Blue Monday (16th January 2023) might be a grotty Monday in January but thinking about it beforehand might just get you feeling more zingy and ready to go. Stuart outlines his thinking on ways to beat blue Monday.
1. Physical activity.
Might be the hardest time of year to get out and do something, but I have a goal in April, which needs some attention to make it one to be proud of. It might only be the Blackpool 10k – but training now makes the result even more worth it in the end.
2. Set a realistic resolution.
I’ve had some goals for a while, personal to me. Some are business related and some are personal, yes, the above might be one of them. However, looking at the steps on the journey, and looking at the measures towards them is so important. You might not hit where you want to be, however, what progress have you made, how is quantifiable the small wins are also important.
3. Get creative.
Different people have different forms of creativity, do something which takes you away, zone out, and concentrate on something different, whether for business or pleasure. And share it with someone! The art of making someone else smile from something you’ve done is very rewarding.
4. Eat well.
You are what you eat. Yes, we’ve just had a season of self-indulgence. However, eating well doesn’t have to be a sacrifice. If you need top tips on this speak to Lisa Kempster – she always makes me smile, Lisa’s nuggets of wisdom when it comes to food are a real eye-opener.
5. Make the most of natural light.
For me, it’s time out walking the dog. Probably the best thing that I and my partner did, he brightens us up every day. Even the wet drizzly ones, yes, we all hate going out in the rain – even Finn our Cockerpoo – clearly doesn’t like getting wet!
6. Change your environment.
Small changes can make a big difference. The view from your desk or workplace. Our print studio looks out over the Hebble valley, and this made a big difference to us, looking at trees rather than Kirklees College where we were in Huddersfield. Watching the seasons is very magical.
7. Consider a SAD lamp.
As a trained photographer, I am well aware of natural light, it’s something many people take for granted. Light affects us in many different ways, moods, as we all feed differently off the light. I know I am more vibrant in the spring. So if you do suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder – consider a light source which has the right colour tones in it for you.
8. Spend time with others.
I know I am so lucky to have a small inner circle who really does make a difference for me. I hope I do for them.
Valentines is a great opportunity to increase brand awareness and encourage sales and bookings here are some marketing ideas for every business type…
Whether you view Valentine’s Day as a romantic celebration of love and the perfect opportunity to express your feelings for your other half, or you think it’s a commercial event whereby any sense of meaning is killed by a sense of obligation, it is well and truly rooted in our culture (having been around since the 5th Century), it’s here to stay.
Love it or loathe it, here in the UK we will collectively spend £1.5 billion on Valentine’s Day. So, getting on board with Valentine’s Day marketing should be an opportunity you shouldn’t miss.
Valentine’s Day Promotions help boost your business
We all know that florists are probably the prime candidate for maximising their earnings from this day. However, there are plenty of other opportunities. If you are in hospitality forward planning your romantic valentine’s package is essential to maximising your earnings in this traditionally quiet period. Regardless of the business type, you can exploit this annual celebration like a chocolatier packaging their goodies in suitable red heart-adorned boxes.
Whether you wish to promote a product or service, or both, you can align this to Valentine’s Day theme by simply telling your customers you want to ‘show them a little love this Valentine’s Day’ with an offer on products and/or services.
A passionate approach doesn’t have to be between the customer and their respective other, it can be a nice gesture from you to them, keeping it professional and in line with your business messages.
It’s a great opportunity to promote couples’ packages for your services, whether it’s a couple’s massage, couples gym membership, Personal Trainer package or a 2-4-1 offer on a service you offer.
You might consider posting a small gift voucher to existing clients as a thank-you for their loyalty. Direct Mail marketing is very personal and connects your customer with you in a different way than online marketing. Something like a simple money-off voucher can encourage bookings during quiet winter months. Just make sure you specify if the voucher is to be redeemed by a certain time or whether there is a minimum spend. And remember, customers will almost always spend more than the value of the voucher, so you can see a big profit from a small gesture.
Need ideas forValentine’s Day marketing?
You may feel that Valentine’s Day is corny to implement into your marketing strategy. However, where there’s a will there’s a way! It doesn’t matter what your business type is, being creative with Valentine’s Day marketing ideas and tweaking them to your business, you can get in on the action and capitalise on the 14th of February. Remember, marketing is about making a connection with your customers on a personal level, making them a mile and engage with you.
So, perhaps you own a dog grooming salon. The love that customers have for their dogs is just as real (and often as strong) as the love we have for our other halves, so why wouldn’t they want to show passion for their pup? Create a fun social media posting asking people to share stories about their pets and their first love, or in the lead up to Valentine’s Day ask your customers to send in pictures of their dogs tying in with a small prize draw for goodies will work as well. Great PR opportunity when they collect.
Traditionally, Valentine’s Day has been all about couples, pairs, and twosomes, so why not promote a buy-one-get-one-free, or buy-one-get-one-half-price offer for that special day of the week? Whether you sell building supplies or candles, an offer like this is super simple to implement and allows you to use Valentine’s Day as a marketing tool.
The loved link is an easy one to make as it’s not just people or pets that steal our hearts. It’s special places, hobbies, our homes and cars, and even food!
So, whether you work in travel or the trades, all you need to do is ask yourself ‘what matters to my customers? What do they love? What is their passion? Once you figure that out, creating a Valentine’s Day marketing campaign that comes from the heart, will be easy!
Need some ideas – see this blog…. https://www.had-print.co.uk/blog/?p=198
Or give us a call for more ideas of how to integrate print into your Valentine’s marketing plan.
Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas for the not-so-romantically attached.
Heart-shaped paraphernalia and romantic declarations of love are not for everyone.
You can still capitalise on the love-lust day by thinking outside the box with Valentine’s Day promotion ideas that celebrate the joy of the individual!
Make your customers indulge in self-care and celebrate the importance of loving the ‘one and only you’ or quote Rupaul “If you can’t love yourself then who can you love?”. So, self-care and self-love are just as important. Whether beauty treatments, new clothes or opportunities for self-improvement, they all fit.
How do I plan a budget for Valentine’s Day Marketing?
Depending upon business type, it can be simple gift voucher printing or, if Valentine’s Day is a holiday your industry tends to significantly benefit from (card/gift shops, hospitality/restaurants or spa/beauty), you may want to go all out with a campaign that takes a little more of your budgets, such as having special menus, small gift packages or stunning POS graphics. The beauty is – it’s an annual event, so carefully planned out their re-use potential is there, so almost future proof!
Now is such an important time for moderation, being flash doesn’t inspire so don’t get carried away, so ensure you consider your budget, and estimated return on investment. Make sure it is relevant events throughout the year.
However, you engage or celebrate Valentine’s Day, whether you agree, disagree, like or dislike it, it presents a good opportunity to engage, and connect with your customers. Showing a little love goes a long way to building effective relationships and brand loyalty. After all, if your competitors are sharing the love, is it time you did?
A few easy wins, ideas for tools to use in your Valentine’s marketing toolbox
Vouchers; cards, voucher-strips, included within leaflets, whether they be 2-for-1 offers, partnerships with other businesses, or timely promotions to create footfall in your quieter periods. These don’t need to be financial, they can be add-on packages, which allow you to control the cost to your business.
Hospitality – menus one-off, romantic limited editions, could this be, matt black and red or pink foil print? Could the menu be a memento of the evening out? Do you create a slot for a photograph, and do prints on demand on the evening?
Banners for events hemmed & eyeletted or pull-up banners. Yes, you will need to promote your event beforehand!
Bespoke Gift Boxes, chocolates, sweets – everyone likes a little bit of love being shown to them, especially as a small gift, the thought counts more than the contents.
2-part valentine card mailing, anonymous first and subsequent follow-up. Carefully planned and connected, you can build a great 2-part direct mail which can generate conversation, -re-open
Self-care card deck, a small piece of self-love, prompts, and ideas, is easy to brand for your organisation, whether for customers or staff.
Above all creativity will always rule. If you can come up with a good hook, it will grab attention for you. Punchy graphics, tactile print, or clever print finishing or packaging will always help you to get remembered and your customers connect in a meaningful way.
