Since Valentine’s Day is the second most popular holiday (after Christmas) for gift giving, what special marketing events or ideas do you have for celebrating it? Don’t just limit your marketing to Valentine’s day, have specials and discounts at least 1 day before and after (or how about the whole week!).
In 2007, Discovery Card conducted a Valentine’s Day Shopping Survey and found that:
- Men expected to spend an average of $127 on their ladies, and the ladies $74.
- Of the ladies, 53% said they would purchase gadgets for their men.
- 65% would make their purchase one week before February 14
- 10% of men would wait until February 14
- 39% of women planned on spending nothing
- 22% of men and 15% of women planned to purchase a gift online
Here are 14 ideas to get your heart pumping and brain storming, just adapt them to your own specific needs.
1. Celebrate Love! Don’t just limit love to people’s significant others … use your imagination. Promote love for pets, love for places, love for sports (teams?), love for parents, love for kids, love for friends, love for foods … you get the picture. Have a special “We Love Our Customers” sale or discount.
2. Couples Coupons. These coupons require two people present or two items purchased to be valid. Offer a special buy 1 get 1 discount, or buy 1 get 1/2 off another. Sell coupons for couple’s massages or spa treatments. Two complimentary desserts with any dinner for two. Two complimentary glasses of champagne with any dinner for two.
3. Creative Cooperatives. This is where you partner with a complimentary neighboring business and help to cross promote each other. Buy a dinner for two at a local cafe and offer 1/2 off movie tickets at the local cinema … or buy two tickets to the local cinema and get a 40% discount at the local cafe … both businesses promote the special and reap the benefits. You don’t have to limit this to two businesses either … help your customers make an entire eventful evening out of it. Spa treatments, then dinner, then a movie, and finally desserts … that was a great Valentine’s Day! Start brainstorming on marketing ideas you can coordinate with the your local candy shop, florist and jewelers.
4. Poetry Reading or Poetry Contest. Host a poetry reading or partner with another business to host one. Have a poetry contest the week of Valentine’s Day with the winner being announced on Valentine’s Day … and they must be present to collect the prize.
5. Cupid’s Camera. Have a professional photographer come into your business and take photos of cozy couples, get their contact information and send them copies of the photos along with a special discount for having spent their special holiday at your business. If a professional photographer is out of your budget, you could charge a small fee for the photos or just use your own camera. You could even post copies of the photos on a bulletin board for the rest of the month (just make sure you get the couple’s permission).
6. Cupid’s Corner. Have a singles night and promote it to all your single customers as a night to come out and meet new people. Host a speed-dating style evening. Let customers post anonymous valentines for other customers throughout the week on a public bulletin board (be sure to police it a little so nothing vulgar or indecent gets posted).
7. Catch Cupid Contest. Have someone dressed as Cupid who has special certificates for those who find him and have him wander around the business neighborhood. The first 10 people that finds him get something completely free, the next 10 get 70% Off, the next 10 get 50% Off, the next 10 get 30% Off, etc. This is another idea that might work well with the “creative cooperatives” marketing.
8. Cupid Cares. Promote your business with a percentage of sales (for the day, the week, the month?) going to a local charity. You could sell paper hearts with the donors name with all the sales going to a specific charity. You could get the local pre-schools/kindergartens to make valentines, sell them to customers and have all the sales go back to the school (great way to get he local parents into your business).
9. Valentine Version. If you sell any type of product (especially edible/consumable) make sure you create a special Valentine’s Day version of it. Something that is only available for that day or that week (perhaps the entire month if you want to really push out your marketing), then not offered again until next year.
10. Pretty & Personalized. It’s easier than ever to visit online companies such as CafePress or Zazzle and have unique, one of a kind items personalized for your special someone. Just make sure you allow yourself enough time for shipping.
11. Cupid’s “Oh Crap!” Valentine. Make sure you have last minute gifts or discounts available for those guys and gals that inevitably forget to have pre-planned on getting something for their loved one.
12. Valentine’s VIPs. Take your top 10 buying customers (or however many is economical for you) and send them a very special VIP Valentine’s card with a significant discount, something completely free, a free limo ride for the evening … or once again utilize the “creative cooperatives” idea to partner with another business and cross promote each other with freebies, discounts or specials.
13. Virtual Valentines. Don’t forget to market to your customers online too. Offer online-only coupons and discounts. Create a few online valentines greeting cards and make them easy to send/share with friends, but don’t forget to brand it with your company information so the recipients can learn more about your business.
14. Valentine-related Articles. Write up some valentine-inspired articles to create buzz about your business. How to improve your confidence when dating. 20 ways to seduce a woman. 10 ways to romantically surprise your man. How not to be alone on Valentine’s Day. Things for Singles to do on Valentine’s Day. Cheap gifts with high sentimental value. You get the idea.
Do you have a favorite marketing idea that we missed? If so, please leave it in the comments below.
Happy Valentine’s Day 
Find out more about Saint Valentine’s Day from Wikipedia.org.
