Event Marketing Guide

Your Event

EventGuide to Successful Checklist

Marketing Event

Ideas

Benefits of

Event
Marketing

EVENT JANUARY

IDEAS Organize Your Year
Closet design and installation clinic
Consider these Host a donation drive for gently used items
monthly events
and theme ideas Sunshine Days Sale
Light installation clinic
Benefits Offer discounts on lighting or bulbs

of Hosting an Event APRIL

1. Increase traffic, sales, and profits Earth Day/Garden Party
2. Generate repeat business Host a lecture on garden planning
3. Create top-of-mind awareness in your Offer free saplings or seed packs

community Barbecue Days Sale
4. Attract new customers to the store Grill demonstrations
5. Target specific groups: gardeners, Serve hot dogs and hamburgers

woodworkers, women, etc. JULY
6. Stretch peak seasons and build sales
National Ice Cream Month
during slow times Demonstrate ice cream making
7. Encourage shoppers to stay longer Offer samples and a drawing for prizes
8. Educate customers and build long-term
Contractor Open House
relationships New power tool clinic
Tool talk and serve refreshments

OCTOBER

First Responders Meet & Greet
Firemen/EMS meet & greet with safety tips
Free alarms or picture with first responders

Safe Halloween Night
Straw maze or pumpkin carving
Offer safe trick-or-treat candy

FEBRUARY MARCH

Spread the Love One-Day, 9-Hour Sale
Host a pet adoption Quick-fix repair clinic
Offer a pet photo booth Hand out yardsticks or tape rules

Moonlight Madness Contractor Open House
Floor tile clinic New power tool clinic
Extend hours and offer discounts on flooring products Tool talk and serve refreshments

MAY JUNE

Car Keeping Day Father’s Day Sale
Clean car maintenance clinic In-store Best Dad essay contest
Give away air fresheners and a car maintenance checklist Provide prize for contest winner

Memorial Day Paint Trade-In Tent Sale
Paint clinic and paint recycling day Sell fertilizer, soil, mulch on pallets
Free paint hat or paint stick Offer cotton candy or popcorn

AUGUST SEPTEMBER

Back-to-School Sale School Spirit Tailgate Party
Furnish a dorm room clinic Pep rally with band or sports star
Collect charity school supplies Refreshments, coupons, handouts

Sidewalk Sale/Dollar Item Sale Continental/Pancake Breakfast
Concrete pathmaker or pavers demo How to can and preserve clinic
Free balloons and drink Offer donuts or pancakes and coffee or punch

NOVEMBER DECEMBER

Trim-A-Tree Clinic Santa’s Workshop
Gift idea demo or ornament making Buy or make gifts
Offer hot cider and cookies
Picture with Santa or free gift wrapping
Meet the Pro Seminar
Home décor or home improvement talk End-of-Year (Sale-a-bration)
Offer discounts or store credit card Storage and organization clinic
Deep discounts on clearance items

Get started CONSIDER
THIS
Use this checklist to plan your event.

4 Determine event type Other community events
Select event date and duration and/or holidays
MONTHS OUT Determine budget
Determine special promotional pricing or in-store deals Depending upon the type
3 Book special guests or talent of event, you may want to
Request product donations for door prizes or giveaway coincide with a holiday or
MONTHS OUT Get staff on board and divide event responsibilities between community event, or you
the correct personnel may plan to avoid these
2 Contact your Consumer Marketing Specialist to discuss larger events completely.
promotional options
MONTHS OUT Advertising deadlines
Secure caterer or determine food for the event For custom advertisements,
1 Book a DJ or nail down audio logistics Do it Best typically requires
Determine what kinds of games or activities will be available 3 months from start to
MONTH OUT Secure vendor support completion. Newspapers
and other media may
1 Start promoting and teasing the event on social media require 2–3 weeks prior
Invite customers via Best Rewards email blast notification.
WEEK OUT Determine quantities of food and drink
Remodeling and
1 Print and send mailer invites construction
Contact the local media and send a press release to
WEEK AFTER promote your event on the radio, in the paper, etc. Allow 4–6 weeks after
EVENT Prepare and order any special signage. Do you need completion before
banners? Flyers? scheduling an event so
employees are familiar
Post every day on social media to tease and promote with the store layout,
your event systems, and/or new items.
Clean, prepare, and rearrange store as needed
Double-check all previously made arrangements Vendor requests
If requesting support from
vendors, allow 6–8 weeks
for a response.

Customized giveaways
Imprinted items may take
8–10 weeks to be printed
and delivered.

Send event thank you notes to all vendors, sponsors, and
volunteers

Evaluate event engagement, budget, attendance, and
response to plan for the next one

Post videos and photos to social media