You can create your own holiday to promote your business or your cause, or “just because.”
Here in the United States, we celebrate Independence Day every July 4th. But are you also celebrating these other July events: Embrace Your Geekness Day, Nude Recreation Week, National Baked Bean Month, Cow Appreciation Day, and National Ice Cream Day? These are just a few of many observances in July. And of course, July 7th is Bonza Bottler Day. It occurs each month when the number of the month is the same as the number of the day (e.g., January 1st, February 2nd, etc.) and it is heralded as “an excuse to have a party at least once a month.”
Each of these holidays was created to bring attention to a business, a cause or the individual responsible for coming up with the holiday. Creating your own holiday is a great way to get free publicity. You may be interviewed on television or radio, or information about you and your holiday may appear in newspapers and magazines and on Web sites. I have appeared on radio from coast to coast to talk about my holidays, such as Get Paid to Shop Week, Take Charge of Change Week, and Someday.
There is no master authority that has to approve your holiday. Just create it and start promoting it. An easy way to generate awareness of your holiday is with listings in calendars, such as Chase’s Calendar of Events. It is used by the media when they are looking for story ideas, so you may get calls for interviews just from being listed. Most libraries carry Chase’s, so visit your local library to see examples of holiday listings. The book includes information on how to submit your holiday, or you can visit their web site: http://www.chases.com/.
A quick search through Chase’s Calendar of Events reveals Eat What You Want Day, Anonymous Giving Week, National Kite Month, Home-Based Business Week, and many, many more. You may wish to name a holiday after your book, celebrate your industry, or set up an activity that focuses on your product.
Tom and Ruth Roy of Wellcat Herbs http://www.wellcat.com/ devote a section of their Web site to the more than 80 holidays they have created. Their holidays include everything from Happy Mew Year for Cats Day (January 2nd) to Falling Needles Family Fest (December 30th).
The Roys are also behind Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. It was March 26th, but even if you missed it this year it is not too late to make up your own holiday.
You don’t have to be listed anywhere, though, to declare a holiday. Send out media releases announcing your holiday. Write articles about suggested holiday activities. Post the articles at your web site, and offer them to other web sites, e-zines and newsletters. Use your holiday as a way to give your marketing and promotion efforts a timely publicity angle.
Hmmm . . . I wonder where I can get a greeting card for National Underwear Day.