Each October, the third Saturday is dedicated to showing people how much you love them. The Sweetest Day is a wonderful event to incorporate into your store operations and promotions.
It’s purely an American holiday, having most likely begun in Cleveland, Ohio. Hallmark explained that the holiday is thought to have originated from a man named Herbert Birch Kingston in the 1920s. Kingston began giving candy to people he felt were underserved by society, such as orphans. The event spread from there, but it’s mainly celebrated in the Great Lakes region.
The Sweetest Day is essentially a second Valentine’s Day, where people buy cards, candy, flowers and small gifts for those they love. Although many people consider it a celebration of romantic love, it’s also a time to make close friends and family members feel appreciated.
If you want to bring the Sweetest Day to your business this year, try one of these three methods:
1. The sweetest shopping trip
To make this year’s Sweetest Day lovely for your customers, mix up the shopping experience over the weekend.
One of the easiest ways to give a nod to the holiday is with free candy at the register stand. It’s the perfect season to buy assorted bags of candy, since trick-or-treating is right around the corner. Make sure customers know that you’re observing the Sweetest Day by placing a creative message board display outside the store entrance.
You can also create promotions based on the Sweetest Day. Spread the word on your social media sites or through paper fliers to draw people in. Whether you want to offer deals on merchandise that people might buy for loved ones on the Sweetest Day or simply have a blanket discount across the store, use the store fixtures to display the items you’re promoting this weekend so they’re easy for shoppers to find.
Assign one employee to complete store display makeovers for the Sweetest Day. You may want to incorporate bouquets of flowers, boxes of chocolates or mannequins arranged to look infatuated with one another.
2. The sweetest evening
Consider hosting a couple’s event or after-hours celebration in honor of the Sweetest Day. Don’t feel obligated to go all out with champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, but a few treats and snacks would be a great gesture. You can offer attendees special deals on the sweetest night or distribute coupons for future purchases. Although the funds to put the event on might come out of your marketing budget, the appreciation you show people who support your business could bring in extra revenue.
Depending on the demographic of your store, an event for couples might not be practical. You can still invite patrons to stop by the shop for a little gathering with a less specific theme and get the same point across. People may not have heard of the holiday before and an event like this would be the perfect introduction.
3. The sweetest employees
You can go a completely different direction and make this holiday about valuing your staff. If your schedule allows for it, host a company meeting where you offer each employee a heartfelt card or small gift. Alternatively, order a few pizzas for the crew and provide treats as a sweet gesture this weekend.
For businesses where it’s difficult to rally the whole staff, stock the break room with snacks for everyone to enjoy as they go through their shifts. Cupcakes, bags of chips and sodas can make your employees feel like they’re being spoiled and cared for. You can still make cards or hand out gifts and simply express your gratitude with each individual employee instead of in the group setting.
