It’s mid-November…Halloween has been and gone….and…

…my local stores are now in full-on, 100% Christmas mode!

Not just Christmas promotions either…

…this year everyone seems to have jumped the gun on “Black Friday” and started well ahead of the supposed date on the day after Thanksgiving in the USA!

So…if you haven’t already started planning and preparing for your end-of-year and other holiday promotions…

…there’s no time to lose!

Below, I am republishing a special guest post that has proven very popular since it was originally published some years ago on the “Total Package” site (sadly no longer active).

It’s from Troy White…

…with some great marketing tips that can be applied for other seasonal events, not just Christmas.

Before that…as a starter and useful addition to the main piece…here’s an extract from a pretty much “evergreen” post by Ryan Deiss and the folks at DigitalMarketer… [Read more…]

Time to look ahead and consider what’s available to the smart direct response marketer to create…

…a marketing calendar for December 2023.

That is to say, occasions, events and anniversaries that we can use as the building block for marketing campaigns and promotions.

December of course means…

…CHRISTMAS…

…with the NEW YEAR not far behind as a marketing event.

New Year provides a great marketing opportunity for pretty much any business.

Even now in November, it’s not too early to run with the theme…

…”Make 2024 Your Best Year”…

…which can apply to businesses in health, relationships, personal finance and success in general.

In December, New Year’s resolutions will be on people’s mind…

…so this is an excellent time to promote any kind of personal development product…

…as well as business-oriented offerings.

Remember to plan and launch your New Year promotion well in advance and in good time for January 1.

With Christmas, keep in mind…

…any specific customs in your area.

For example, in Sweden the Yule season starts on December 13 with Santa Lucia Day.

It’s also the December Solstice on December 22 (at 03.27 UTC…check the time in your location).

Other significant events in December… [Read more…]

On this Halloween 2023…I’m reposting a piece that I originally published w-a-a-a-y back in 2014. How things have changed in the world since then!

What’s somewhat terrifying however…

…is that many marketers appear not to have heeded these warnings.

Perhaps even more frightening is that many contemporary marketers seem completely unaware of the fundamental principles of marketing that these giants of the past talk about. 

The shocking result is that…

…far too many marketers are wasting far too much money on advertising that does not produce results.

So…to avoid that ghastly fate…read on for some marketing wisdom from beyond the grave…. [Read more…]

Here’s the regular look ahead…

…this time at the coming month of November 2023…

…for events, occasions and anniversaries to use for campaigns and promotions in your marketing calendar for November 2023.

FIRST…a reminder that the end of the year and CHRISTMAS is fast approaching!

This year, the first Sunday in Advent falls on December 3.

For pretty much all marketers, Christmas and the New Year is a time of peak opportunity to make sales…

…BUT there is a lot of competition of course. So, it’s important to be well prepared.

Before that…in the USA it’s…THANKSGIVING (this year on Thursday November 23).

(In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is a month earlier on Monday October 9).

“Black Friday” follows, which marks the start of the Christmas season shopping frenzy!

On a more somber note, November 11 is Remembrance Day (Veterans Day in the USA).

Another occasion to note…

…”Singles Day” in China on November 11…which has become one of the world’s biggest online shopping days of the year.

There are also a number of religious holidays in November across a number of different faiths. For example, Diwali/Deepavali is celebrated on November 12 this year. So, check the details if it’s appropriate for your audience.

Here’s a more comprehensive list of events and occasions… [Read more…]

Here’s a look ahead at the month of October 2023 and some of the events, anniversaries and occasions that smart marketers can use as the basis for an event-driven promotion…

…to create your own marketing calendar for October 2023.

The most prominent occasion, beloved by many marketers, is “Halloween” on October 31. Given what’s already happened in 2023…

…Halloween might well provide some light relief!

The origins of Halloween seem to be a mixture of pagan festivals marking the end of summer…

…combined with the idea that at this time of the year the spirit-world comes close to our world…

…adopted by the Christian religion as the eve of “All Souls Day”.

Whatever, it’s the traditional occasion to acknowledge the afterlife and the supernatural.

So, an opportunity to use themes in your promotions like…

“It’s Scary What You Are Missing!”

“Now a spooktacular, very limited time, opportunity”

“Terrifyingly scary profits coming your way…”

…and so on.

The theme of FEAR (of loss, for example) can also be used…

…but don’t get too terrifying about it!

Apart from Halloween, October has plenty of different events and occasions… [Read more…]