Prep for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas … and More Activities for Nov-Dec

November

1 It’s NATIONAL SENIOR PET MONTH and a good time to do some concentrated messaging about products or services you offer to help older dogs lead healthier, longer lives. Parents of aging animals will love you for it.

5 During NATIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER APPRECIATION WEEK, shine the spotlight on local shelters on your website and social media. Offer a free product or service package to anyone who adopts a shelter animal this week.

18 Today marks the start of the NATIONAL DOG SHOW. For canine lovers, this is Wimbledon and the Masters rolled into one. Not your thing? Then fire up your favorite streaming service to watch the classic 2000 comedy Best in Show. Even funnier than This is Spinal Tap, we say.

23 The holiday shopping season “officially” starts today, BLACK FRIDAY. Are you doing what you need to be doing to be recognized as a top-of-mind destination for holiday shopping? One way to ensure that happens is to make sure, for the next month, that every advertisement you run, every banner you publish and every email you send has the word “gift” somewhere in it … preferably in type 50 points or bigger.

24 In recent years, SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY has become an increasingly important day for many local pet businesses. And it could be for you as well. But you’ll need to do something noteworthy to get customers through your door. Hold a show, a concert, a grooming or skills contest, or even a meet-up with Santa (or the Grinch). Offer a giveaway, a special discount, a donation with purchase, or a free portrait sitting with a photographer. For more ideas, check out our Sep/Oct 2017 feature at ppmag.us/smallbizsat.

December

2 HANUKKAH starts quite early this year. Make sure your holiday promotions have been running long enough to reach customers celebrating this sacred holiday.

21 It’s UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER DAY. This event spotlights what well may be the absolute nadir of mankind’s sartorial achievement. Your spin on this event? Have a contest featuring pets in eye-scorchingly ugly holiday-themed sweaters. (But we’re pretty sure that they’ll still look adorable.)

22 On KEEP PETS SAFE IN WINTER DAY, add a list of cold-weather tips to the “Resources” page of your website. (You do have one of those, don’t you?) Most important, says the ASPCA, add a basic rule of thumb for the wintry days ahead: “If it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet, so keep your animals inside.”

25 Merry CHRISTMAS! We hope your business had a strong holiday season and an even better year overall — hopefully with a bit of help from PETS+. Like many of our readers, we’ll spend the next few days resting and enjoying our families. But we’ll be sure to burn a few brain cycles thinking of ways we can get better at what we do and provide even more value in the year to come. We hope you do the same. See you in January!