With January offering a bit of downtime, it can be the perfect opportunity to start planning PR activities for the year ahead
This quieter period, often accompanied by shops taking a well-deserved break, allows you time to identify key opportunities, schedule events and brainstorm fresh ideas to engage your customers. Planning ahead not only ensures you stay proactive and ready to make the most of every opportunity, but it can also motivate you and your team with exciting projects to look forward to each month. Here are a few tips on how you can still work on your business even while you might not be in it over Christmas and New Year.
Create a year-round PR calendar
Planning ahead allows you to align your PR efforts with key dates, seasons and industry trends. Begin now by identifying holidays, industry events, awareness days, and cultural moments that resonate with your business and customers. For 2025, mark National Fish & Chip Day on 6th June and the 80th Anniversary of VE Day on 8th May. If sustainability is central to your business, tap into events like Global Recycling Day, Earth Day or World Oceans Day. If you cater to niche needs, such as offering gluten free options, Coeliac Awareness Month in May is a perfect opportunity.
Don’t overlook fun and creative ideas. For example, theme promotions around sporting tournaments or unexpected days like Employee Appreciation Day or Random Act of Kindness Day, rewarding your team and customers. Aim to engage with as many events as possible to keep your business front of mind with customers.
Community involvement
Local media outlets and communities often prioritise stories about independent businesses, making them a powerful platform for building brand awareness. Use January to research local events happening throughout the year that align with your business – consider sponsoring events, collaborating with other businesses, or supporting a local cause. Begin reaching out via e-mail to organisers and locking in dates early.
Add these opportunities to your PR calendar and a month before the event, contact your local newspapers or radio stations to share your plans and help spread your story effectively.
Utilise social media
Social media is a highly cost-effective tool for sharing news, engaging with customers, and amplifying your message so having a strong presence is essential. Create and maintain profiles on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok and use these to announce new products, share behind-the-scenes content and celebrate achievements. Regularly tag relevant influencers, local businesses, community groups, or customers in your posts to expand your reach and build connections.
However, keep in mind that organic reach is limited – only a small percentage of your audience may see your content. To maximise impact, supplement your social media efforts with other marketing like e-mail campaigns or leaflet drops.
Build a database
If you don’t have a customer database, now is the perfect time to start. Building one allows you to market directly to your customers, offering numerous benefits. For example, you can tailor promotions and communications to target the right audience, minimising wasted efforts and maximising return on investment. A database also enables you to track customer behaviour and history, helping identify opportunities for repeat sales or loyalty incentives. Additionally, it provides valuable insights into purchase trends, demographics and preferences, which can help you refine your future marketing.
Perhaps most importantly, owning your customer database ensures you maintain a direct communication channel, even if your website goes down or your social media accounts face disruptions.
