February is American Heart Month
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and February is the perfect month to run a healthy heart campaign. Businesses needn’t be in the health-care industry to run such a program. Anyone concerned with the wellbeing of its business partners, vendors and employees can launch a campaign. Healthy employees result in lower health-care premiums. Encourage everyone to get a physical and reward those who do with heart-shaped stress relievers. Use social media like Facebook to promote healthier eating and exercise. Engage clients, vendors and employees through Twitter and tweet about success stories. Contact your distributor partner, as she can help you find lots of great heart-themed promotional products.
February 2
National Groundhog Job Shadow Day
Rather than fixate on the groundhog and whether he sees his shadow today, become part of a movement that has high school students shadowing your employees to learn more about business. Students will gain valuable insight into what they’ll need for their future endeavors, and businesses become important mentors for today’s youth. Reward all participants with imprinted products like backpacks or speakers for MP3 players. Your distributor can help you set up the program.
February 6-10
International Networking Week
Since business doesn’t operate in a vacuum, you need to get out there and network. This week is the perfect time to set up and run networking events within your business community. Announce the event via social media like Twitter and Facebook. And provide imprinted products for all participants. Selections can include neoprene laptop sleeves, iPad accessories and leather portfolios. Your distributor is a valuable resource for putting the event together.
February 14
Valentine’s Day
If you love your clients, let them know … today! February 14 isn’t just for red-hot lovers. Send boxes of logoed chocolates to clients with a handwritten note expressing your appreciation for their business. Consider throwing in a bouquet of imprinted roses to complete the sentiment. Your distributor partner knows where to get all the lovey-dovey stuff for you today.
February 21
International Pancake Day
Take time today for a fun promotion. Visit clients with pancake kits that include mixes, aprons, bowls and spatulas as a way to say thanks for doing business with us. Host a pancake breakfast for all employees too. Your distributer partner can get everything for a logoed kit.
Here I am, 4 days into my commitment to myself to post for 30 days straight. I got the idea from the #Trust30 prompt of the day, which is basically a fantastic marketing tactic for promoting a book. The book, Self-Reliance, is in celebration of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s 208th birthday.
When I received the prompt today however, I was having a difficult time trying to formulate an answer that somehow related back to marketing. So I decided to skip the prompt and just focus on the marketing.
When I first began my social media journey (this past Monday), I found myself with about 100 tabs open on my browser as bounced around the internet trying to absorb as much information as possible. I think I saw the link on a tweet… ralphwaldoemerson.me
Upon landing on this very basic looking site, I was immediately asked to take a challenge. Being that I am such a competitive person, I am always up for a challenge. And the best part was, I would only be competing against myself (which isn’t as easy as you may think, but that’s another topic for another day).
So here I am committing to better myself through writing this blog. And I am grateful for #Trust30 for making me take on this challenge and make that commitment, that pledge. And yet, they never asked me to buy the book, sure they let me know it was for sale, but they gave me value first.
It appeared as though they really wanted me to increase my own self-reliance and better myself. And all they asked for in exchange for helping me along was the proper credit in my posts, tweets, and updates.
And even though I didn’t use their prompt today I’m still talking them up, aren’t I?
I’m sure there will be quite a few people in my network (friends, followers, connections) that are bound to see, click, read, or perhaps buy the book (note to self: maybe I should figure out how to monetize these referrals).
And what did it cost them?
Domain Registration $10… Design $1000… Hosting: $100… Thousands of people blogging and referencing your book on social networking sites for free: Priceless!
So basically, if I figure out what value I can give first, maybe more people will buy my “book”… I just bought theirs.
John Zalepka
