Small business checklist: key dates for summer marketing in June
So how can you make sure that this summer is a good one for your business? By marketing, of course!
June is a month filled with many exciting events and memorable dates. These opportunities are like a ray of sunlight, ready to illuminate your path to success. All you’ve got to do is grab them, and we’re here to help you do it.
In this blog, we’ll cover:
- Pride month
- Notable days and weeks throughout the month
- Which days should your business support?
- Ideas on how to market your business for June events
What’s happening in June?
From festivals to Father's Day, from summer solstice to summer barbecues, there’s something for everyone in June. Every business in every industry can find something to take advantage of to boost those sales and make enough profit for that getaway we know you’re all thinking about.
Pride month
We’d be super surprised if it escaped your notice, but in June of every year, the rainbows come out in full force. Fabulous and fierce pride marches will be taking place in every major and most minor cities, and queer-themed events will be hosted every day.
Whether or not you like to rainbow up and take to the streets, allying your business with the LGBTQ+ community is a great way to support a great cause, while also winning new and loyal customers. Hosting workshops, displaying the flag, or running a special product in June (with a percentage of proceeds going to LGBTQ+ charities or causes) can be a popular and profitable way to show support. In fact, by supporting Pride month, it can:
- Boost your brand reputation
- Boost your brand awareness
- Attract a loyal and diverse customer base
- Foster a positive work environment
We’ve written other articles that can help you market yourself as an ally, such as this one on How Your Business Can Support Local LGBTQ+ Organisations if you’d like some more ideas and information.
Notable days and weeks throughout the month
With dedicated months diluting the impact of your initiatives, you might want to consider running special events and marketing for specific days, creating space for limited-time offers and short-term specials, or driving customers to come in on one of the below days to take a look at what you’ve been up to. Take a look at our list and see what might work!
- 2nd June - National Doughnut Day
- 3rd June - World bicycle day (Worldwide)
- 5th June - World Environment Day (Worldwide)
- 7th June - World Food Safety Day (Worldwide)
- 8th June - World Oceans day (Worldwide)
- 10th June - World Gin Day (Worldwide)
- 12th June - International Falafel Day
- 12th - 19th June - International Men’s Health Week (Worldwide)
- 18th June - International Picnic Day (Worldwide)
- 18th June - Father’s Day
- 19th June - Juneteenth
- 21st June - Summer solstice
- 24th June - Armed Forces Day
- 30th June - World Social Media Day (Worldwide)
Novelties or necessities: which days should your business support?
Father’s Day:
Both retail and hospitality industries will spot events such as Father’s Day, which will inspire millions of gift purchases and evenings dining out. Every business will be clamoring to capitalize on many children looking to show their appreciation.
Marketing for Father’s Day will be competitive. Nevertheless, it’s well worth reaching out to your mailing list to notify your customers of any special offers or products you’ve prepared for them.
Father’s Day in the US also happens to coincide with International Picnic Day. While that may prove a little inconvenient, there’s no better time to pull out your wicker basket and checkered blanket and create an eye-catching and wholesome display for those thinking of heading out to the park.
Social responsibility days for all businesses:
Dates such as Men’s Health Week or Armed Forces Day may be a little more somber, but many customers will appreciate you giving your attention to matters that mean a lot to them. You might consider special offers, events or products dedicated to veterans. Alternatively, donating a portion of your profits to a relevant charity could inspire additional purchases.
Other key dates, if your business is aligned to helping better the environment, are World Oceans Day and World Environment Day (and even World Bicycle Day - which is designed to talk about the health benefits associated with cycling. Perhaps it’s time to get your team to do a sponsored cycle?).
Ideal days for pubs and bars:
On the other hand, Gin Day features in June and will be a joyous occasion of alcohol appreciation across the country and beyond.
Ideal days for restaurants and hospitality businesses:
Doughnut Day comes early on in June, so stocking up on pastries is well worthwhile! International Falafel Day and Healthy Eating Week could serve up some cool inspiration for your menus too.
How to market your business for June events
Okay, so maybe you’ve seen some standout days that seem well-suited to your business. Now comes the more difficult part of actually piecing together your marketing strategy.
Here at Epos Now, we love to see colorful and innovative marketing ideas, and we love to write about them.
Post on social media
In 2023, there are plenty of cost-effective ways of boosting your business profile, and inevitably (and repeatedly), social media is at the very heart of it. Social media creates a direct, two-way, free method of communicating between business and customer. So if you’re short on ideas, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik-Tok and co. could be the way to go.
While skeptics may find it shallow or limited in its outreach, social media is supremely practical, and well-suited for creating special posts about any of the days or weeks we’re discussing here.
A post for the armed forces on June 24th tells your followers (and anyone else that comes across your profile) that you’re paying attention and care enough to take the time to create a thoughtful, considerate, supportive comment. And while you’re showing your support, you can plug any events, products, or relevant offers you’ve got on-site to attract people to your business and boost your sales.
Here are four other ways you could use social media to market your business on these dates:
- Drop special promotion codes for discounts in your social media stories. (You’ll quickly know which of your loyal social media followers are most likely to use discount codes too - which is helpful if you need to drum up more business in quieter periods.)
- Share stories about your business or partnerships, and why the special date means so much to you and your business. (This is especially key for the social responsibility dates.)
- Film behind-the-scenes videos of how your business preps for your marketing efforts. (For instance, film your chef as they put together a tasty seasonal dish, or your staff putting up decorations, or stocking your shelves with goodies and highlighting to your customers where in your store to find them.)
- Get your customers involved by offering competitions. (This is great for getting high engagement on your social media channels, but remember to know the T&Cs behind running any social media competitions.)
Social media for your business. It’s a no-brainer! (Particularly given it’s World Social Media Day at the end of June - a great excuse to give your social media strategy a boost).
Partner with other businesses and organizations
For every dedicated day (especially the big ones), there are dozens of businesses and organizations getting involved. Partnerships can provide SMEs with a larger platform and better exposure that inevitably leads to increased sales and a new customer base.
The difficult part of partnerships can be finding and reaching out to the right people to make these connections and strike the deal. But it’s important to remember that the people you’re speaking to have exactly the same problem, so they’ll often be happy to hear from you.
Hospitality businesses (and many retailers as well) have a space that we all know comes at a big expense. Smaller organizations often don’t have those. So, if you’re able, offering your space for events can introduce many new people to your business.
Men’s Health Week is a good example of the kind of moment when this comes into play. Mental health organizations and smaller local bodies don’t always have access to the space they need, and allying yourself with a group could prove mutually beneficial.
Alternatively, sponsorship of pride marches, charities, and local groups can provide huge exposure that can transform your month. Take the time to do some research beforehand to make sure the organization you’re in talks with as a platform worth the investment.
It’s also crucial to note that some organizations may have a large platform that overlaps significantly with your own. Unless you’re looking to boost customer loyalty (which such a partnership would certainly help with), you may need to look elsewhere to gain access to new customers.
June: opportunities aplenty
With so many special days to choose from, and the added bonus of pride month, June should have something for everybody, whether it’s a multi-pack of doughnuts, a new perspective from Men’s Health Week, or a spring in your step as you toddle your way to National Gin Day.
Hopefully, in addition to the vitamin D, you’re heading into the month with some ideas for your marketing. But if you’re still not sure, why not take a look at our other marketing resources to help businesses like yours build up a head of steam for the second half of the year.