Promotional Planning Calendar

International Customer Loyalty Month - Building relationships
While building loyalty is a year-round goal, take this month to strategize on how you can improve relationships with your customers through better service, higher quality products or even a new loyalty program that offers extra savings. If you run a restaurant or coffee shop, give your best customers a free stadium cup or travel mug printed with your logo and offer lower-priced refills when they use it in the future.

Car Care Month - Vroom!
This nationwide effort to focus motorists’ attention on the importance of vehicle maintenance and care is a great opportunity for car dealerships or automotive repair shops. Car-themed promotional products like keychains, sun shades, air fresheners, bumper stickers, magnets or travel mugs can help you get your message out.

National Kite Month - Let’s go fly a kite
Throughout the country, hundreds of kiting events take place this month. Get into the groove by handing out colorful logoed kites to customers as a free promotional giveaway.

National Card and Letter Writing Month - Don’t forget to write
This annual effort to promote literacy and celebrate the art of letter writing makes for a good opportunity to provide supplies to local schools. Give stationery, notebooks, pens and pencils imprinted with your company’s logo to your local schools or sponsor a pen-pal program.

April 13: Silent Spring Publication Anniversary - Lean and green
In 1962, Rachael Carson’s Silent Spring painted a vivid picture of how chemicals used in pesticides not only harmed humans, but undermined the survival of countless species. It’s credited with starting the environmental movement. Show your company’s own “green” side by giving employees organic cotton T-shirts, made with cotton from farms that have been chemical-free for at least three years.

April 16: National Stress Awareness Day - Don’t be a ball of stress
Promote public awareness of stress and its causes and solutions by hosting company-wide events. Offer meditation and massage stations. Give your employees free take-home imprinted stress balls, slippers, robes or eye masks that can be chilled or warmed for relaxation.

April 15: FDA Approves Botox Anniversary - Lines? What lines?
In 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the cosmetic use of Botox. Dermatologists have long recommended preventative measures to keep skin looking youthful. Physician and dermatologist offices can give patients sunscreen keychains so they can protect themselves from needing Botox down the road.

April 22: Administrative Professionals Day - Key personnel
Acknowledge the contributions of your company’s administrative professionals by presenting them with a special business-related gift. An elegant business card case or portfolio would be useful for on-the-go employees. You can also give quality desk accessories like a crystal paperweight or silver-plated desktop organizer.

April 22: Earth Day - Save energy, save the world
Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. Take today’s message literally by providing employees with a rotary charger for mobile phones or a solar-powered calculator. A more figurative approach would be to hand out stress relievers shaped like wind turbines.

April 23: Baywatch TV Premier Anniversary - Just beachy
In 1989, Baywatch premiered on television. At the height of its popularity, it was the most widely viewed TV series in the world, airing in over 100 countries. Celebrate with a beach-themed promotional event including beach towels, flip-flops, hats, sunglasses and sunscreen.

April 23: Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day - Junior executive
In this national public education campaign, children aged 8 to 12 go to work with adult hosts. Send your employees’ children home with a gift basket of desk accessories imprinted with your company logo. Include notebooks, pencils, erasers, crayons and a coffee mug (for hot chocolate, of course).

April 24: National Arbor Day - Plant, nurture and celebrate trees
Show your organization’s commitment to “going green” by planting trees. Give employees and customers live evergreen trees in small packages imprinted with your company logo.

April 28: Biological Clock Gene Discovery Anniversary - Just five more minutes
Northwestern University announced in 1994 that the so-called biological clock, that gene governing the daily cycle of waking and sleeping called the circadian rhythm, had been found in mice. Help employees master their own sleep cycle with a new alarm clock.

April 29: Zipper Patent Anniversary - Zip it
In 1913, Gideon Sunbach of Hoboken, NJ received a patent for the zipper. A zipper pull is a great giveaway to customers of any business.