They say a relaxed mind is more creative, but it’s not easy to relax when you’re busy running a business—especially in September when everyone’s getting back into the swing of things. Fortunately, there are tons of events and themes in September that you can use for simple and creative marketing. And I’m not just talking about Labor Day or Back to School….

So in this article, I’ll share over 50 unique ways to market your business in September, along with real-world examples from businesses just like yours. Are you ready? (Couldn’t resist).

September monthly observances

• Addiction Recovery Month
• Baby Safety Month
• Better Breakfast Month
• Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
• Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
• National Preparedness Month
• National Fall Hat Month
• National Food Safety Education Month
• Life Insurance Awareness Month
• Library Card Sign-up Month
• National Mortgage Professionals Month
• National Self-Improvement Month
• National Self-Care Awareness Month
• National Strategic Thinking Month
• National Suicide Prevention Month
• Update Your Resume Month (International)
• National Wilderness Month

Did you know that September is National Suicide Prevention Month?

September holidays & national days

Here are just a few of the many holidays and national days in September. You’ll find a complete list of days and dates at the end of this article.

• Patriot Day
• Labor Day
• National Voter Registration Day
• No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day
• Read A Book Day
• Grateful Patient Day
• Swap Ideas Day
• Hug & High Five Day
• Day of Encouragement
• Hug Your Boss Day
• Dance Day
• CleanUp Day– Third Saturday In September
• Talk Like A Pirate Day
• American Business Women’s Day
• Family Health and Fitness Day
• Love People Day

P.S.: Don’t miss our Labor Day Instagram caption ideas.

September marketing ideas to celebrate diversity, equity & inclusion

This month, there are many ways to be proactive with diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition to the ones featured below, there’s Love People Day, Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and Intergeneration Month.

Just One Human Family Day

Observed every September 12, Just One Human Family Day is a day to remember that no matter our background, language, appearance, abilities, beliefs, or identity—we are all members of one big human family sharing this planet and deserving of compassion from each other. You can incorporate this into your business marketing by:

• Sharing marketing materials: Share the lyrics or the the YouTube video of the song “We Share Just One Planet” on social media.
• Performing a random act of kindness: Reach out to someone and do something kind for them. Better yet, do something good for the planet together, such as planting a tree or picking up trash.
• Wearing promotional items: Show your support and post on social media wearing the t-shirt or stickers.

American Business Women’s Day

Celebrated on September 22, American Business Women’s Day recognizes the significant contributions of women in today’s business world.

• Create a round-up: Identify 10 women who are leaders in your niche and feature them in a blog post. Tag them on social media when promoting the post—they just might share it with their followers!
• Offer a statistic-themed sale: For example, women launched 49% of new businesses in the US last year. Send a promotional email offering 49% off selected products, or have a $49 sale.
• Conduct a poll or quiz: Find some interesting facts about women in business and turn them into a poll, quiz, or interactive post series for your followers. For example, “What percentage of businesses globally are owned by women?”.

Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from September 15–October 15, is a time to celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of Latinx and Hispanic Americans. Here are a few ways to recognize it in your marketing efforts:

• Recognize Latinx influencers: Research and find Latinx influencers or historical figures in your niche or community. Based on their level of recognition, share information about them, interview them, or feature them on social media.
• Mark your calendar.: Share a different fact or statistic about each country on its independence anniversary, which is the reason behind the Heritage Month’s start date.
  • September 15: El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras.
  • September 16: Mexico
  • September 18: Chile
  • October 12: Dia de la Raza/Columbus Day
• Make a Donation: Donate to the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Latinos for Education, the Latino Equality Alliance, or another organization that supports the Hispanic community.

September marketing ideas for monthly awareness

Your business doesn’t have to be in an industry that’s directly related to any of the September awareness causes. Below are a few ideas on how to incorporate September causes into creative, low-budget marketing.

Self-Improvement Month

It’s no surprise that September is National Self-Improvement Month. It’s the second New Year’s of the year, with everyone easing back into their routines after summer. Below are a few marketing ideas based on this always-relevant topic:

• Create a video that includes your own self-improvement tips.

• Share a few of your favorite self-improvement books and ask your followers to comment and share their favorites.
• Write blog posts about goal-setting, or listicles such as “X Ways to Improve Your [memory, credit score, leadership skills]” or “How to Improve Your [X] in 5 Minutes.”
• Run a 30-day challenge on Facebook or Instagram.

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

You can use cause-based marketing to engage your audience and employees in several ways in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. You can:

• Post eye-opening statistics about childhood cancer on social media.
• Register your business for the Great Cycle Challenge and get your employees out on their bikes. Not only will you be fighting childhood cancer, but you’ll also be promoting good health and friendly competition among your staff. Encourage them to share photos, so your audience can follow along throughout the month.
• Host a fundraiser and sell T-shirts to support a specific child or raise awareness.

Food Safety Month

September is National Food Safety Month—a great opportunity for health professionals and restaurants to promote their businesses, highlight their best practices, and reassure customers.

You can also easily incorporate a back-to-school theme, as in the example below:

Wilderness Month

National Wilderness Month commemorates the anniversary of the Wilderness Act, a pivotal moment in protecting American land and establishing national parks. Here are some ways to use it in your marketing plan:

• Share some of your favorite hiking trails and ask your followers to share theirs.
• Post photos of your wilderness adventures.
• Share some surprising statistics about wilderness areas, or a quote from John Muir.

Back to School Month

August is actually National Back to School Month, but let’s face it, any business can get in on the back-to-school action. You can:

• Collaborate with college student organizations or K-12 after-school programs.
• Host or take part in a back-to-school drive.
• Share a list of free online educational resources that are relevant to your audience.
• Offer student discounts or introduce fall plans if your target demographic is college students.

We have many more ideas with these 31 Easy Back-to-School Marketing Ideas That Work for Any Business.

September marketing ideas for holidays & national days

Yes—National Talk Like a Pirate Day is real, and it takes place on September 19. But I’ll let you come up with your own ideas for that one (I’m THIS close to throwing in a pirate pun). Instead, let’s discuss some of September’s other special days.

Labor Day

Without Labor Day, the first Monday of September might very well be the worst Monday of the year. Here are a few ideas for celebrating:

• Businesses that are slower during the summer can host a Labor Day promotion or a sale to encourage as many current customers as possible to return.
• If you’re in a popular tourist area, update your brush up on your local marketing to ensure that visitors to your town during the long weekend can find you. The higher your Google Maps ranking, the more customers you’ll attract.
• Send your customers or employees a Happy Labor Day message.
• Offer a Labor Day giveaway or contest.

For more great ideas, check out these Labor Day Social Media Posts, Promotions, & Marketing Ideas To Celebrate.

Patriot Day

This day honors the victims of the September 11 2,977. Here are some ways to show support for the day:

• Make it a day of community service for your team.
• Display flags inside and outside your store.
• Encourage your audience to observe a moment of silence at the times the attacks occurred.

NFL Opening Night

The opening night of the NFL season is in September. Celebrate the season opener with creative marketing ideas for your business. Here are a few to get you started:

• Engage customers on Facebook by asking about their favorite teams or creating a trivia contest.
• Decorate your storefront, restaurant, or studio in team colors.
• Run a football-themed promotion.
• Offer discounts on game days or when your team is victorious.

First day of fall

The autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere occurs sometime during the last week of September, when the number of daylight and nighttime hours are equal. This celestial event (yay) officially marks the end of summer (boo). However, the first day of fall is like a second New Year’s, giving us a chance for a fresh start—which is why September is the new January. It’s the perfect time to publish content around new beginnings and your fall product lines. And since this day happens at the end of the month, you can run a countdown series leading up to it.

You can also use any of these 157 authentic fall hashtags.

Positive Thinking Day

Positive Thinking Day, observed every year on September 13, offers endless possibilities. Every business can use this day for a variety of reasons: to encourage, inspire, motivate, compliment, thank, help, cheer up, or [insert any positive verb you’d like here]. Dentists can connect it to smiles, physical therapists to recovery, interior designers to decorating—the list goes on.

Working Parents Day

Working Parents Day is celebrated on September 16. If you have working parents in your target audience, humanize your brand by recognizing their hard work. And don’t forget about your employees who are parents!

Good Neighbor Day

Good Neighbor Day, on September 28, is an ideal opportunity to do some outreach within your Instagram, LinkedIn, or geographically local network. Acknowledge fellow businesses in your community on social media to create a sense of community, or develop a contest where your followers or employees can nominate good neighbors to win a prize.

Read a Book Day

National Read a Book Day provides a great opportunity for preschools, tutors, and other education-oriented businesses to market themselves.. If your business isn’t related to education, read a book about your industry and share your takeaways and insights on your blog or social media. This day also presents a chance to give back to your community by reading to children or the elderly. Volunteering is not only a rewarding experience, it’s likely to increase brand awareness within your local market.

International Day of Charity

The International Day of Charity is on September 5. Select a local charity to support, and get your employees involved, either in person or virtually.

Or, if you’re already supporting a charity, highlight it on your blog or social media profiles and ask your followers to support it as well.

International Day of Peace

This day has been recognized around the world every September 21 since 1981. Post an inspiring quote or image, participate in a fundraiser, or run a little peace sale like Niji Nursery did:

Update your Q&A section

You can, and should, add to your Google Business Profile’s Q&A section. By staying on top of frequently asked customer questions, you can increase their confidence in choosing your business. Use this time to address any concerns that may be especially relevant for fall, such as:

• Do you have any discounts for students?
• Does your back-to-school package include access to the sauna?
• Do you have the back-to-school supply list for my child’s elementary school?
• What are your hours on move-in weekend?

Update your fall hours

Be sure to update your Google Business Profile to reflect any changes to your hours if you have a seasonal business. Details are key when it comes to local marketing.

One final idea: Send out a September newsletter

Our friends at LocaliQ shared some great September newsletter ideas. Here are a few:

• Offer an email-exclusive end-of-summer clearance sale to boost engagement.
• Share an inspirational quote for Positive Thinking Day.
• Let customers know if you’ve adjusted your business hours for fall.
• Offer some of your most useful blog posts about staying focused before the long Labor Day weekend.

Stand out this fall with these free & easy September marketing ideas

Hopefully these September marketing ideas and examples have provided you with some useful material for your blog, social media profiles, websites, and other free marketing outlets.

Ready for even more ideas?

check out this marketing calendar template from LOCALiQ for an entire year of marketing ideas! For more monthly marketing inspiration, check out our collection…

• January Marketing Ideas to Start the New Year with a Bang
• 20 Fabulous (and Affordable) February Marketing Ideas
• 30+ Creative and Cost-Friendly March Marketing Ideas
• 20+ Free April Marketing Ideas to Freshen Up Your Content Calendar
• 50+ May Marketing Ideas for Any Business or Budget
• 50+ Free June Marketing Ideas for Sizzlin’ Hot Campaigns
• 37+ Free and Creative July Marketing Ideas (With Examples!)
• 57+ Easy & Engaging August Marketing Ideas (With Examples!)
• 17+ Free and Creative September Marketing Ideas
• 21+ Free and Effective October Marketing Ideas
• Simple Yet Superb November Marketing Ideas (with Examples)
• Super-Festive December Marketing Ideas

September marketing holidays and national days (full list)

As promised, here is a comprehensive list of social media holidays for September, courtesy of National Day Calendar: September 1 No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day Lazy Mom’s Day – First Friday in September Food Bank Day– First Friday in September College Colors Day – Friday before Labor Day September 2 National Tailgating Day Tailgating Day – First Saturday in September World Beard Day – First Saturday in September September 3 Skyscraper Day National Housekeeper’s Week September 4 Labor Day – First Monday in September September 5 Cheese Pizza Day Be Late For Something Day September 6 Read A Book Day September 7 Beer Lover’s Day Grateful Patient Day September 8 Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Day Ampersand Day September 9 Teddy Bear Day September 10 Swap Ideas Day Pet Memorial Day – Second Sunday in September Hug Your Hound Day – Second Sunday in September Grandparent’s Day – Sunday after Labor Day September 11 Patriot Day and Day of Service and Remembrance Boss/Employee Exchange Day – Monday after Labor Day September 12 Just One Human Family Day* Hug and High 5 Day * Day of Encouragement September 13 Kids Take Over The Kitchen Day Celiac Disease Awareness Day Bald is Beautiful Day Day of the Programmer – 256th Day of the Year Hug Your Boss Day – Changes Annually September 14 Parents Day Off Live Creative Day Sober Day September 15 Tackle Kids Cancer Day Online Learning Day September 16 Working Parents Day Mayflower Day September 17 Professional House Cleaners Day Constitution Day and Citizenship Day Dance Day – Third Saturday in September Gymnastics Day – Third Saturday in September Boys’ and Girls’ Club Day for Kids – Third Saturday in September Puppy Mill Awareness Day – Third Saturday in September Responsible Dog Ownership Day – Third Saturday in September CleanUp Day – Third Saturday In September September 18 Air Force Birthday HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day Wife Appreciation Day – Third Sunday in September September 19 Talk Like A Pirate Day National Voter Registration Day September 20 Care for Kids Day September 21 Miniature Golf Day International Day of Peace IT Professionals Day – Third Tuesday in September World Gratitude Day September 22 American Business Women’s Day Car Free Day September 23 Celebrate Bisexuality Day Autumnal Equinox – Changes Annually September 24 Punctuation Day September 25 Tune-Up Day Research Administrator Day September 26 Compliance Officer Day Situational Awareness Day September 27 Day of Forgiveness Women’s Health & Fitness Day – Last Wednesday in September Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day September 28 Drink Beer Day September 29 Coffee Day VFW Day Brave Day – Fourth Friday in September September 30 Love People Day Family Health and Fitness Day USA – Last Saturday in September