The month of June is packed with food-related holidays, even if people don’t know about them all. According to The Nibble, a specialty food magazine, June is the national month for eight different snacks and meals. These are National Candy Month, National Dairy Month, National Papaya Month, National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, National Seafood Month, National Steakhouse Month, National Turkey Lover’s Month and National Iced Tea Month. There are also daily national food holidays that promotions can highlight.
Cross-promote with food-based businesses
Sticking with the theme of food celebrations, look into promotional partnerships with businesses in the food industry. For example, place promotional products near the checkout line at farmer’s markets or produce stands in the spirit of National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month. This will help put the brand out to a demographic that may not normally interact with the company. Handing out coupons for the market is one way to make the exchange fair, but the local businesses might have their own promotional products or other ideas on how they want to be advertised.
Restaurants are also very appropriate to coordinate with for the month of June. The company can offer gift cards or discounts to the restaurant to loyal customers, and in return, the restaurant could use coasters branded with the logo on tables and at the bar. Even if the two aren’t directly related, it’s rare that another business doesn’t want to get their name out in new ways.
Use the holiday to promote restaurant or catering company
This month of food celebrations is a perfect opportunity for businesses in the food industry to have promotional events. For example, one that could be really fun to incorporate is National Turkey Lover’s Month. It seems strange to celebrate turkey in June when most people associate the meal with Thanksgiving in November, but it’s still delicious. Consider organizing a Summer Thanksgiving Dinner competition. Have people sign up to bring a dish to a potluck style dinner that puts a summertime spin on old Thanksgiving classics. Ask the chefs and perhaps local public figures to be test-tasting judges for the contest.
Offer custom promotional products as prizes to winners in various categories, from most original to most savory. Excellent food-related promotional products include a custom imprinted apron and a custom BBQ 11-piece set. Smaller sets are available as well. Consider providing all contestants with a token of appreciation such as a tumbler or travel mug so they can show off the business that hosted a unique and interesting event. Don’t forget to have someone snap a few pictures of the event to put on the company’s social media pages.
Engage the online audience
As always, social media is an ideal way to reach a large audience with promotional products. Online contests get followers involved and will boost visibility as customers comment or share posts from the company. Because of the abundance of food holidays, it would be fitting to launch a request for recipe submissions. Anyone who participates can receive a gift in the mail, such as an imprinted slide n strain cutting board or a custom salad container. These items speak to the National Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month celebration. Consider organizing the recipes on a blog or even into a printed packet as a unique way to show customer appreciation. The people who took the time to submit recipes will know that it made a difference to the company and they’ll probably share any posts with friends and family. This will bring traffic to your website and as a result, place the brand in the minds of potential new clients.