If you run an ecommerce business it’s important to have a solid promotion plan for each holiday. Otherwise, you’ll end up scrambling at the last second to throw something together which will result in disappointing sales.
Every holiday is an opportunity to drive sales, so to help you get a head start planning your holiday promotions this year we’ve put together a list of the most popular U.S. holidays so you can prepare your marketing ahead of time. Add these dates to your calendar and use our recommended ideas and promotion checklist to make this your most profitable year ever!
New Year’s Day – January 1st
New Year’s Day is a day when consumers are looking to make changes and get a fresh start on the coming year. To make the most of this holiday for your ecommerce business think about how you can help your customers solve a problem or reach a goal for the year ahead. Create a marketing campaign that positions your products to help your customers achieve popular goals like losing weight, saving money, or learning a new skill.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 16th
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a holiday where Americans remember this great civil rights leader and celebrate the advances in civil rights that have been achieved for many U.S. citizens. Take the opportunity to celebrate this holiday with your customers by showing your brand’s patriotism and respect for the country’s history.
Groundhog Day – February 2nd
If you’re looking to add a little fun to your holiday promotion schedule then Groundhog day is just what you’re looking for. While it’s not a major holiday, most people in the United States have heard of it. Use this holiday to promote the sale of winter or spring related products for a nice sales boost before summer promotions arrive.
Super Bowl Sunday LVII – February 12th
While Super Bowl Sunday isn’t technically a holiday in the United States it might as well be. Football fans look forward to this day to cheer on their favorite team while spending quality time with their friends and family. Use this opportunity to create a marketing campaign which builds upon the excitement consumers have going into the big game.
Valentine's Day – February 14th
Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest shopping holidays of the year, and the first big holiday for consumers since Christmas. Use this opportunity to promote your products as gifts for loved ones as well as friends, family, and co-workers. Create campaigns that encourage customers to show appreciation for the important people in their lives.
St. Patrick's Day – March 17th
St. Patrick’s Day is another fun holiday that you can use as an opportunity to engage with your customers and social media audience. This holiday is mainly known for being a day where people where green or drink lots of beer but it’s also associated with luck. Create a fun campaign with an Irish theme to encourage engagement and sales.
April Fool's Day – April 1st
April Fool’s Day is another opportunity to engage with your audience and show your brand’s personality. Create a marketing campaign for April Fool’s day that is playful and funny to encourage sharing so you can get your brand in front of a wider audience. Then make sure to convert new visitors to your website with a compelling promotion for the holiday.
Easter – April 9th
Easter is a religious holiday which people normally associate with going to church, spending the day with their family, and Easter egg hunts for kids. Create a marketing campaign for Easter that highlights how important family is on the days leading up to the holiday and promote your products that are family oriented or are great for children.
Earth Day – April 22nd
Earth Day is the one day of the year where we all come together to appreciate our planet and do something good to help make it a better place. If the products you sell are environmentally friendly or help make the world a better place then use this holiday to promote those products as well as raise awareness about the great things your brand does for the planet.
Mother's Day – May 14th
Mother’s Day is the where we all show appreciation for our mothers, and as far as gift giving is concerned it’s a major holiday for ecommerce. Whether your products make great gifts for mothers or not you can still take the opportunity to show your appreciation for mothers everywhere by wishing them well on this day.
Memorial Day – May 29th
While Memorial Day isn’t a big day for ecommerce businesses it’s important not to forget this holiday when communicating with your audience. Wish your customers and social media followers a happy Memorial Day to show appreciation for our country’s fallen heroes in order show your brand’s patriotism.
Father's Day – June 18th
Just like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day is a big day for ecommerce businesses. Sales of sporting goods and consumer electronics spike on Father’s Day, so if you’re not in this niche you’re going to need to get creative to get your piece of the pie. Otherwise, just make sure to show your appreciation for fathers on this special day.
Independence Day – July 4th
Also commonly known as July 4th, Independence Day is a holiday where Americans spend the day with friends and family. While it’s not a big shopping day, it’s a great excuse to drive sales until the holidays arrive. Use this holiday to show your brand’s patriotism and drive sales from consumers who are looking for a deal during the summer months.
Labor Day – September 4th
Labor Day is a day that many Americans look forward to because they can enjoy a 3-day weekend. While Labor Day isn’t necessarily a big shopping holiday you can use this day as an opportunity to keep your brand top of mine. Wish your audience a happy holiday or even offer them a discount on any remaining inventory you want to clear out before winter.
Halloween – October 31st
Halloween is a holiday that’s enjoyed by children and adults alike. In addition to being a big shopping day for ecommerce businesses that sell costumes, it’s also a day that you can use to show your brand’s personality. Help get your audience in the spirit for Halloween by sharing engaging content that will expose your brand to more consumers.
Veteran's Day – November 11th
Veteran’s Day is a day when Americans show their patriotism and appreciation for those who have served in the military. While it’s not a big day for ecommerce it is a great opportunity to communicate with your audience. Wish them a happy holiday on this day so they can get a better understanding of what your brand’s values are.
Thanksgiving Day – November 23rd
Thanksgiving is a day that’s known as a time when families get together to have a feast. While it’s not a day for gift giving, it’s considered to be the start of the holiday season. So if you want to help your audience get a head start on their shopping, use this day as an opportunity to promote early bird sales for those who want to finish their holiday shopping early.
Black Friday – November 24th
Black Friday is the day that consumers in America associate with the biggest deals and discounts. No matter what products you sell you can always run a promotion on Black Friday. Since consumers expect big discounts on this day make sure to put a lot of thought and planning into your marketing campaigns so that they are successful.
Cyber Monday – November 27th
Cyber Monday is mainly reserved for consumer electronics sales but it can also apply to any online ecommerce business. Use this day as an opportunity to keep the momentum going from Black Friday. Offer similar discounts to Black Friday and you can capitalize on the excitement that your customers have during the holidays.
Christmas – December 25th
Christmas is the biggest day of the year for ecommerce businesses so it’s important that you have a solid plan leading up to this holiday. Use this day to promote the importance of showing your appreciation for friends and family and offer gift ideas to make shopping easier for your customers. Be strategic with your discounts and how you promote them and you’ll end the year strong.
