Independence Day is a celebration of America’s independence that pays homage to the signing of the Declaration of Independence back in 1776. When most people think of the Fourth, it conjures images of pool parties, grilling, wearing patriotic colors and explosive fireworks. However, it’s also a popular holiday to base sales and promotions on. Branch out from the traditional methods of raising summer sales and consider how promotional products can help get customers in the spirit.
The National Retail Federation gathered statistics about Fourth of July events leading up to last year’s celebration. A survey of consumers revealed 164 million people planned on attending a cookout. About 38 million people will attend a festive parade and 117 million Americans have plans to watch a nearby fireworks show. Based on this data, the holiday is a great time to reach out to customers with outdoor promotional products. With so many barbecues going on, custom promotional products will reach many eyes and hands to give the brand a boost.
Find how the advertising plan can be tailored to the holiday. For example, one way to really garner attention is by joining the local parade. The business will get unparalleled local visibility and it’s the perfect opportunity to distribute items to spectators. Some great options to throw to the crowd are bags of candy that sport the brand logo, beach balls, or collapsible Frisbees.
Consider bringing the cookout to the store. Get a grill or two, a cooler of sodas and a few bags of chips and then start the party right outside. This will draw customers in the door so they can be impressed with the products or services offered. Another way to have a cookout-esque event is hosting a hot dog eating contest for a prize. Hot dogs and hamburgers are the classic American entree so what better way to celebrate the birth of our nation? Photos of such a gathering will look great on social media pages, gain followers, and further endear current fans to the company.
Contests and prizes
Speaking of online marketing, social media contests offer an ideal opportunity to hold prize giveaways. Make contests themed for the holiday, like a photo contest to find the person dressed in the most patriotic outfit. This can be done on any social media platform, whether followers tweet at the company, post to the Facebook page or tag it on Instagram. Other contests that will engage fans and followers is trivia with American history questions. Because people are going to be all about the grilling and chilling, focus on prizes like coolers and captain chairs. Though everyone hopes for a beautiful beach day, umbrellas may be useful in the event of rain.
Workplace party
Don’t forget about a celebration at the office for the employees. Though they more than likely have the day off, it’s still fun to get the group together for a more social occasion. Give out bottle openers as a small token of appreciation and to get them ready for the cookout or beach party. Consider ordering food that embodies the sentiment with the use of red white and blue. Alternatively, buy candy with patriotic wrappers for an easier option. It may be fun to run some of the earlier mentioned contests with employees at the celebration. Offer an extra vacation day or a gift card to a local restaurant to whoever can win a hot dog eating contest or to the person who shows up wearing the most red white and blue.