MAY

1-7 Each May, Washington uses National Small Business Week as an opportunity to pay tribute to the central contribution made by small businesses to the national economy, but that’s about where it usually stops. With COVID-19 continuing and elections looming, stay active in your local business groups to see that issues that matter to you get the attention they deserve.

3-9 National Pet Week and Mother’s Day (May 10) both fall in May. Team up with other local businesses to create a package: It could include a restaurant, salon and/or photography studio gift certificate.

16 It helps to be smart in your marketing, but bold is so much better. Remember that today as the world celebrates Seamonkey Day — a briny nod to the power of selling their emotional benefits if nothing else.

31 The 30th Anniversary of the Premiere of Seinfeld creates a rare opportunity to promote a humble category: poop bags. “If (aliens were to) see two life forms, one of them is making a poop, the other one’s carrying it for him, who would they assume is in charge?” Jerry asked in one of the show’s best-remembered quotes. Remind your customers through a post or meme that pet ownership is a life of sometimes smelly servitude, but it has overwhelming rewards, while inviting them to check out your range of poop bags.

JUNE

Each year, more than 3 million cats end up in shelters. Adopt-A-Cat Month is your chance to help. Perhaps you could take inspiration from World’s Best Cat Litter’s campaign last year, in which it pledged to donate up to 1 million pounds of litter to shelters if cat lovers shared the hashtag #giveacrap on social media.

18 With the right equipment, algae and remnant fish food become much less of an issue for fish owners. On Clean Your Aquarium Day, create a list of suggested “top tools” customers can use to maintain a healthy and relatively hassle-free environment for their piscine friends. Promote through your social media channels.

20 Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo … and no one will be quite as happy as pets, especially after COVID-19 movement restrictions. Celebrate the arrival of Summer with a pet party. The Green Spot in Omaha, NE, threw a “Pawty” with doggie pools, raffles, giveaways, free food and drinks, and lots of free samples inside for both pets and their people. Get in touch with your vendors to see what you can do.

21 How can you be of service on Take Your Dog to Work Day, a day we all want to make much, much more popular? Provide a checklist pet owners should refer to before bringing their pup into a new environment.