The first month of the year. For some, it signals the end of holiday cheer. For others, it feels like the most dreary of all months. But for us (and soon for you too!), it’s a time brimming with marketing possibilities! Think Vision Board Day, National Mentoring Month, Squirrel Appreciation Day…

Did you know? We celebrate our furry friend, the squirrel, on January 21st. Continue reading to discover:

• A comprehensive compilation of January’s awareness events, holidays, and national observances.
• A plethora of ingenious approaches to transform these occasions into distinctive and impactful marketing endeavors.
• Marketing strategizing advice and concepts to maintain a successful trajectory throughout the year. Let’s embark on this journey!

Raising Awareness in January

January is recognized as the national month for:

Did you know? Each January, we mark #wearblueday to show our support in the fight against human trafficking.

January’s Holidays & National Days

While a complete inventory of January’s national days and events awaits you at the end of this article, here are a few noteworthy mentions:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (observed on the third Monday)
• Technology Day (falls on Jan 6)
• Invisible Pain Day (observed on Jan 7)
• Vision Board Day (takes place on the second Saturday)
• Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (observed on Jan 9)
• Cut Your Energy Costs Day (falls on Jan 10)
• Clean Off Your Desk Day (also falls on Jan 10)
• Nothing Day (observed on Jan 16)
• Get to Know Your Customers Day (takes place on the third Thursday)
• Compliment Day (falls on Jan 24)
• Library Shelfie Day (observed on the fourth Wednesday)
• Data Privacy Day (falls on Jan 28)
• Backward Day (observed on Jan 31)

January’s Emphasis on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Beyond MLK Day, January also features:

• Emancipation Proclamation Day (observed on Jan 1)
• Louis Braille’s birthday (falls on Jan 4)
• Korean American Day (observed on Jan 13)
• Religious Freedom Day (falls on Jan 16)
• International Holocaust Remembrance Day (observed on Jan 27)

January Marketing: Igniting Creativity and Meaning

Let’s explore how to leverage January’s awareness themes, holidays, and national days to forge stronger connections with your audience.

Recapitulating and Summarizing the Holiday Season

While the holidays may be behind us, don’t let the opportunity slip away to extract every last ounce of festive cheer from the past month! Incorporate the holidays into your January marketing strategy by crafting and sharing roundup posts on your blog or social media platforms. Need inspiration? Consider these ideas:

• Did your catering business cater a holiday event? Share captivating pictures or delectable recipes!
• Utilize #tbt (Throwback Thursday) on Twitter and Instagram to reminisce and share snapshots from just a couple of weeks ago.
• Cleaning services or home goods stores can offer valuable post-holiday cleaning or Christmas tree disposal tips. Recognizing that the holidays are a whirlwind for everyone, this approach allows you to generate engaging content while ensuring your customers remain informed.

Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Through Service

Celebrated annually on the third Monday of January, MLK Day commemorates Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and his Nobel Peace Prize for his extraordinary leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. This holiday is not about promoting your business; instead, dedicate it to service, celebration, and education to honor this iconic civil rights leader. Here’s how you can participate:

• Many communities organize a day of service that you or your team can actively contribute to.
• Utilize your social media platforms to share impactful quotes, inspiring photos, and insightful facts about Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Raise awareness about civil rights by sharing relevant statistics and engaging in meaningful conversations on social media.
• Spearhead your own day of service, whether it’s within your company or extends to the wider community.

Image source

Show Your Support During Blood Donor Month

January is National Blood Donor Month - a great time to get involved and make a difference!

• Participate in a local blood drive or host one at your workplace.
• Roll out exclusive promotions and incentives for blood donors in your community, such as complimentary gifts, discount codes, or special offers on your products or services.
• Harness the power of social media to raise awareness and inspire your followers to become blood donors.

You can find blood drives in your area here.

Spread Positivity on National Compliment Day

Who doesn’t appreciate a genuine compliment? National Compliment Day, observed annually on January 24th, offers a fantastic opportunity to spread positivity and brighten someone’s day. Here are some ways to participate:

• Express your appreciation for another business by giving them a shout-out on social media or leaving a positive review. They might even return the favor!
• Initiate a compliment train. Encourage your followers to tag someone in your post and offer them a heartfelt compliment. The tagged person can then tag another friend and continue the chain of positivity.
• Recognize and appreciate your hardworking employees by giving them handwritten compliments to let them know their efforts don’t go unnoticed.

Capitalize on the Weather with Fun Promotions

January often blankets much of the United States in snow. Whether you welcome it or not, it’s a reality that can be incorporated into your marketing efforts! Inject some brightness into the snowy season with content, promotions, and posts that embrace the chilly weather. Here are some ideas:

• Daycares can share valuable safety advice for parents and caregivers on how to dress children for the cold and how to ensure safe outdoor play in the snow.
• Contractors, construction companies, and snow removal services can create informative content on winter-related hazards in the home. This could include topics like the importance of carbon monoxide detectors, the pros and cons of using salt versus sand for ice and snow removal, or practical tips on how to winterize drafty windows.
• Offer a snow-day discount! Whenever your city experiences snowfall, surprise and delight your customers with a discount that corresponds to the number of inches received. For instance, you could offer 20% off for 20 inches of snow!

• Keep your customers informed about the latest snow closures and updates by sharing relevant information on your social media pages.

Participate in National Clean Off Your Desk Day

With the rise of remote work and the increasing popularity of cleaning and organization shows, this holiday is likely to resonate with your audience. Here’s how you can participate:

• Take some time to declutter and organize your own workspace, then snap before and after pictures to share on social media. Encourage your audience to join in and do the same!
• Share practical organization tips and creative ideas to inspire a more organized and efficient workspace.
• Host a fun contest or poll where participants can submit pictures of their desks. The person with the cleanest (or messiest!) desk could win a prize.

Share and Encourage New Year’s Resolutions

This annual tradition needs no introduction. Here’s how you can leverage it for marketing:

• Hold yourself accountable and inspire your audience by sharing your own resolutions. You can then create engaging content around them!
• Fitness centers can foster a sense of community and support by having a weekly accountability post where members can share their progress and challenges.
• Restaurants and catering services can create blog posts or Facebook updates featuring healthy and delicious recipes that align with common resolutions.
• Daycares can share blog posts with creative toy organization ideas to help parents and caregivers declutter playrooms and toy areas.
• Engage with your social media followers by asking them about their New Year’s resolutions. Consider running a poll to gather insights, then create a dedicated blog post offering tips and advice for achieving the most popular resolutions.

Looking for more resolution-related inspiration? Don’t miss our post featuring [115 [not overused] New Year’s Instagram caption ideas]!

Cultivate Loyalty with a Customer Loyalty or Referral Program

Loyal customers are invaluable. Not only do they provide consistent business, but they also serve as brand advocates, increasing the likelihood of referrals. While exceptional customer service forms the bedrock of any loyalty marketing strategy, implementing structured loyalty or referral programs can significantly amplify your efforts. With the new year bringing renewed enthusiasm and motivation, January presents an ideal time to launch such initiatives. Here are some ideas to breathe life into your customer loyalty program:

• Design and print a straightforward stamp card for your customers. Each purchase or service earns them a stamp, and after collecting 10 stamps, they could be rewarded with a complimentary product, a discounted service, or a branded swag item.
• Express gratitude to your existing customers by offering them an enticing discount for every new customer they refer to your business.
• Consider creating a tiered loyalty program that allows customers to ascend to higher tiers based on their purchase history. The higher they climb, the more exclusive the discounts and benefits they unlock!

For inspiration on referral programs, check out our blog post highlighting 14 Referral Program Ideas to Land Your Best Customers Yet. We also delve into three effective referral marketing strategies to get your creative juices flowing. Remember to actively promote your programs on social media and within your physical location to ensure maximum customer awareness and participation.

Embrace the Quirky Side with Blame Someone Else Day

Observed annually on the first Friday the 13th of the year, this unusual holiday falls in January in 2023! It’s a day to embrace humor and let loose a little. Here’s how you can have some fun:

• “Working in a bookstore teaches you one thing: books will topple over. Sometimes on their own, other times due to…external factors (*cough*Ryan*cough). Happy National Blame Someone Else Day! (Rest assured, no books were harmed during this post).”
• “Friday the 13th: Me-ow. National Blame Someone Else Day: You-ow”
• “Go ahead, indulge a little. You can always blame us!”

Or, if you prefer a more serious approach…

Alternatively, turn it into a unique opportunity to celebrate a company milestone and express gratitude to your loyal customers. Craft a customer appreciation email playfully “blaming” them for your recent successes. For instance, you could jokingly attribute the need to hire more employees, move to a larger office, or even choose a signature drink for your 1000th customer celebration to their unwavering support!

The Not-So-Glamorous but Essential January Marketing Tasks

While not as captivating as some of the ideas we’ve explored, these tasks are crucial for ensuring the smooth operation and continued success of your business throughout the year.

Start the Year with a Clean Inbox

Returning from the holidays to an overflowing inbox can be overwhelming. Actually, there’s one thing more daunting than the sheer volume of unread emails: tackling them head-on. Well, did you know that January 25-29 is Clean Out Your Inbox Week? Use this dedicated week as motivation to restore order to your inbox and embark on a fresh start. Here are some actionable steps:

• Allocate time to go through those long-neglected emails you optimistically “starred” but never got around to addressing.
• If you haven’t already, create folders to categorize your emails, making it easier to stay organized and find what you need quickly.
• Explore the settings and features offered by your email platform. You’ll likely discover integrations, color-coding options, customizable rules, and other tools designed to streamline your email management and save you precious time throughout the year.
• Designate a dedicated “ideas” folder where you can store marketing emails that have caught your eye or that you’ve found particularly effective. You never know when inspiration will strike, and you might stumble upon your next brilliant marketing campaign while sifting through your inbox!

Solidify Your Annual Goals and Marketing Roadmap

Whether you’re leading an agency, running your own business, or navigating the world of freelancing, establishing clear personal and professional goals for the year is paramount. Dedicate time at the beginning of the month to solidify these goals and ensure your marketing plan aligns with them. It’s no secret that the business landscape can shift rapidly. Having a well-documented plan and a robust growth strategy in place provides a roadmap for navigating uncertainties and significantly increases your chances of achieving your desired revenue targets.

Analyze Last Year’s Successes and Areas for Improvement

With a full year’s worth of data at your disposal, take the time to analyze what worked well in your marketing efforts and identify areas that fell short of expectations. Here are some key areas to focus on:

• Which content pieces or web pages generated the most traffic and engagement?
• What resonated most with your social media audience? Identify your top-performing posts, the most engaging content formats, and analyze audience sentiment.
• Which email subject lines achieved the highest open rates? Uncover the magic words and phrases that captured your subscribers’ attention.
• Which marketing strategies, campaigns, or channels proved most effective in generating leads and driving conversions?
• What didn’t perform as well as anticipated? And more importantly, how can you refine and improve those strategies for better results?

Stay Ahead of the Curve with the Latest Marketing Trends

The new year ushers in a wave of fresh content and predictions about what’s next in the ever-evolving world of marketing and business. Dedicate time to research and absorb insights from industry experts. Identify emerging trends within your niche and brainstorm creative ways to incorporate them into your strategy.

Announce Your Upcoming Events

Promote your business effectively by highlighting your event calendar for the year, both online and offline. Leverage upcoming holidays like President’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, and St. Patrick’s Day to your advantage. If you have special promotions or events planned around these holidays, such as Valentine’s Day deals at your spa or a special Valentine’s menu at your restaurant, make sure your customers know! Creating a promotional calendar is an excellent way to keep your audience informed and engaged with your business throughout the year.

Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Last but certainly not least, prioritize updating and optimizing your Google Business Profile. This is non-negotiable if you want your business to appear in local search results when potential customers are looking for businesses like yours on Google or Google Maps. Ensure your profile is claimed and then focus on optimizing it for maximum visibility:

• Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, in a timely and professional manner.
• Showcase your business by adding high-quality images or even a video that captures the essence of your brand.
• Anticipate your customers’ questions by populating the Q&A section of your profile with frequently asked questions and informative answers.

Discover more valuable tips to elevate your Google My Business profile by following this link.

Invest in Your Professional Development

In the fast-paced realm of digital marketing, continuous learning is not optional, it’s essential. Challenge yourself to expand your skill set, master new tools, and stay ahead of the curve. Here are some excellent resources to guide your professional development journey:

• The 7 Best Local Business Marketing Resources (All Free!)
• The 8 Best Facebook Ads Courses for Every Learning Level
• The 9 Best Google Ads Training Courses for Every Level Hmm, it seems our next roundup will need to include at least 10…

January Marketing: Effortless Creativity Awaits

January, often a time of post-holiday adjustments for business owners, doesn’t have to be synonymous with stress. With a sprinkle of creativity, a dash of planning, and a well-defined marketing strategy, you can maintain momentum, engage your audience, and welcome new customers without breaking a sweat. Happy new year!

Eager to explore more marketing inspiration for every month of the year? Look no further! We’ve got you covered:

• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

Your Ultimate Guide to January’s Social Media Holidays and Events

As promised, here’s a comprehensive list courtesy of National Day Calendar.

January 1

• New Year’s Day
• National Bloody Mary Day
• National Hangover Day
• National Play Outside Day – First Saturday Every Month

January 2

• National Buffet Day
• National Cream Puff Day
• National Personal Trainer Awareness Day
• National Science Fiction Day

January 3

• National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day
• National Drinking Straw Day
• National Fruitcake Toss Day
• National Thank God It’s Monday Day – First Monday in January

January 4

• National Missouri Day
• National Spaghetti Day
• National Trivia Day

January 5

• National Bird Day
• National Keto Day
• National Screenwriters Day
• National Whipped Cream Day

January 6

• National Bean Day
• National Cuddle Up Day
• National Shortbread Day
• National Technology Day

January 7

• National Invisible Pain Day
• National Bobblehead Day
• National Tempura Day

January 8

• National Argyle Day
• National Bubble Bath Day
• National English Toffee Day
• National JoyGerm Day
• National Winter Skin Relief Day
• National Vision Board Day – Second Saturday in January

January 9

• National Apricot Day
• National Balloon Ascension Day
• National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
• National Static Electricity Day
• National Sunday Supper Day – Second Sunday in January

January 10

• National Bittersweet Chocolate Day
• National Cut Your Energy Costs Day
• National Oysters Rockefeller Day
• National Save The Eagles Day
• National Clean Off Your Desk Day – Second Monday in January

January 11

• National Arkansas Day
• National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
• National Milk Day
• National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day
• Shop for Travel Day – Second Tuesday in January

January 12

• National Curried Chicken Day
• National Kiss A Ginger Day
• National Marzipan Day
• National Pharmacist Day

January 13

• Korean American Day
• National Peach Melba Day
• National Rubber Ducky Day
• Stephen Foster Memorial Day
• National Sticker Day

January 14

• National Dress Up Your Pet Day
• National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day
• Ratification Day

January 15

• National Bagel Day
• National Booch Day
• National Hat Day
• National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
• National Use Your Gift Card Day – Third Saturday in January

January 16

• National Fig Newton Day
• National Nothing Day
• National Religious Freedom Day
• National Without a Scalpel Day

January 17

• National Bootlegger’s Day
• National Hot Buttered Rum Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Third Monday in January

January 18

• National Michigan Day
• National Peking Duck Day
• National Thesaurus Day
• National Winnie The Pooh Day

January 19

• World Quark Day
• National Popcorn Day

January 20

• National Buttercrunch Day
• National Cheese Lover’s Day
• National Disc Jockey Day
• Get to Know Your Customers Day – Third Thursday of Each Quarter

January 21

• National Granola Bar Day
• National Hugging Day
• Squirrel Appreciation Day

January 22

• National Blonde Brownie Day
• Celebration of Life Day
• National Sanctity of Life Day

January 23

• National Handwriting Day
• National Pie Day

January 24

• Beer Can Appreciation Day
• National Compliment Day
• National Peanut Butter Day

January 25

• National Florida Day
• National Irish Coffee Day
• National Opposite Day
• Plan for Vacation Day – Last Tuesday in January

January 26

• National Green Juice Day
• National Peanut Brittle Day
• National Spouses Day
• Library Shelfie Day – Fourth Wednesday in January

January 27

• National Chocolate Cake Day

January 28

• National Blueberry Pancake Day
• Data Privacy Day
• National Have Fun At Work Day
• National Kazoo Day

January 29

• National Corn Chip Day
• National Puzzle Day
• National Seed Swap Day – Last Saturday in January

January 30

• National Croissant Day

January 31

• National Backward Day
• National Hot Chocolate Day
• National Inspire Your Heart With Art Day
• National Bubble Wrap Day – Last Monday of January