Merchandising With National Days

April 2, 2015

Spring has arrived. With it comes the opportunity to merchandise with holiday items, such as chocolate eggs, but there are also other opportunities. According to a National Day Calendar I found online, there are no less than 50 national days that are directly related to what is offered by vending, micro market and coffee service operators. Bundling products, advertising specials and creating signage (digital or print) centered on these “special occasions” can inspire good humor, and hopefully, more same-store sales.

Pretzel Day – April 26

In April we celebrate a snacking classic that also happens to be one of my personal favorites - the pretzel. April 26 was declared National Pretzel Day by a Pennsylvania Governor in 2003. While it is an unofficial national holiday (so the kids will still have school) it can be used to celebrate a popular and better-for-you snack option. Perhaps a bag of pretzels half off with another purchase. In a vending machine, bundle a coupon or token with a beverage good for a free bag. Choose the option that will work best for your locations – especially where the news of the promotion can spread. If you can create a buzz, consumers who don’t regularly visit the vending machine will likely hear about, and perhaps choose to make a purchase they would not otherwise have made. The buzz and resulting sale is the whole idea of marketing.

Sometimes even reminding customers about a snack can boost sales. Post fun facts about pretzels on social media, such as “The average American consumes about 1.5 pounds of pretzels per year” and see if pretzel sales spike as a result. Don’t forget the mouth-watering pictures.

Encourage people to take funny photos of pretzels that day and post to the company Instagram page. Give away a prize for the best one.

Not a pretzel fan? There are plenty of other April “Days” such as April 6, National Caramel Popcorn Day or April 8 which celebrates National Empanada Day. Pecans, animal crackers, chocolate covered cashews, jelly beans and oatmeal cookies have a day in April to call their own, which you can use to spread a little good cheer and gain some sales.

Upcoming days

Marketing, especially around a product, takes time. It needs to tell a story and be creative. Look ahead to the next few months and choose some to highlight. Here are some upcoming days to consider:

May

National Salad Month

National Have A Coke Day – May 8

National Macaroon Day – May 31

June

National Doughnut Day – First Friday in June

National Chocolate Ice Cream Day – June 7

National Iced Tea Day – June 10 (and entire month)

National Peanut Butter Cookie Day – June 12

National Eat Your Vegetables Day – June 17

July

National Macaroni Day – July 7

National Chocolate with Almonds Day – July 8

National Ice Cream Day – Third Sunday in July (and entire month)

National Milk Chocolate Day – July 28

August

National Ice Cream Sandwich Day – August 2

National Root Beer Float Day – August 6

National S’mores Day – August 10

National Creamsicle Day – August 14

National Lemonade Day – August 20

National Cherry Popsicle Day – August 26

National Trail Mix Day – August 31

Creating a campaign around a product can be a way for your company to stand out and bring your company brand recognition without spending a lot of money or time. I encourage you to be creative with what you already have paired with one of these special days. It’s a little different and a little fun – just like the best types of publicity.

About the Author

Emily Refermat | Editor

Emily has been living and breathing the vending industry since 2006 and became Editor in 2012. Usually Emily tries the new salted snack in the vending machine, unless she’s on deadline – then it’s a Snickers.

Feel free to reach Emily via email here or follow her on Twitter @VMW_Refermat.

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