Looking for an excuse to reach out to your customers, or something fun to use as the basis for a special offer or marketing campaign? As this email that I once received from Panda Express reminded me, “obscure holidays” are the answer!

Every month has multiple options

If you scroll through one of the many websites devoted to listing official days/weeks/months (such as https://www.daysoftheyear.com/, https://www.checkiday.com/, http://www.holidayscalendar.com/, or https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/) you’ll see endless possibilities.

In April, for example, while everyone else is focused on Easter and spring, you could call attention to National Walking Day (April 5), International Fun at Work Day (April 6), National Picnic Day (April 23) or National Teach Your Children to Save Day (April 27).

In October, instead of making a fuss about Halloween, you can celebrate International Coffee Day (October 1), It’s My Party Day (October 11) or Wear Something Gaudy Day (October 17).

How can you use special days in your marketing?

Here are 8 ideas: 

1. Create a special offer – Be kind and offer customers a World Kindness Day discount on November 13.
2. Send a promotional product – Celebrate Happiness Happens Day on August 8 by surprising your clients with a happy face mug (imprinted with your company logo, of course).
3. Spur engagement on social media – Post a picture of your team wearing their ugliest holiday sweaters for Ugly Sweater Day (third Friday of December), and invite followers to post pictures of their ugly sweaters, too.
4. Write a blog – Commemorate National Poetry Month (April) by writing a blog in verse. If it doesn’t come out well, save it for August 18, which is Bad Poetry Day!
5. Show up with food – If you make in-person sales calls, become known as the person who brings food for the team based on these holidays. We’re talking granola bars on January 21, chocolate mousse on April 3, salad in May, lasagna on July 29, sandwiches on November 3, cookies on December 4, etc.
6. Create a postcard campaign – Find holidays that reflect your company values, and highlight a different one each month. For example, you can feature Customer Service Day (January 17) in January and Global Ethics Day (October 18) in October.
7. Send an email – June 1 is Say Something Nice Day. Use this as a reason to send hand-written notes of appreciation to your clients.
8. Deliver a gift – If you usually send your clients holiday gifts in December, stand out by sending something earlier instead. How about a nice gift set of flavored vinegars to celebrate National Vinegar Day on November 1?

Take a few minutes to brainstorm some ideas now and add these to your marketing plans.