Unique Monthly Marketing Opportunities for 2010


Alison Morris - January 15, 2010

Sure, you’re accustomed to promoting books in tune with Presidents’ Day (Feb. 15th this year), and National Poetry Month in April. But when was the last time you tied titles to National Bird-Feeding Month (January) or brought out your manners-themed stock for International Civility Month (May)? 

With the help of Chase’s Calendar of Events and the McGraw-Hill website, I’ve included a few "Special Month" designations below that seemed like they might lend themselves to some unique and/or entertaining in-store displays, library events, and/or publisher/author marketing opportunities. You should read over the complete list of 2010 Special Months yourselves, though, to see if others strike your fancy. National Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month (February), perhaps?

If you want ideas for week-long celebrations and noteworthy days, take a look at the listings on BrownieLocks

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January is National Hot Tea Month

January is Oatmeal Month (Promote your Goldilocks books here.)

January is National Bird-Feeding Month

January is International Creativity Month

January is Get Organized Month

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February is Black History Month

February is Library Lovers’ Month

February is Spunky Old Broads Month (I think a great event series could be tied to this one!)

February is National Weddings Month

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March is Women’s History Month

March is National Craft Month

March is Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Month

March is National March into Literacy Month

March is Music in Our Schools Month

March is National Peanut Month

March is National Umbrella Month

March is Youth Art Month

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April is National Poetry Month

April is National Card and Letter Writing Month (No, this one wasn’t coined by Hallmark. It was the U.S.P.S. who started this written correspondance initiative.)

April is International Customer Loyalty Month

April is National Humor Month

April is Jazz Appreciation Month

April is National Kite Month

April is Physical Wellness Month

April is School Library Media Month

April is Straw Hat Month (I love picturing the covers of the books on this display…)

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May is National Barbecue Month

May is International Civility Month

May is National Egg Month (Hold onto some of those books from your Easter display in April!)

May is Get Caught Reading Month

May is Gifts from the Garden Month

May is National Moving Month

May is National Salad Month

May is Teen Self-Esteem Month (Think of all the YA novels that would be a good fit here…)

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June is National Candy Month

June is National GLBT Book Month

June is Great Outdoors Month

June is Dairy Month

June is National Rivers Month

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July is National Blueberries Month (Blueberries for Sal goes here.)

July is Family Reunion Month

July is National Hot Dog Month (I see lots of dachshund books…)

July is National Ice Cream Month

July is International Zine Month

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August is Audio Appreciation Month

August is Get Ready for Kindergarten Month

August is National Inventors’ Month

August is National What Will Be Your Legacy? Month (put Miss Rumphius on display)

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September is Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month

September is National Chicken Month

September is National Coupon Month

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month

September is National Piano Month

September is Shameless Promotion Month (I can already see the mailings I’ll be receiving: "In honor of Shameless Promotion Month I am writing to shamelessly promote X…")

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October is National Bake and Decorate Month

October is Children’s Magazine Month

October is Eat Better, Eat Together Month

October is National Go on a Field Trip Month

October is Photographer Appreciation Month

October is National Reading Group Month

October is National Squirrel Awareness Month (We have done squirrel-specific displays in the past but were’t aware we could be increasing people’s "Squirrel Awareness" in the process… Must make a new sign for that display.)

October is National Vegetarian Month

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November is National Adoption Month

November is Family Stories Month

November is National Inspirational Role Models Month

November is National Lifewriting Month

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December is National Tie Month

December is National Spiritual Literacy Month

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Do you have a favorite odd or lesser-known occasion you like to celebrate or promote in your store/library/home/office? If so, please share it with the rest of us so that we can celebrate too!

3 thoughts on “Unique Monthly Marketing Opportunities for 2010

  1. Kate Messner

    And January is National Skating Month, according to the US Figure Skating Association. (says Kate, who swears she did not just make that up because she has a figure skating novel coming out in December)

    Reply
  2. librarygirl01

    I love this list! We have ‘celebrated’ National Squirrel Awareness month before and it was a hoot. The Salad Awareness month is new though. Wonder what we can toss together for that. (Sorry, couldn’t resist)

    Reply
  3. Lisa Krebs, IBPA

    March is also Small Press Month. Small Press Month is a nationwide celebration highlighting the valuable work produced by independent publishers. Held annually in March, Small Press Month raises awareness about the need for broader venues of literary expression.

    Reply

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