There are many Valentine’s Day opportunities outside of cards, flowers, chocolates, sexy clothes and a night out. We think every retailer can embrace the opportunity and connect with Valentine’s Day.
While Valentine’s Day is undeniably a commercial bonanza, it is an opportunity for and local small retail business to stand out and more meaningfully connect with locals.
Here’s our Tower Systems advice, our take on opportunities for local retailers, no matter what you sell. Here are five ways to spread Valentine’s love:
Love Where You Are: Celebrate your community! Set up a noticeboard (physical or online) and encourage locals to share what they adore about the area. Think stories, photos, or any expression of local love. This is a fantastic way to give back to the community that supports you.
Love What You Do: This one’s all about passion! Invite people to share what they love about their lives, hobbies, or work. Promote it as a chance for people to express themselves and share a little piece of their story. It’s a beautiful way to connect with your customers on a deeper level.
Love Others: Spread the love to those in need! Partner with a local charity and use your business as a collection point for donations. Launch a “Loving Others this Valentine’s Day” campaign, promote the charity’s work, and encourage your customers to join you in supporting them. Don’t forget to contribute yourself!
Love Lists: Get social! Over a series of posts, invite people to share their favourite things. Each day, focus on a different theme: a beloved song, a cherished photo, a go-to recipe, a must-read book. Ask them to explain why these things are so special to them. It’s a fun way to spark conversation and get people sharing.
The Love Seat: Create a cosy spot in or outside your shop—a “love seat” for two! Promote it as a place for friends to catch up, rekindle connections, share stories, and make memories. Encourage old-fashioned conversation, away from the distractions of social media. Bonus points for offering complimentary coffee and cake!
These ideas aren’t designed to directly boost sales or foot traffic. Instead, they’re about showcasing who you are and what your business stands for in the community. While big businesses will be shouting about Valentine’s Day deals, you’ll be touching hearts and celebrating the true meaning of the season.
The best idea though is to leverage the suggestions here and others that flow from thinking about them outside of February 14. There is no rule as to when we should nurture love in any form and on any topic. Take the Love Where You Are idea. This is something you could run mid-year as a support for your location.
Being the business known for nurturing love and appreciation could help strengthen your emotional connection with locals.
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