Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Pitch pink awareness-themed items, such as key-chains, umbrellas, totes, lapel pins and mint cards in the shape of pink ribbons for events and campaigns that propel the fight against breast cancer (www.cancer.org). Potential clients include hospitals, nonprofits, corporations, schools, sports teams and other organizations that are hosting, sponsoring or participating in cancer-battling initiatives.
National Dental Hygiene Month
Help dental offices promote the importance of preventive oral health care through special campaigns (www.adha.org). Provide fridge magnets, toothbrushes and floss.
National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
Schools, parent groups and day cares are potential clients. Product options include buttons, pencils, coloring books, bumper stickers and silicone wristbands that bear anti-bullying messages.
National Cyber Security Awareness Month
By 2020, spending on cyber security could reach $170 billion annually – a sign of just how important and difficult it has become to ensure sensitive data is safe in the digisphere. Businesses and governmental clients can encourage safe computing through gamified programs in which employees receive branded rewards for following best practices on cyber security and for achieving safety milestones. Rewards can include tech products like power banks and Bluetooth speakers.
Oct. 2-8 National Chimney Safety Week
Certified chimney sweepers should use this week as a platform for promoting their businesses (www.csia.org). Help them organize direct-mail campaigns that spur fresh sales to past clients and referrals to new ones. Sweepers can promote a discount on services in return for that customer referring someone. In the mailer, include an item that’s practical for the coming cold months, such as an ice scraper.
Oct. 6-8 Great American Beer Festival
More than 46,000 attendees and 400-plus breweries will participate in this festival (www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com), which holds the Guinness World Record for most beers tapped in one location – 1,884. Provide the suds makers with swag that promotes their breweries and specific beer brands – products like T-shirts, hats, beanies, brewers’ shirts, tin tackers, bottle openers, bottle coolers and more.
Oct. 7 National Diversity Day
This day for celebrating and embracing America’s diversity presents an excellent opportunity to sell to corporations and universities, both of which could be holding diversity-related events. Pitch universally usable items like mugs, sport bottles and microfiber screen cleaners. Have the items feature messaging that promotes togetherness and mutual respect.
Oct. 9-15 Emergency Nurses Week
Help hospitals thank emergency nurses for their hard work and dedication (www.ena.org). Gifts could include water bottles featuring a juice infuser that allows users to juice fruit directly into their water. Note: Emergency Nurse’s Day falls on Oct. 12.
Oct. 29 National Cat Day
Celebrating cats and encouraging adoption of felines in shelters is the focus of this late October initiative. Provide shelters with products they can give to people who take cats into their homes (www.Nationalcatday.com). Think collars, pet bowls and various cat toys.
