October Marketing Ideas for Your Brand

☕ The Growth Espresso Edition #89

Sep 24, 2024

🗓️ Tuesday, 24^th Sep 2024

Hi, and welcome back to Growth Espresso - your one-stop destination for everything e-com.

It’s October, which means pumpkins, costumes, and… sales. Yes, you heard that right—October isn’t just for Halloween candy; it’s the start of the most wonderful (and profitable) time of the year for ecommerce. From spooky deals to early holiday buzz, we’ve cooked up an October Marketing Calendar to help you kick off the season in style. 🎃 You’ll find key dates, out-of-the-box ideas, and all the reasons why October is basically a marketer’s dream month.

But that’s not all—we’ve also combed through the Top Ecommerce Tweets from marketing leaders who are dropping wisdom like it’s hot. (Don’t forget to check these in the end)

Ready to brew up some marketing magic? Let’s get started!

But first, a little word from our sponsor today - Twilio

What can good data do for you? - Twilio Segment Customer Data Platform

Great customer experiences require better data. Segment helps 25,000+ companies turn customer data into tailored experiences. With customer profiles that update real-time and best in class privacy features, you can make good data available to every team.

Good Data - Segment

October 1 - International Coffee Day

Target Audience: Coffee lovers, professionals, busy individuals

Marketing Ideas:

• Host a “Share Your Brew” contest on social media, where followers post pictures of their coffee setups. Offer a discount or free personalized coffee mugs to participants.

• Create coffee-related bundles or discounts for beverage products, or collaborate with a coffee brand for a giveaway.

• Send coffee-themed email marketing with fun “energizing” subject lines like “Perk Up Your Day!” or “Fuel Your Hustle with a Free Mug on Us!”

October 1 - World Vegetarian Day

Target Audience: Vegetarians, health-conscious consumers

Marketing Ideas:

• Feature a blog post or social media content on plant-based recipes, ingredients, or products.

• Partner with vegetarian brands for product cross-promotions or giveaways.

• Promote a “Meatless Monday” challenge leading up to the event, offering discounts on veggie-friendly products.

October 4 - World Animal Day

Target Audience: Animal lovers, pet owners

Marketing Ideas:

• Run a campaign where a percentage of sales from pet products or animal-related items is donated to an animal welfare charity.

• Launch pet-themed collections, or introduce products for pets such as eco-friendly toys, accessories, or apparel.

• Share customer-generated content of their pets using your products, and spotlight animal charities you support.

October 4 - World Smile Day

Target Audience: General audience, globally

Marketing Ideas:

• Create a “Spread the Smile” campaign, encouraging customers to share stories or photos that make them happy, and enter to win a feel-good prize.

• Offer special “smile-worthy” discounts or freebies on smiley-themed products.

• Engage with local causes by partnering with a charity or organization that aligns with happiness and well-being initiatives.

October 5 - World Teachers’ Day

Target Audience: Teachers, parents, educators

Marketing Ideas:

• Offer exclusive discounts for teachers or feature a special sale on products like planners, stationery, or educational tools.

• Run a social media campaign where customers can nominate their favorite teachers to win a prize.

• Send personalized “thank you” notes to teachers in your email list or collaborate with local schools for a classroom supplies donation drive.

October 14 - Canadian Thanksgiving

Target Audience: Canadian customers

Marketing Ideas:

• Send “Thank You” emails to Canadian customers with exclusive early holiday discounts or personalized offers.

• Offer Thanksgiving-themed products such as meal kits, home decor, or gift baskets, bundled with festive packaging.

• Run a limited-time sale around gratitude and celebration themes, encouraging customers to share what they’re grateful for.

October 16 - Boss’s Day

Target Audience: Employees, employers, self-employed individuals

Marketing Ideas:

• Promote thoughtful gifts for bosses such as customized office items, gadgets, or subscription services.

• Market personalized “boss” products to self-employed individuals, positioning it as a celebration of their own hard work.

• Offer a workplace discount for companies looking to purchase in bulk for Boss’s Day gifting.

October 22 - National Color Day

Target Audience: Design enthusiasts, creative customers

Marketing Ideas:

• Create a visual “color quiz” on your website or social media, helping customers discover their favorite colors with product recommendations.

• Highlight your brand’s colors in a blog post or Instagram Stories, explaining the inspiration behind them and how they influence your designs.

• Offer a sale on products available in various color options, promoting the theme with vibrant, colorful ads and imagery.

October 26 - National Pumpkin Day

Target Audience: Fall enthusiasts, Halloween shoppers

Marketing Ideas:

• Launch a limited-edition pumpkin-themed product or bundle existing items with a seasonal twist, such as pumpkin spice flavoring or pumpkin-colored designs.

• Create a pumpkin-themed photo contest, encouraging customers to post their pumpkin carvings or fall decor for a chance to win a prize.

• Promote discounts on autumn collections, using pumpkin-themed marketing and pumpkin emojis in your copy.