Now that its February, love is in the air with Valentine’s Day on the horizon. With that being said, we’re reminded that, although Valentine’s Day is important to a lot of people, it’s just one of many Hallmark holidays. So, if you’re wondering what the heck that even means, or even how to take advantage of this trend, we’ve got you covered with all of the details.
What are Hallmark Holidays in the First Place?
In this day and age, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when brands create events to drum up business. Essentially, this is the thought process behind Hallmark holidays.
They describe occasions that seemingly exist solely for commercial purposes, rather than in celebration of an actually significant event. Other prime examples include Grandparents Day, Boss’s Day and, for some, Mother’s and Father’s Day.
A Lovey-Dovey Financial Ploy
However, in the case of Valentine’s Day, the company’s marketing scheme is, and has been, a ploy to sell flowers, chocolates and, ultimately, cards. Since Hallmark first started offering Valentine’s Day cards in 1913, they have sold about 131 million cards per year.
Also, according to the National Retail Federation, the average person spent $143 on Valentine’s Day in 2018. Therefore, if you crunch the numbers, it’s not hard to see why Hallmark holidays benefit companies so much. But then the question remains: how can you make them work for your company?
Leveraging Hallmark Holidays to Boost your Business
Branded Tie-Ins
If there’s any sort of angle to attach your brand to a Hallmark holiday, try it. In marketing, there’s absolutely no shame in trying to promote your products or services in conjunction with these special occasions. In fact, that’s especially true if your competitors are already doing so.
Create-a-Holiday
Take a page out of Hallmark’s playbook by attempting to create your own holidays. First, consider your products or services and try to come up with an occasion that would necessitate their sale. Depending on your audience, they can be as broad, or even esoteric, as you’d like.
Let your Personality Shine
When Hallmark holidays come around, just like other celebrations, they present an opportunity to let your brand’s personality flourish.
If you have something funny or interesting to contribute to the conversation, chime in! In fact, there are few, if any, downsides to contributing to these trends, especially on social media.
Love them or hate them, Hallmark holidays are here, and they’re here to stay! So, in that case, it’s probably a good idea to take advantage of them in order to promote your business.
