Now that we’re in the Dog Days of Summer (July 3rd – August 11th), temperatures are rising, and tempers often rise as well. It seems like everyone gets a little irritable during the hottest days of the summer.
That’s why I think of August as the month to take care — take care of myself, my family, and my community. As well as be sensitive to those around me and take care in how I interact with them.
Of course, I can’t take care of anyone else if I’m not taking care of myself first. And, since August is American Adventures Month, I plan to get out there and try something new. Maybe I’ll explore a new hiking trail or grab a bite at a restaurant I haven’t tried yet.
Of course, it’s also American Artist Appreciation Month, so perhaps I’ll take some time to visit a local art gallery or take a painting class from a local artist. That way, I can take care of my community while taking care of myself, by supporting small business owners in my area.
Honestly, though, I’ll probably start the month by organizing something simple on each day of National Simplify Your Life Week (August 5th – 11th). It could be my household toolbox that’s in disarray or the plethora of sticky notes I have all over my desk. Whatever it is, it’s got to be quick and simple, so I don’t get overwhelmed or frustrated. And at the end of the week, I should be relieved of some clutter and have a great sense of accomplishment.
And, while there are a lot of other designated holidays for August, I’ve picked a few that I feel are worth mentioning. Take a look through the following August holidays and newsletter ideas and see what resonates with you. Then think about how you might be able to share that holiday with your readers — in a caring way.
As I mentioned previously, to me, August is about taking care… of myself, my family and my community. And, taking care includes everything from being aware and staying safe to showing appreciation for one another — even sharing great recipes that you can make and share with one another.
So often, those who bring awareness to health issues are those who have been affected by them. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Show your community that you care about them, and that you want them to be safe, stay healthy, and be sensitive to each other and what others may be going through.
If you’re not an expert in the field, the best way to share awareness and safety issues with your readers is to curate content from healthcare professionals and other trusted resources.
Once you learn how to curate content correctly, you can:
Go a step further to take care of your community. Partner with a related nonprofit to host or sponsor a fundraising event to help those in your community. Then let your readers know how they can contribute to it.
While health and safety are important, part of taking care of one another is showing appreciation.
Show your appreciation by:
While I’ve listed a couple of special “week” holidays in the list above, that’s just to get you thinking about what you’d like to do to show your customers and community that you appreciate them.
Of course, every month has a plethora of food celebrations. But rather than trying to give you a list of foods and dates to celebrate, I think we should talk about ways to share recipes with your audience even if you’re not in the restaurant industry.
Whatever holiday you highlight in your newsletter this month, whether you issue a challenge, offer advice, or ask your readers to share, include a custom hashtag — along with a corresponding post on social media — so you can easily find and like what they post!
For more August holidays and ideas on what you can do to share them with your customers, download the graphic below.
Or plan out the rest of your year with our Online Marketing Calendar, complete with a free template and a list of holidays you can use to make the second half of the year a complete success.
You must be a registered user to add a comment. If you've already registered, sign in. Otherwise, register and sign in.
Resources
Check out marketing advice, tips, and tricks. All from our Constant Contact experts
Visit the blogFeatured Article
Using Sections while designing your marketing email not only increases your own efficiency but helps you to deliver a more friendly, organized message. Check out some of the key benefits of using sections in email.
See ArticleFeatured Thread
If you listen to music while you work, share your playlist below so we can be inspired and maybe find some new music!
View threadFeatured Thread
The Ready, Set, Send Challenge has finished! Let's reflect on the wins and accomplishments over the last six weeks.
Join challenge