It’s all too easy to get cheesy on Valentine’s Day

Published 30 January 2019

We all love a bit of fun in the lead up to Valentine’s Day, but is there a point where it all gets a bit too much of a gushing attempt at love-puns? Let’s face it, most of us may be quite cuddly types, but too many PDAs (Public Displays of Affection) can make even the least British-stiff-upper-lip-types a little uncomfortable.

So I thought I’d write a few tips for you below – see what you think.

 

It’s safe to assume we all love our clients.

While it’s nice to tell people you care about them, if you’re professing your love whilst also asking for cash and a sale, you might find that the results aren’t quite as good as you wanted.

Now, with all the rules like this, there are exceptions. For instance, if you’re in the gifts, flowers or restaurant industries, then chances are you can make your customers’ Valentine’s Day easier. Show off your Valentine’s themed gifts, meal selections etc and even do a ‘lovely’ competition on Facebook to get people tagging their friends/significant others, etc.

If you’re not, try finding something that you can give away at a reduced cost or for free that will be of use to them (that also won’t cost you money!) and will show you care a bit.

 

Don’t assume everyone is in a standard relationship.

If you are in an industry, like the restaurant trade, for example, aiming solely at couples could mean you’re missing a trick – there’s lots to be said for focusing on groups of friends, singles, people pampering/treating themselves. n fact, some cheeky chicken has actually invented ‘Galentines Day’ aimed at besties. Let’s see if that catches on shall we?

Plus, relationships are much more complex these days. By being more inclusive and focussing on the end goal – such as feeling good about spending some time with your favourite person, or away from certain people – you could get much more from your February marketing.

 

Get a little creative.

I guess what I’m hoping for this year is that more companies will stay away from the ‘We love you, buy something quick’ style of message and get a little more creative. Whether that’s a poem, a silly song, something for charity or a themed day.

Chubby hearts was a design project last year that saw huge red heart-shaped balloons squashed into landmarks or floating over buildings. Obviously, that’s on a much larger scale that most small businesses would consider, so maybe the Greggs Bakery competition for a candlelit dinner in one of their stores is more your speed?

Either way, these days the same old, same old can get lost in amongst the fray of general life. Aim to make someone smile with your message and you’re on a winner.

(See the Chubby Hearts campaign from 2018 here.  http://www.chubbyhearts.com/ )

 

Be genuine.

If normally your business is talking about serious and gloomy stuff like death and taxes then suddenly popping up with hearts and flowers might not fit – or it might be just what you need?

Just because you’re dealing with serious stuff doesn’t mean all your communication needs to be; even funeral directors have fun (quite a lot of the time I’m told!) Pick a subject or theme close to your heart that you can actually get excited about and your tone will be infectious.

 

Positivity rules. OK.

No matter what marketing you decide to do this Valentine’s Day, keep your tone positive where possible. Give people clear actions/calls to action and maybe try something a little new. A hook is a call to action with a bit of bite; so rather than saying “call us today” you might say “Call us before Feb 13th for a special surprise gift…”

 

Just before you go – did you know…

St Valentine is the patron saint of lovers, epileptics, and beekeepers (!!).

The earliest description of February 14 as an annual celebration of love appears in the Charter of the Court of Love. The charter, allegedly issued by Charles VI of France at Mantes-la-Jolie in 1400, describes lavish festivities to be attended by several members of the royal court, including a feast, amorous song and poetry competitions, jousting and dancing.

The earliest surviving valentine message is a 15th-century rondeau written by Charles, Duke of Orléans to his wife, written while the duke was being held in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt, 1415.