Engaging February Newsletter Ideas Beyond Valentine’s Day

It may be the shortest month of the year, but February is jam-packed with marketing occasions to mark your calendar for. And no, I don’t only mean Valentine’s Day!

Sure, there’s that much-maligned (well, it depends on who you’re talking to) day of love, but February has occasions nearly every day you look.

You can continually connect with your audience just as winter is at its bleakest, encouraging more sales, signups, and conversions.

Here’s how.

Table of Contents

Make Your February Fabulous With These 15+ Newsletter Marketing Ideas

Let’s get right down to it.

1. Make Your Audience Weepy for National Weddings Month

If you had to guess when National Weddings Month was, you’d probably say June, right? It’s a close guess, but the occasion is all February long.

This makes sense, considering February is a month strongly associated with love and romance. And while February is one of the least popular months to have a wedding, it’s never too early to begin targeting those with upcoming summertime nuptials.

If you work in the wedding industry–whether you sell dresses, do event planning, take photographs, or officiate–this entire month is laid out for you on a silver platter.

You can send content to your audience all month long to engage them and get them thinking about their upcoming wedding. Anything you can do to assist them in planning while selling your products and services should be received well.

If you work in another industry, you don’t have to mention this monthly holiday unless you want to. There are many more occasions for you to capitalize on, trust me!

2. No Repeats on Ground Hog Day

As February gets underway, Ground Hog Day arrives on February 2^nd. It’s an important, historical holiday that tells us whether we have early spring weather to look forward to or six more long weeks of winter.

So, what can your business do to get into the spirit of Ground Hog Day?

Like clothing brand Bonobos, you can use the announcement of a longer winter to sell winter gear, be it clothes or winter sports supplies.

You can also launch a flash sale to cheer up your customers, who will surely be bummed out that spring is that much further away.

And what if the groundhog announces spring is in the air? It’s time to switch to your warmer-weather stock and sell that. A flash celebratory sale is always welcome.

3. Let Loose on Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day

Yes, you read that right. Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day is the first Saturday of February, so you can send out a reminder on the Thursday or Friday before the big day.

Companies that sell frosty delights usually have a slow period in the winter, but a small occasion like this might lead to an uptick in sales.

Other industries should use this special occasion as a reminder that your customers deserve to treat themselves. You can offer them a discount, an exclusive coupon code, or a freebie so they can give themselves something nice.

4. Get Inventive on Create a Vacuum Day

February 4^th is Create a Vacuum Day. The meaning behind this holiday is fuzzy, but judging by the name, it seems to be about inventing or creating something.

Brands that sell vacuum cleaners shouldn’t miss this built-in opportunity for a sale. Other industries can use this to embrace your customers’ creativity and see what they’re capable of.

You may hold a contest showcasing the coolest inventions from your audience. If you decide to go that route, you should have an exceptional prize for the first-place winner and the runners-up.

5. Share Your Appreciation on Send a Card to a Friend Day

February is a month about embracing friendship as much as it is romance. A week before we get to Valentine’s Day, there’s Send a Card to a Friend Day on February 7^th.

This is an excellent opportunity to remind someone how much they mean to you outside of their birthday or Christmas.

Card companies probably created this holiday, but if your business is involved in print or e-cards, take the opportunity to remind your audience about the occasion. You could increase your sales.

As for other businesses, why not run a 24-hour sale in case your customers want to buy something more for their friend than a card?

6. Inspire Better Health on Toothache Day

With around 58 million pounds of chocolate purchased around Valentine’s Day and much of it enjoyed by lucky recipients, tooth decay is a major risk throughout February.

Fortunately, there’s Toothache Day on the 9^th to keep everyone’s smile pearly white and pain-free.

Dentists and medical practitioners should send out reminders ahead of this day so patients come in for their dental checks. Health companies can also use this occasion to send a general newsletter about taking care of one’s health and well-being in the winter.

7. Grow Your Circle on Make a Friend Day

Here’s another friendship-centric holiday in February: Make a Friend Day on February 11^th. This special occasion is a good holdover until International Friendship Day in July.

Of course, that holiday is more about celebrating the friendships you have, while this is about expanding your circle of contacts.

One of the easiest emails to send on this day is asking your customers to be your friends by following you on social media, like Bed Bath & Beyond did here.

You can also help your customers strengthen their communications with others by issuing a refer-a-friend code.

8. Get Competitive on Super Bowl Sunday

If you’re a fan of the NFL, you know there’s no day as special as Super Bowl Sunday. Even non-football fans can’t help but get swept up in the excitement, pandemonium, and grandeur of the day, whether it’s for the commercials or the halftime performance.

Although millions of eyes will be glued to their TVs and not necessarily to their email inboxes, you can do a lead-up to the Super Bowl every week until Sunday to excite your customers.

If you sell anything related to food and entertainment, it’s time to have a sale, just like West Elm did. This housewares brand discounted trays, glassware, serveware, barware, and tables – all the items someone throwing a Super Bowl party needs.

If you specialize in food, you can post your favorite Super Bowl recipes or focus on catering for the big party, as this example shows.

Shaw's preorder email — *Image courtesy of Mailjet*

And if you don’t fit into the above categories, you can offer a sale and loosely tie to the themes of the Super Bowl.

For instance, Bonobos had a 40 percent off sale with the code TOUCHDOWN.

You could also offer a virtual scratch-off contest to declare a winner, slash your prices by 50 percent for halftime, or introduce a virtual spinner wheel to decide the percentage off.

There are so many fun ways to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday, no matter what your industry is!

9. Remind Your Audience on Clean Out Your Computer Day

As the leadup to Valentine’s Day gets closer, the second Monday of February is Clean Out Your Computer Day.

Tech and office supply companies should use this opportunity to upsell large-volume external hard drives and USB storage, or perhaps even new computers.

Other industries can strengthen audience relationships by sending a straightforward remind to declutter their digital space, especially so they can continue receiving emails from you!

10. Get Celebratory on Mardi Gras

Woohoo! It’s Mardi Gras!

While Fat Tuesday sometimes falls in March, it’s often known as a February holiday. Celebrate the whimsy of Mardi Gras by offering a mystery sale, as seen below.

Your customers won’t be able to resist clicking this email and seeing how much percent off they get.

11. Feel the Love on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is by far the biggest occasion for your email newsletter this month, so planning your approach early will help you execute flawlessly.

You don’t only have to appeal to couples with your email marketing. You can take on a flirty tone and tell your customers how much you love their service.

Do something nice for your customers, like recommend television shows or music playlists, personalize offers, suggest tailored products and services, or issue 50 percent off regular prices.

The key is using copy that’s playful but not suggestive. You don’t want to come across as skeevy, but just the right mix of fun and functional.

Try incorporating emojis into your subject line, as this is one time when they really fit. They’re also a great way to get more eyes on your email, considering every one of your competitors will send Valentine’s emails to capitalize on the day.

12. Expand Your Ideas on February 14^th for National Organ Donor Day

February 14^th is predominantly known as Valentine’s Day, but it’s not the only occasion. There’s one that’s even more important: National Organ Donor Day.

This holiday is about encouraging new people to consider becoming organ donors. By expounding on the life-saving benefits of organ donation, you can help your customers save lives and feel good about their efforts.

If most of your customers are already organ donors (which is awesome!), you can start a referral program of sorts if they get others to register for organ donation.

Send your customers an exclusive referral sales code to forward a registration email or provide other proof.

13. Keep the Holidays Going on Candlemas

By February, all the holiday decorations are taken down and packed away, but what if the hoopla didn’t have to end quite yet?

After all, Candlemas is a traditional holiday celebrated in February between the 2^nd and the 15^th. The occurrence is on the 2^nd on modern calendars, but according to the Julian calendar, it is celebrated right after Valentine’s Day.

Regardless, this religious holiday is associated with candles and purification.

I wouldn’t recommend using it as a sales occasion, but instead to wish holiday greetings to your customers.

14. Do Better on Random Acts of Kindness Day

Valentine’s Day may be over, but we’re just getting started with February newsletter ideas. Random Acts of Kindness Day is on February 17^th, and it’s a five-star opportunity to connect with your audience if you haven’t yet this month.

While we should all strive to be kind to others every day, this day is an opportunity to take small but meaningful action for others. Perhaps you pay for the person’s order behind you or give someone a genuine compliment with a smile.

I love this email newsletter by LG outlining all the ways you can be kind.

It includes tips for treating our planet, neighbors, and family with kindness. You can compile similar tips tailored to your audience.

Use graphics like LG did, as they break up the long paragraphs and add visual interest to each category in the newsletter.

15. Beat Back the Winter Blues on Spice Up Your Life Day

Also acknowledged on the same day as Random Acts of Kindness Day is Spice Up Your Life Day.

Condiments and spice shops can take the literal meaning of this holiday, discounting stock to encourage more people to buy. A sale like this can help you get through the long winter months until spring arrives and people start cooking more outdoors and in.

You can also focus on the other meanings behind this day, such as trying something new. Restaurants can send a menu recommendation or talk about the day’s special, adding a discount code to inspire customers to visit that night.

Clothing and style retailers and salons can talk up their audience to try something bold, similarly offering discounts to make shopping easier.

16. Send a Sales Code on President’s Day

You can bet your bottom dollar your competitors are all gearing up for a big President’s Day sale, so you must also have something in store for your audience.

What is the most common way to celebrate this holiday? With a sale, of course!

There’s no wrong way to have a President’s Day sale. You can inspire your customers to choose your sale over your competitors by offering steeper discounts or running it for longer, but only if you can afford to.

17. Host a Contest on Love Your Pet Day

Proving that February is a month of love of all kinds, Love Your Pet Day is on the 20^th. How can your business get into the spirit of this one? That’s simple – with a contest!

Allow customers to upload photos of their pets–or images of them with their pets–then let your audience declare the winner by vote. Give away cash prizes or valuable products.

You can also do a pet product giveaway, as seen above, and require participants to enter by tagging your account and using a specific hashtag (that tag could go viral, so make it a good one!).

Here’s yet a third idea to inspire you: make it a discount day by running an exclusive sale on pet foods and supplies.

18. Get Ready for Fall on Floral Design Day

Spring is in the air by February 28^th, which is when Floral Design Day arrives on the calendar. As the name tells you, this special day is all about incorporating the colors and designs of Spring in your email newsletter.

Loft did this exceptionally well in the email below, don’t you think?

February sale email example from Loft — *Image courtesy of Designmodo*

The loose blooms against a white background are an excellent floral design.

The above example of a February newsletter proves that any type of business can use email marketing to increase website traffic and conversions around Floral Design Day.

Florists can use this occasion to spotlight flower collections and recommend floral display tips.

19. Satiate Your Appetite with Food Days All Month Long

Are you getting hungry? You will be once you see this list of February food-related occasions:

Bubble Gum Day on the first Friday of February
Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day on the first Saturday of February
National Carrot Cake Day on February 3^rd
Stuffed Mushroom Day on February 4^th
International Frozen Yogurt Day on February 6^th
National Chopsticks Day on February 6^th
Paczki Day on the Thursday ahead of Ash Wednesday
National Pizza Day on February 9^th
Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day on February 11^th
Plum Pudding Day on February 12^th
National Gum Drop Day on February 15^th
National Drink Wine Day on February 18^th
National Chocolate Mint Day on February 19^th
Cherry Pie Day on February 20^th
National Chili Day on the fourth Friday of the month
National Margarita Day on February 22^nd
Open That Bottle Night on the last Saturday of February
National Tortilla Chip Day on February 24^th
World Bartender Day on February 24^th
National Pistachio Day on February 26^th

How do you celebrate these occasions? You can introduce new products or put your food items on sale.

Wrapping Up

February is anything but another ho-hum month of email marketing. Once you expand your horizons beyond Valentine’s Day and the Superbowl (although those are fun, too), you’ll discover lots of occurrences on the calendar, big and small, for celebrating with a sale!

If you need a software solution for your newsletter and email marketing, try EngageBay. It has all the marketing automation features you’ll need, plus an integrated CRM suite! You can use it for free forever, too!

About The Author

Nicole Malczan

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