Your March 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

Your March 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

It’s time to spring into a new season of content creation, and we’ve got you covered with ideas and examples to help you with your March planning.  Let’s dive in!

Daily Themes

3/1 – Baby Sleep Day
3/1 – Day of Unplugging
3/1 – Employee Appreciation Day

    3/1 – Share a Smile Day

    This one is easy. Smile for the camera. Take a selfie and post it. Create a short video talking about what makes you smile. Create a Canva graphic with a big cheesy SMILEY face. Spread a little joy around. The world can always use more! Use #NationalSmileDay when sharing.

      Share a Smile Day

      3/2 – Read Across America Day
      3/2 – Teen Mental Wellness Day
      3/3 – Ear Care Day
      3/3 – Simplify Your Life Day
      3/4 – Global Day of the Engineer
      3/5 – Information Architecture Day
      3/8 – Women’s Day
        Proofreading Day
        3/10 – Daylight Savings Begins
        3/10 – Freelancers Day
        3/10 – Chemical Peel Day

          3/11 – Debunking Day

          Debunking Day is easy to wrap into just about any industry. What better way to create engaging posts than busting myths in your industry?! Here are some ideas. For our esthetician client, we bust the myth that sleeping in your makeup just once in a while is fine, or that exfoliating in the winter will dry out your skin. For our financial planner client we routinely bust life insurance myths. You get the idea–educate your audience and position yourself as the subject matter expert you are! And quite honestly, you can use this concept regularly, not just on Debunking Day!

            3/8 – Proofreading Day

            This may sound counterintuitive, but did you know that one of the easiest ways to get people talking about your content is to have a grammatical error? It’s true! The Grammar Police love to take to the Internet when a word is misspelled or the wrong word is used, or punctuation is incorrect. Or course, intentionally using grammatical errors to garner attention may not align with your brand. In that case, WordHippo and Grammarly can help.

            3/12 – Equal Pay Day
            3/12 – Organize Your Home Office Day
              Plant a Flower Day

              3/12 – Plant a Flower Day

              Plant a Flower Day is another theme that can be used across industries when approached properly. In the Health and Wellness field? Create content around the idea of growth and nurturing self similarly to the way one would care for a garden. How about those in the fashion industry: engage your followers by encouraging them to share selfies of them wearing your floral designs. Ask them to tag you in their posts and you can then share those posts to your stories. All brands should be seeking user generated content (UGC) whenever possible to increase their reach.

              3/14 – Crowdfunding Day
              3/14 – Write Your Story Day
              3/14 – Pi Day
              3/15 – Shoe the World Day
              3/16 – Lips Appreciation Day
              3/16 – Maple Syrup Saturday
              3/17 – Doctor/Patient Trust Day
              3/17 St. Patrick’s Day
              3/17 – Corned Beef & Cabbage Day
              3/18 – Global Recycling Day
              3/18 – Wellderly Day
              3/19 – Certified Nurses Day
              3/19 – Clients Day
              3/19 – Automatic Door Day
              3/19 – Backyard Day
              3/19 – Spring Begins!
              3/20 – SBDC Day
              3/21 – Flower Day
              3/21 – Renewable Energy Day
              3/23 – Chip & Dip Day
              3/29 – Good Friday
              3/29 – Mom & Pop Business Owners Day
              3/30 – Doctors’ Day
              3/30 – Fitness Recovery Day
              3/30 – Take a Walk in the Park Day
              3/31 – Easter

                Weekly Themes

                3/1-7 – Invest in Veterans Week
                3/1-7 – Write a Letter of Appreciation Week
                3/2-5 – Women’s Week
                3/2-6 – Read Across America Week
                3/3-9 – Chocolate Chip Cookie Week
                3/4-8 – School Breakfast Week
                3/11-17 – Clean Out Your Closet Week
                3/17-23 – Chocolate Week
                3/17-23 – Anonymous Giving Week
                3/18-23 – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Week
                3/18-23 – Wellderly Week
                3/25-31 – Physicians Week
                3/31-4/2 – Crossword Puzzles Week

                  Monthly Themes

                  Women’s History Month
                  Gender Equality Month
                  Reading Month
                  Nutrition Month
                  American Red Cross Month
                  Berries & Cherries Month
                  Colic Awareness Month
                  Color Therapy Month
                  Employee Spirit Month
                  Craft Month
                  Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
                  Sing With Your Child Month

                    We hope you’ve found these tips and examples helpful.  If you need help with your content creation strategy and implementation, reach out to learn how we can help!

                    Schedule a call now!

                    Sweet Business Lessons: Unwrapping Success Through Dessert Challenge

                    Sweet Business Lessons: Unwrapping Success Through Dessert Challenge

                    You may be wondering why I’m writing about desserts. After all, they have nothing in common with marketing, business ownership, or professional development.

                    Which is totally true.
                    .
                    .
                    .
                    Or do they?

                    Part 1: The Dessert Challenge

                    In December 2022, my husband challenged me to make a weekly dessert for the entire year of 2023. So even though I’m not a dessert fan, I accepted the challenge. I made everything from cookies to panna cotta to fancy cakes and more. While most of the desserts were a hit, there were a couple that didn’t turn out as planned.

                    During the challenge, we went on a 5-week RV camping trip to New England, so I had to improvise during that time. I had to get very creative during the trip, and experienced two minor fails (the frozen lemonade pie and crockpot cobbler did not turn out as planned).

                    I found myself thinking about dessert far too often. As I mentioned, dessert is not my favorite, so the challenge was real! As the months passed, I became weary of the challenge and started looking forward to the end. I felt compelled to the point that making dessert became a chore. I considered taking shortcuts. And I felt disappointed that dessert, which by its nature should be fun, was an obligation.

                    Regardless of my conflicting feelings, I decided to wrap up the challenge with a month of grand finale desserts, which included a pavlova Christmas tree dessert and a classic Buche de Noel for the holidays. I had never made either of these desserts before, so making them for a houseful of guests was nerve-wracking. The results: perfection!

                    Near the end of the challenge, I had a conversation with my business coach. She casually mentioned my discipline to complete something that was SO outside of my comfort zone. And this is when I had my light-bulb moments.

                    dessert challenge berry fool

                    Part 2: The Marketing & Business Connections

                    Here’s the connections I realized after completing this challenge.

                    I have to make a weekly dessert = CONSISTENCY. Consistency is a vital component to a successful business and successful marketing campaigns. Want to improve your brand awareness? Get visible regularly. Want to increase team loyalty? Set goals and offer regular feedback. Want to get more leads for your business? Launch regular lead generation campaigns. With only a few exceptions, dessert was on Sundays.

                    I have to make a different dessert = CREATIVITY. At first glance, this can feel overwhelming, like “where do I start?” First: start where you are with what you have. Hint: create content based on questions you are frequently asked! You already know those answers. My first dessert was pineapple cookies because I had the ingredients on hand. They weren’t a huge hit but at least I got started.

                    Next, check out what others are doing, and doing well. While your content and campaigns {should} never look like anyone else’s, they can be inspired by others. I poured through so many recipes that inspired me and nearly 99% of the time I tweaked the recipe based on either my preferences or what was available to me. My ice cream nachos were inspired by something I found on Pinterest but I adjusted it according to what I could find and dietary considerations (no nuts for my tasters!)

                    Finally, get outside of your comfort zone and try something completely new. Never gone live on Facebook or created an Instagram reel? Been collecting email addresses but never emailed your list? What are you waiting for? You won’t know the results if you hold back. My pavlova tree and Buche de Noel were nerve-wracking but I didn’t let that stop me! I asked for help and then I did it!

                    I need to cater to my people = ENGAGEMENT. In marketing, one of the metrics we measure is engagement, whether it’s social media, website traffic, email campaigns, list growth, sales, inquiries, etc. Knowing how your audience responds to the campaigns you launch helps you determine your next steps: what worked, what needs tweaked, and so on. Every week, I asked my taste testers to rate the dessert, to make a comparison to previous desserts, and to offer feedback. Spoiler alert: my people love all kinds of dessert!

                    dessert challenge chocolate kahlua cake

                    Part 3: The Lessons

                    The lesson was this. I can do the hard things. I can do things that are meaningful to others. I can do important things for my business and my clients. And I can do things for myself. When we look at the hard things, the best approach is to take it one step at a time. Eat the frog. Stay in our lane. Focus on the task at hand, remembering the end result but focusing on today, without overthinking.

                    Final Thoughts

                    In the midst of all the trials and triumphs, I’m honestly grateful for the challenge. The joy it brought to my dessert tasters was a gift, and the lessons? They’re now valuable tools in my professional and personal toolkit.

                    As dessert reverts to its former role in our lives, I’m embracing the “sweetness” of this experience. It’s a reminder that, indeed, we can face the challenges and find joy in the process. That you can have your cake and eat it too! Sweet endings and new beginnings – who knew they could be so closely intertwined?

                     

                    PS. If you are interested in viewing more of my dessert challenge pictures and adventures, you can search #dessertchallenge2023 on Facebook. 

                    Your February 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

                    Your February 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

                    Hello friends! We’re back again with ideas and examples for you to use when creating your February 2024 content. Let’s dive right in…

                    Monthly Themes

                    • African American Heritage Month
                    • American Heart Month
                    • Cancer Prevention Month
                    • Senior Independence Month
                    • Time Management Month

                      Love Month

                      According to Wikipedia, Valentines’ Day originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine. Through later folk traditions, it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

                      Love Month

                      And while many in today’s world don’t recognize or celebrate Valentines’ Day, suffice to say that there’s more than one way to celebrate LOVE without ever mentioning the day. Here’s some ideas and concepts to consider for your marketing campaigns all month long.

                      1. We love our customers. Not just on February 14th, but all year long. One way we show this love is through our rewards programs.” Then share about your rewards programs.
                      2. Run a month-long initiative of sharing your client’s posts and stories to YOUR Instagram stories. Be sure to add heart stickers and love-related emojis!
                      3. Get active in your local community! Spotlight your staff/team dropping off flowers or baked goods at the nursing home (or whatever local organization you support).

                      Weekly Themes

                      • 2/1-7 – Women’s Heart Week
                      • 2/14-20 – Random Acts of Kindness Week
                      • 2/18-24 – Engineers Week

                      Daily Themes

                      • 2/2 – Groundhog Day
                      • 2/2 – Wear Red Day
                      • 2/2 – Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day
                      • 2/2 – Self Renewal Day
                      • 2/3 – Women Physician’s Day
                      • 2/4 – Facebook’s Birthday
                      • 2/4 – Homemade Soup Day
                      • 2/6 – Pay a Compliment Day
                      • 2/6 – Reclaim Social Day
                      • 2/7 – Send a Card to a Friend Day
                      • 2/11 – Latte Day
                      • 2/11 – Super Bowl Sunday
                      • 2/13 – Mardi Gras

                       

                      • 2/14 – Valentine’s Day
                      • 2/17 – Love Your Pet Day
                      • 2/17 – Random Acts of Kindness Day
                      • 2/19 – Lash Day
                      • 2/19 – Presidents’ Day
                      • 2/22 – Chili Day
                      • 2/22 – Walk Your Dog Day
                      • 2/22 – Recreational Sports & Fitness Day
                      • 2/29 – Digital Learning Day
                      • 2/29 – Leap Day

                      Love Your Pet Day (2/17)

                      This is a no-brainer. Everyone wants to spotlight their beloved pets, whether they’re the office cat/dog or not! Excellent way to get some extra eyeballs on your content. Video or photos work well for this.

                      Love Your Pet Day

                      Digital Learning Day (2/29)

                      Let’s get creative: while this day is theoretically about K-12 learning, many of us attend webinars for ongoing education and professional development. Snap a pic of the webinar speaker, or even better, a selfie of you in front of the computer monitor (virtually with the instructor) and share a tidbit of what you’ve learned and how it will improve your skills!

                      Digital Learning Day

                      We hope you’ve found these tips and examples helpful.  If you need help with your content creation strategy and implementation, reach out to learn how we can help!

                      Schedule a call now!

                      Your January 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

                      Your January 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

                      Hey friends! We’re getting ready to cross over into a new year, and with that comes an opportunity to add some fresh ideas to your content marketing strategy. To start you off on the right foot, we’ve put together some topics and examples that you can use to create your January 2024 content.

                      Monthly Themes

                      • Hot Tea Month
                      • Hobby Month
                      • Get Organized Month
                      • Family Fit Lifestyle Month
                      • Bread Machine Baking Month
                      • Get a Balanced Life Month
                      • Brain Teaser Month
                      • Be On Purpose Month

                         

                        • Blood Donor Month
                        • Book Blitz Month
                        • Clean Up Your Computer Month
                        • Mentoring Month
                        • Soup Month
                        • Staying Healthy Month
                        • Thank You Month
                        • Financial Wellness Month

                        Wellness Content is King!

                        In January, wellness takes center stage, covering physical, mental, and financial aspects. For health and fitness professionals like nutritionists and gym owners, build trust with your audience by reassuring them of ongoing support beyond “get healthy month.” Share plans for classes and events spanning the coming months, introduce loyalty programs for continuous engagement, and offer personalized birthday month discounts to show appreciation and encourage sustained participation.

                        For mental health professionals, the start of the year provides a prime opportunity to emphasize the importance of ongoing mental well-being. Beyond the January focus, cultivate a lasting commitment to mental health by offering resources such as mindfulness exercises, stress management workshops, and self-care tips.  Encourage your audience to prioritize self-care not just as a New Year’s resolution but as an integral part of their year-round well-being journey.

                        For financial advisors, wealth managers, and the like, try these ideas: Introduce special promotions or discounts on financial planning services for those who sign up or inquire during January. Create a sense of urgency by making these offers exclusive to the beginning of the year. Launch a campaign centered around the idea of setting new financial goals for the year ahead. Emphasize the importance of reviewing and updating financial plans regularly. Launch a financial wellness challenge or milestone tracker that encourages participants to achieve specific financial goals by year-end. Provide regular check-ins, resources, and support throughout the year.

                        Weekly Themes

                        • 1/14-20 – Home Office Safety & Security Week
                        • 1/14-20 – Pizza Week
                        • 1/14-20 – Letter Writing Week
                        • 1/21-27 – Healthy Weight Week
                        • 1/21-27 – Hunt for Happiness Week

                        Gratitude on Paper – Send a Thank You Note!

                        I may be the queen of email marketing, but I still LOVE handwritten cards and letters! smile  That’s why I’m shouting it from the rooftops that International Letter Writing Week is coming up.

                        This is a fantastic opportunity to send notes or letters expressing gratitude to your customers, clients, or followers for their support throughout the year. Personalize each note by mentioning specific interactions or purchases.

                        Daily Themes

                        • 1/1 – New Years Day
                        • 1/3 – Mind-Body Wellness Day
                        • 1/7 – I Am a Mentor Day
                        • 1/8 – Clean Your Desk Day
                        • 1/8 – Winter Skin Relief Day
                        • 1/11 – Thank You Day
                        • 1/12 – Hot Tea Day
                        • 1/14 – Sunday Supper Day
                        • 1/15 – Martin Luther King Day
                        • 1/15 – Strawberry Ice Cream Day
                        • 1/17 – Customer Service Day
                        • 1/18 – Get to Know Your Customers Day
                        • 1/18 – Gourmet Coffee Day
                        • 1/20 – Cheese Lover’s Day

                         

                        • 1/20 – Coffee Break Day
                        • 1/20 – Use Your Gift Cards Day
                        • 1/20 – Take a Walk Outdoors Day
                        • 1/21 – Own Your Own Home Day
                        • 1/21 – Thank Your Mentor Day
                        • 1/22 – Better Business Communication Day
                        • 1/23 – Pie Day
                        • 1/26 – Fun at Work Day
                        • 1/27 – Chocolate Cake Day
                        • 1/28 – Pediatrician Day
                        • 1/29 – Puzzle Day
                        • 1/31 – Hot Chocolate Day

                        Don’t Forget to Use Those Gift Cards!

                        After receiving gift cards, not everyone uses them immediately — or at all. A little under half of U.S. adults (47 percent) say they have unused gift cards, gift vouchers or store credits. surprised Good thing there is a day set aside in January to remind consumers to use the gift cards they received over the holidays.  Take advantage of this opportunity to encourage your customers to come in and use those gift cards.

                        We hope you’ve found these tips and examples helpful.  If you need help with your content creation strategy and implementation, reach out to learn how we can help!

                        Schedule a call now!

                        Your Brand…It’s More Than Just a Logo!

                        Your Brand…It’s More Than Just a Logo!

                        In my Building a Brand workshop, we dive deep into what a brand actually is, and my students are often surprised at the outcome. If I had to choose ONE concept to focus on when it comes to branding, it would be emotion. What does your ideal client think or feel when they experience your brand, whether that’s your business name or product/service?

                        Here’s a few examples.

                        The Brand as an Experience

                        Your vehicle needs an oil change. You immediately think of a particular service station that you’ve had a positive experience with. That’s branding.

                        The Brand as a Service

                        Someone is new to town and needs an oil change and they ask you for a recommendation. You refer them to the service station you use. That’s branding.

                        The Brand as a Name

                        You drive past the service station daily on your commute to work. You see their signage and think about how you trust the business and their team, or that you need to get that oil change. That’s branding.

                        I encourage you to take a moment to consider some of the bigger brands you experience in your life. Think of Apple or Amazon or Nike or Pepsi. Just reading their names has likely already triggered an emotional response. Then consider how your brand can trigger a positive emotional response with your audience so when they’re ready to buy or refer, they think of you first!
                        Finally, a teaser: we’re refreshing the Melanie & co brand in 2024, so keep your eyes open. It’s going to be GREAT!

                        Need help with your branding strategy?  Schedule a call today!  

                        Your December 2023 Content Ideas Are Here!

                        Your December 2023 Content Ideas Are Here!

                        Hey there! December is just around the corner, and we’ve got you covered with some content ideas and practical examples to amp up your December 2023 content plan. Let’s dive in!

                        Monthly Themes

                        National Write a Business Plan Month

                        Weekly Themes

                        12/1-7: National Cookie Cutter Week

                        Cookies, cookies everywhere!

                        There’s several opportunities relating to cookies in December, and you don’t have to be in the food industry to talk about them. Maybe there’s a cookie exchange at your office–grab a quick video and snap some pix and voila, perfect LinkedIn post that relates to company culture. Maybe you can find an analogy between making cookies and a process at your business. Or maybe cookies are one of your brand pillars, which is a no-brainer for creating several fun posts. Remember, when it’s social media posts, engagement always wins, so have some fun with this concept!

                        National Cookie Day

                        Daily Themes

                        12/1: National Women Support Women Day; National Package Protection Day; National Cookie Cutter Day

                        12/2: Special Education Day

                        12/3: Make a Gift Day

                        12/4: National Cookie Day

                        12/5: International Volunteer Day

                        Recognize the volunteers who help your organization!

                        Charities and membership organizations rely on volunteers to help them achieve their goals. What a perfect day to recognize those who have helped your organization. Why not create a short video thanking them for all they do. Be sure to tag these important people on all your social media platforms.

                        International Volunteer Day

                        12/7: First Day of Hanukkah (ends 12/15); Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance

                        12/8: National Blue Collar Day

                        12/11: National App Day

                        12/13: National Cocoa Day

                        12/14: National Free Shipping Day

                        Free Shipping Day is coming! Make sure your customers know in advance.

                        Be sure to send your email campaigns with plenty of advance notice so your customers can take advantage of free shipping day. You may even want to consider creating a special campaign with incentives like free shipping PLUS a free gift or a coupon code to redeem next year when they place a minimum order.

                        Free Shipping Day

                        12/15: National Ugly Sweater Day

                        12/16: National Wreaths Across America Day

                        12/21: Winter Solstice

                        12/24: Christmas Eve

                        12/25: Christmas Day

                        12/26: First Day of Kwanzaa (ends January 1); National Homeowners Day

                        National Homeowners Day isn’t just for Realtors.

                        Our real estate clients have had great success with National Homeowners Day campaigns. But this day isn’t just for REALTORS®! It can work well for anyone in related industries, like home organizers, interior decorators, handyman services, etc. Consider how you can create content that homeowners can relate to, like 2024 Pantone Color of the Year or keeping your home warm for the winter or getting organized in the new year. The ideas are endless!

                        National Homeowners Day

                         

                        12/31: New Year’s Eve

                        We hope you’ve found these tips and examples helpful.  If you need help with your content creation strategy and implementation, reach out to learn how we can help!

                        Schedule a call now!