Marketing Breakdown:  National Days

In 2013, Marlo Anderson, the radio talk show host of The Tech Ranch, also known as the “Guru of Geek,” founded the National Day Calendar, a website listing every single national day out of a love for celebrating every day. Anderson and his team have documented over 1,500 national days, and the list is still growing.  Whether you love or hate it, many companies have utilized national days as part of their marketing campaigns to leverage social engagement with their target audiences and clients.

Incorporating a strategic hashtag into your post on a national day is a fun way to show your audience a more personable, more human side to your brand or business. It can generate conversations related to your business. If you choose to use national days as part of your marketing campaign, take note of some guidelines you might want to follow.

Plan Ahead

Before posting about #NationalPopcornDay or #NationalBringYourDogDay, you have to map out upcoming national days in advance. This allows you to strategize and plan for maximum impact. Also, you want to ensure the national days you utilize align with your brand and message. For example, you don’t want to post something about #CallYourDoctorDay if your brand doesn’t interact with the medical field or doctors.

Don’t Overdo It

Like everything, use National Days in moderation or as it relates to your brand.  Do not overdo it. Celebrating too many national days may have the opposite effect on your business. The messaging might turn your audience off. If you’re a financial institution encouraging your members to save their money, you may want to skip #NationalSplurgeDay. Be as discerning as you want in how you utilize national days.

Make It Personal

Utilizing national days allows your brand to show a more personable side of your business. This is your chance to add some fun to your brand and to spruce it up with something unexpected. Think warm and fuzzy.  Again, you are placing your brand in a position to engage with your audience on a different level. For example, #NationalSelfieDay will allow your brand to create a fun post that can showcase your team and the people behind your business.

Staying Relevant

One of the benefits of using national days is showcasing your ability to keep up with trends and knowledge of what is happening in the world. It demonstrates that your brand is active.  You may even find that you are teaching your followers about national days.  Promoting topics you don’t usually talk about allows you to reach a bigger audience using different tags on Instagram or Twitter.

Utilize All Your Platforms

As with all marketing campaigns, plan on making multiple posts across the board. Don’t just use Instagram when you have a LinkedIn and Twitter account. Tailor the post to each audience specifically. That rule of knowing your audience comes in handy there.

When it comes to celebrating national days, remember to be selective. Promoting all national days will spam your audience.  Choose the days that make sense to your brand or business. Make sure the national day reflects your brand’s personality or at least links to it directly.  Select days that are conversation starters. They don’t have to be controversial. Last, avoid days hindering or interrupting a campaign you’re already running.