suggestions.
Gifts
Gifts are still one of the best way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but it isn’t just flowers that say ‘I love you’. Neither do gifts have to be just for significant others. Small businesses can send gifts to clients on the big day, too––after all, don’t loyal customers deserve a little love? You can check out Office Depot’s gift guide for ideas.
Think in pairs
Valentine’s Day is traditionally about pairings. You can use this to your advantage by pairing products that go well together. These could be products from your own business that haven’t sold well on their own, or pairings with other businesses as part of a special Valentine’s Day campaign. How about a branded two-for-one movie and dinner special, courtesy of the local indie cinema and the restaurant across the road?
Appeal to singles
Singles that might otherwise shun February 14th represent a vast, untapped market. Try to think of innovative ways to appeal to this demographic. Self-pampering products that someone wouldn’t normally buy for themselves are one idea, but don’t forget experiences either. One-person weekend getaways are a good way for people to celebrate their single awesomeness.
Alternatively, you can create promotions targeting singles that would like a match. Your pet store could spark new relationships by running a singles-focused dog walking night.
Encourage sharing
Sharing is a big part of Valentine’s Day. You can encourage your community to celebrate by telling their most enjoyable Valentine’s Day stories. Social media is the perfect forum for soliciting stories of memorable first meetings, and the best––or worst––Valentine’s Day gifts. Accompanied by a suitable hashtag, these story-sharing campaigns can be as edgy as you like. What about a competition to share the most cringeworthy first date experiences? Perhaps the prize for the best story could be a two-for-one experience package designed just for couples.
Puns work
You know what doesn’t get nearly enough love? Dad jokes. A well thought-out pun can tie together a Valentine’s Day marketing campaign in a heartbeat. It has worked several times for blood donation services (have a heart, donate some blood). Ad agency Evans Hunt created love heart candies with messages that played on printing and analytics such as ‘Be my KPI’, and ‘Talk copy to me’). They sent them to clients and even created custom posters. We love it.
There’s a whole world of opportunity for small businesses who want to color outside the lines on Valentine’s day. All it takes is a little creative flair to try to make your customers feel warm and fuzzy. Go on—you know they’re worth it.
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