July 31st is Invest in Employees Day

If you have employees then you need to invest in them today (and every day). They are often the first contact with YOUR customers and can make or break a company. Your best defense? Treat them like GOLD. Make the feel important.  Give them a feeling of autonomy. Allow them to make decisions.

Here are three tips to invest in your employees:

1. Provide your people with the skills they need to do the job properly. Don’t just give them an hour training and then let them loose on your customers (and other staff).  And make it ongoing. Promoting a culture of learning will let your staff know you care about their growth as much as that of your company. Check out these TEN Employee Training Tips from Dunn & Bradstreet Small Business Solutions http://smallbusiness.dnb.com/human-resources/careers-job-training/1465-1.html

2. Ask Employees for feedback. Asking employees for their input on ways to improve your company and its operations will elicit surprising results. If they truly on “the front lines,” it is likely they know best what works and what doesn’t. Remember an empowered employee feels more loyalty to a company and 99% of the time will do a better job than you even imagined or hired them to do.

3. Find ways to increase the quality of life at work for your employees.  If their quality of life at work increased, their overall life satisfaction increases. They become better employees and turnover is less likely.  Turnover costs companys billions of dollars a year.  And most employees state that they leave because of job disatisfaction. Find out what they love about their jobs and what they don’t love. Creat opportunities that allow them to do more of what they love and those things that they are not particularly fond of doing become less of a chore. 

People want to please. They want to improve and mostly they want to feel important.

If you hire right, make your employees feel important and give them the recognition they deserve for a job well done, you will find your company thrive even in the worst of times.

Today is also:
Cotton Candy Day

Also on this Date:
In 1498 Christopher Columbus discovered island of Trinidad
In 1774 Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen
In 1790 The US Patent Office opened
In 1893 Henry Perky patented shredded wheat
In 1922 18-year-old Ralph Samuelson rode world’s 1st water skis
In 1965 Cigarette Ads banned on British TV
In 1981  Arnette Hubbard installed as 1st woman president of National Bar Association

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out  Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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July 30th is Father-in-Law’s Day

(Created by the card companies), Regardless of his personality and charms, this day is dedicated to your spouse’s Dad who certainly deserves recognition. Encourage your clients to recognize “Dear Ole Father In Law” in creative ways.  Create a write-in campaign on your website, inviting guests to share stories of their Father’s-in-Law.

Here’s a wonderful story I found when researching Father in Law’s day ~ Happy Father-In-Law’s Day When I Married the Brady Bunch… By Dave Konig. I think it should be forwarded to all Fathers and sons in law!

Today is also:

Cheesecake Day
System Administrator Appreciation Day

Also on this date:

In 1898 Will Kellogg invents Corn Flakes
In 1928 George Eastman shows 1st color motion pictures
In 1935 1st Penguin book is published – starting the paperback revolution
In 1942 FDR signs bill creating women’s Navy auxiliary agency (WAVES)
In 1956 U.S. motto “In God We Trust” authorized

July 29th is Rain Day

What a perfect time for a Rain Day Marketing Strategy!  Not raining in your part of the world today? That’s okay. This idea will probably take some time to get off the ground. However once you do it, you could become known for it and every time it rains someone might think of your company and just buy something! Now wouldn’t that be nice? Of course if you live in a place like Seattle where it rains almost ALL THE TIME you might like to reverse this strategy and call it a Sun Day Marketing Strategy.

But I digress…

Okay so now you have a name for it. How are you going to implement yur Rain Day Marketing Strategy?

First of all you need to know what you want to “offer” on Rain day. You need to decide if you want to make this a once a year event or a once a week or every time it rains program.

Then you need to decide how you are going to promote Rain Day. Will you offer a 25% discount on Rain Day? Will it be for only one item or several, a group of products or services?

How will you let people know about it? Will you promote in your newsletter, on your business cards, in your store window, during networking events, or take out an ad in some local media?

The important thing about Rain Day Marketing is you come up with a catchy title and include your company name. Maybe even walk around with an umbrella that is imprinted with your company name and says something to the effect of:
“when it rains you save” or “don’t let the rain get you down.” Get 25% off next time you come to town at (insert name of company).

The point is, you could become known as the Raining Queen, or King of (insert industry here) ~ no pun intended.

Happy Rain Day!

July 29th is also:

National Chili Dog Day

Also on this date:

In 1655 the Biggest townhall in the world opens in Amsterdam
In 1957 Jack Paar’s Tonight show premieres 

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out  Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

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July 28th is Singing Telegram Day

What a great way to get the word out about your company!  With “acts” to fulfill any imagination, you could hire a singing telegram to gain the attention of customers and prospects. Singing their praises can lead to stronger relationships and more business! Who couldn’t use more business today?

Today is Buy a Local Ad Day!

Supporting local groups and organizations is a great way to get your company’s name out there and build relationships with the community. Here are just a few places you can buy inexpensive ads and show your support.

July 26th is OneVoice Day

“Consensus for Conflict Resolution, Mobilizing Against Violent Extremism.  Think you cannot change the world?  Check out OneVoiceMovement.org and read about their work “to amplify the voice of the overwhelming but heretofore silent majority of moderates who wish for peace and prosperity, empowering them to demand accountability from elected representatives and ensure that the agenda is not hijacked by forces of militant absolutism.”

July 25th is Parents Day

Offer a discount to parents of the two (or four) legged variety  if they bring their “kids” to your business (or pictures of kids).

July 24th is Amelia Earhart Day

Amelia flew her first plane at the age of 24 (in 1921). In 1932 Amelia became the 2nd person to fly solo across the Atlantic. In 1935, she was the first person to fly solo across the Pacific. Her next flight was set to circle the globe at the equator. On July 2, 1937, she and her navigator disappeared at sea just 2 days short of finishing the trip. Neither she or her plane were ever found!

While you are thinking about ways to promote your business, check out  Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year for More great marketing ideas.

*NEW

July 23rd is Gorgeous Grandma Day

Last month I talked about Creating Your Own Holiday Day and this month wanted to share another example of how someone took an idea and created a holiday out of it. Alice Solomon, Author, Columnist, Radio Host, Speaker decided to turn her best selling book FIND THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE AFTER FIFTY  into a celebration of women who want to *Date, Mate, and Age with Style*  She created Gorgeous Grandma Day and has been on radio, television and print all over the US and Canada.

Today is also:

Maple Syrup Day, the oldest agricultural enterprise in the U.S.

Hot Enough For Ya Day!

Also on this date

Today is 100 Most Profitable Advertising Headlines Ever Written

The three secrets to a headline that gets results are:
#1. get the readers to read the headline