Tools for Tomorrow: Saint Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated each year on March 17. Traditions include: displaying 4-leaf clovers for good luck, wearing green and pinching others that aren’t wearing green. It’s also is the perfect excuse to have a little fun with your customers! Regardless of whether you are a purveyor of Irish food or drink, you can create excitement and drive traffic by running St. Patrick’s Day promotions!
Did you know that blue was originally the color associated with the holiday? But, due to Ireland’s nickname as “The Emerald Isle,” the green in the Irish flag and the clover that St. Patrick used in his teachings about Catholicism, green became the color most associated with the holiday. There’s an Irish legend that wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns that will pinch you if they can see you. Even more reason to encourage your employees and customers to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day!
While this “lucky” holiday is over 90 days away, we recommend laying the groundwork for your marketing strategy now. By sorting out the details (what, when, how, why, who) a few months prior, execution of your St. Patrick’s Day promotion(s) will be a snap! Read on for some of our favorite St. Patrick’s Day marketing ideas!
Restaurant
- Provide your guests with an authentic Irish experience – Irish beers and traditional Irish food like corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and Irish soda bread.
- Host an Irish whiskey tasting at your bar
- Invite a Celtic band to perform for your customers
- Offer a seasonal menu item that reflects the mood of the holiday / season! McDonald’s Shamrock Shake, anyone?
- Offer customers wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day a small discount, just because! You can surprise them at the register – how fun!
Retail
- Have your employees dress in all green to create a festive mood in your store.
- Offer seasonal products that reflects the mood of the holiday. You can group them all together to create a colorful display!
- Offer customers wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day a small discount, just because! You can surprise them at the register – how fun!
- Go “green” another way: highlight products that are environmentally friendly. Organic or biodynamic wines, items made from recycled goods, or locally produced items!
Services
- Look into becoming a sponsor for a community-wide event taking place for St. Patrick’s Day.
- Offer customers wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day a small discount, just because! You can surprise them at the register – how fun!
- Go “green” by creating new services or treatments at your spa or salon that use all natural ingredients.
- Spring is the perfect time to ramp up marketing for your landscaping or home improvement business – capitalize on this fun holiday to kick things off!
How will you be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with your customers and community?
