St. Patrick’s Day is not (and has never been) recognized as a legal or federal holiday in the United States, but it’s recognition as a worldwide phenomenon is a direct result of American culture. Many of the traditions we associate with St. Patrick’s Day, contrary to popular belief, originated here in the U.S. and not in Ireland.

Parades, parties and the act of dying rivers green? American-made traditions, all the way. Corned beef and cabbage? Although staples of St. Patrick’s Day here in the United States, are rarely eaten in Ireland. Even the song “Irish Eyes are Smiling” is a U.S. creation!

Turning Green into Gold

St. Patrick’s Day in the United States is now so ubiquitous that corporate America consistently capitalizes on the marketing opportunities.

Since St. Patrick’s Day is so widely celebrated – and with everyone allowed to be “Irish for the day” – you can still capitalize on the fun even if your shop isn’t located in an area with a large Irish-American population. Here are some fun ways for you to promote St. Patrick’s Day:

Green flowers

Just because St. Patrick’s Day isn’t a major floral holiday doesn’t mean you can’t piggyback on the holiday spirit and promote it with flowers! It’s easy to find small, inexpensive St. Patrick’s Day ornaments and decorations that can transform any flower design into a St. Paddy’s Day treat! Green carnations are always a popular choice, so make sure to have them ready for walk-in customers who just want “something green.” Green plants, especially shamrock plants, are also easy to promote.

Offer a discount

“Customers wearing something green automatically receive 10% or 20% off” – This is easy to promote on social media, as well as via email and push notifications through floralapp. You could also do a promotion where everything green in the store (which is nearly everything you have) is on sale. There are many options here.

Contests

With much of the St. Patrick’s Day imagery associated with luck and prosperity, the theme ties in naturally with a contest. Participants can win a “pot of gold” or “lucky charm” that could be anything you choose, from a gift card to a free bouquet. Consider doing a floralapp contest where customers tell you why they feel lucky.

Let employees in on the action

Encourage co-workers and employees to get into the holiday spirit by dressing up. Have a contest for the best green outfit and take pictures for social media. Don’t forget to share behind-the-scenes pictures of green-clad employees to connect with your audience on a more fun and personal level.

Create a festive in-store atmosphere

Make sure employees aren’t the only ones having fun in your store on St. Patrick’s Day. Play some traditional Irish music and decorate for the occasion to get everyone into a festive mood. Hand out green balloons to the children along with St. Patrick’s Day-themed snacks and green-colored candies for all your customers.

Promote your Irish spirit on social media

Let customers know that you’re planning – special in-store events and promotions encourage them to participate. With so much imagery specific to St. Patrick’s day, it’s easy to create some eye-catching media to let customers know a celebration will be taking place and draw foot traffic to your store.

Remember to have fun!

How can you not have fun celebrating a holiday full of leprechauns, lucky clovers and pots of gold? Just like Halloween, St. Patrick’s day has a certain element of kitsch involved, so the sky’s the limit in terms of how much fun you can have with your customers. Good luck!

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