As we head into what would ordinarily be the real start of the summer season and all that brings with it from warmer days and outdoor festivals to school years ending and brighter days, we remain a little more restricted in our everyday lives.
However, while we’re asked to stay home more the flipside of that is that for those who can work via the web business online is for many thriving, for others their business is evolving and on the whole social networks are seeing a lot more activity of late as we look to stay connected with others.
So, while your social media may be different and for some businesses on hold we’re suggesting just a couple of dates this month that can be used for content in the course of your marketing efforts – and we’ve included a version on video for those prefer a visual.
World Laughter Day – 3rd May; celebrated on the first Sunday of May since it first started back in 1998, this one is worth a mention because for many right now we could do with something to smile about. Judge whether it’s appropriate for your business or personal social media but if you can make somebody smile or better still laugh, in the current climate it’s bound to be much appreciated. The website for the day is https://www.worldlaughterday.com/
Star Wars Day – 4th May; Whether you’re a fan of the sci-fi films or not you’ll undoubtedly come across more than a few memes online over the 4th May. A spin on the ‘May the force be with you’, May the 4th is a day that fans across the world commemorate these legendary movies in some way. If you’re a fan it can be an idea at times to bring something like this into your social media where appropriare as these are the things that often unknown to you can make you memorable. This year at a time when we’re all mindful of social distancing, Star Wars have come up with some suggestions on how you might mark it at home, some ideas for fans of all ages at https://www.starwars.com/news/5-ways-to-celebrate-star-wars-day-at-home
Bank Holiday (Ireland) – 4th May; whilst we’re all at home a lot more these days when you’re working remotely it’s really important that you make sure to enjoy some downtime even if we’re restricted to what we can do. I always recommend that people don’t do the hard sell in their business on dates like this either, business may be 24/7 these days with the internet but there is something nice about a business that respects their customers deserve time off too.
Password Day – 7th May; now more than ever we’re all dependent on a range of devices to keep us connected with work colleagues, family and friends so why not put aside an hour at some point to check in on your passwords. Chances are that you’re shopping more frequently online, using sites you’ve never used before or working on new devices purchased specifically for the purpose of setting up a home office or for home-schooling. Intel introduced the idea back in 2013 and if you’ve got any form of technology involved in the course of your business why not simply post to remind people that it’s a good idea to check in and update on a regular basis – even just this once a year! Typically people use names of children, pets, partners – all things you can easily find if you look up somebody’s social media. Other times people use the same password across all accounts, a problem if even one gets compromised. This article from December suggests the worst passwords you can have, worth a read if you’re not sure how your favourite passwords fare https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2019/12/14/ranked-the-worlds-100-worst-passwords/#512de10369b4
Bank Holiday / VE Day – 8th May; we generally don’t include UK dates in our updates but as some of our readers come from Northern Ireland and the UK and with this being a particularly important date we thought we’d mention it. It’s the 75th anniversary of VE Day, the date that officially recognised the end of World War II. For anybody with an interest in history it’s a date to note and for those who might not be so tuned into history it’s perhaps a project to look into, learning a little more about another period that changes lives.
World Cocktail Day – 13th May; there’s a knack to getting the right mix of drinks together to make the perfect cocktail which is why so many of us rely on a trusty barman/woman to take care of these special drinks for us. As we head into warmer days there’s definitely a case for alcohol-free options too, lighter mixes that work for all the family too. As we’re currently all spending a lot more time if it works for your business how about running a competition to encourage people to come up with a cocktail befitting the times we’re in?
International Virtual Assistants Day – 15th May; probably now more than ever when people are learning the benefits of remote working, this day to mark the wonders of virtual assistants deserves a mention. Those of us who work remotely will tell you that your day can be a lot more productive when you’re not faced with a daily commute. Virtual assistants can manage a whole lot of areas in your business and without a long term commitment to your bottom line either, frequently offering a level of expertise that would involve a very competitive salary too!
World Baking Day – 17th May; this one could prove quite popular this year as undoubtedly those of you who are regularly on social media will be seeing regular posts on the latest kitchen experiments of their facebook friends, one of the benefits of all this extra time at home being that people have the time to spend time on things like baking which for many had been lost to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. For this date you could actually look to a really nice ‘at home with xxxx’ challenge, let your employees engage in a virtual bake-off – your customers love to see the people behind the business especially at times like this when life is different.
World Bee Day – 20th May; there’s an increasing awareness that bees are in danger of becoming an endangered species despite their importance in our ecosystem – they, along with other pollinators such as butterflies, beetles or hummingbirds contribute to the growth of up to 75% of the world’s crops!!! The topic makes for an interesting nature lesson if you’re working in childcare or education. If your work is at a garden centre there’s also ample opportunity to incorporate the reasons we need to protect bees into your business. For others it might be as simple as picking up a pot of honey for personal use or if you’re in hospitality, as part of a recipe – from a sustainable source of course!
Hamburger Day – 28th May; whether it’s beef, chicken, pork, veggie or any other combination that whets your appetite, there’s little doubt that a hamburger is one of those foods that we all appreciate from time to time. Thought to originate in Hamburg, Germany (hence the name), isn’t this the ideal excuse to get out the barbecue and enjoy an al fresco evening – with those you’re sharing a home with under the current lockdown?!
Web Designer Day – 31st May; yeah this may be a US holiday but we think it deserves a shout-out worldwide as without the amazing work those of us who work online do across the world you wouldn’t be reading this, marketing your business so effectively, learning a subject without needing to go to college or enjoying the simplicity of booking a holiday without needing to leave your home. A vibrant and interesting world, one that will continue to grow so if nothing else take time to appreciate the wonderful work of your web designer 😉
So that’s our round-up of days to think about this month and on two of those dates in particular, Virtual Assistants Day (which includes Marketing & Social Media) and Web Designer Day don’t forget we’re available here at The Marketing Shop to help you get your business moving forward whether that’s through creating or enhancing your online presence, managing your marketing remotely or simply training you to implement a strategy that benefits your business for the long term.
