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Happy Catfish Month!

By Rob Weinberg

Did you know July is Ice Cream Month? In September we’ll celebrate consumers celebrate.
Chicken Month, as well as Coupon Month. Florists will sell more
And I LOVE toasting the arrival of Dinosaur Month in October…don’t nosegays. Nestle will
you? make candy nose
June is Turkey Lovers Month, which comes right on the heels of Egg rings for kids.
Month and Emergency Medical Services Week. Voilá – instant holiday.
OH BOY! Impossible? Consider-
At our house we just celebrated Juggling Day (6/18) and are still ing this is how Sec-
participating in (my personal favorite) Wine Month. retary’s Day (created
Sure, we still have traditional holidays like Independence Day. But in 1952), Bosses Day
courtesy of the marketing world, you can also now enjoy Grapefruit (1958), and Grand-
Month (February); Frozen Food Day (March 6); and Donut Day (June parents Day (1973)
3). began, I think not.
Creating your own holiday is where the real marketing action is these Each was invented by
days. Who could possibly forget Book Blitz Month (January); Brain a marketing profes-
Awareness Week (March 12-18) or Picnic Day (April 16)? sional, and are all
No, I’m NOT kidding! now as integrated into
The mattress manufacturers recognize more beds sell during Better society as Mother’s Day is.
Sleep Month (formerly “May”). Consumers will buy more junk food Selling a new holiday to the public takes time, resources and a com-
during Snack Food Month (February). mitment to proper development and implementation. But I’m guess-
Of course, “Snack Food Month” should probably be called “Junk ing that, if handled properly, even “Acne Week” could be up and
Food Month”, but I’m suspecting there might be a branding conflict running before we celebrate another American Teddy Bear Day.
there. Anyone up for the challenge?
So should you care about Candy Month or National Tie Month?
Perhaps, since you may want to create your own holiday to increase Rob Weinberg is a Madison Avenue veteran and principal of The
your company’s sales. Here’s how you might start. MarketBuilding Team – a strategic marketing firm based in Rancho
1) Buy 100,000 nose rings on ebay. Bernardo, CA. You can get his advice through a free newsletter, a
30 2) Announce online “National Nose Ring” Month is coming in Novem- weekly marketing advice column, or by hiring him as a part-time mar-
ber. Have a “Two for one” sale to encourage holiday shopping. keting executive. You’ll find him online at www.marketbuilding.com.
3) Announce this national nasal decoration celebration to the tradi-
tional media and through social media.
4) Create alliances with related retailers (tattoo parlors, etc.) target-
ing similar customers.
Wholesale your rings to
these other merchants
to increase your sell-
through.
5) Find events to piggy- NETWORK
back on. Note how Des-
sert Month and National
Cookie Month (both
October) interact. Get away for a full weekend Networking Meeting will meet the
6) Contact potential co- last Monday night of each month!
beneficiaries (i.e. skin hosted by Bobbye &Tonilee
cleansers, Kleenex) to Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
promote this “holiday”.
7) Jointly market the THE GET-AWAY Where: Bistro West Restaurant
celebration of all par- (]LUPKH ,UJPUHZ ‹ *HYSZIHK
ticipating businesses to RETREAT For more information go to
their respective customer www.Everything4Women.com/home/net-working.html
bases. Offer a discount July 25, August 29, September 26,
on each partner’s mer- October 31, November 28
chandise or services, Moving On
encouraging cross-mar-
keting to each others’
customer lists. October 28-30
Next year repeat each
step. Over five years the
public will accept Na- Ayers Hotel, Costa Mesa, CA
tional Nose Ring Month, $199 (Includes 2 nights stay & 4 meals)
then expect it. Hallmark Limited space. $50 non-refundable deposit
will create cards to help