“The National Retail Federation estimates that American suckers ...er ...lovers are about to spend an average of $128 a pop to avoid getting the silent treatment or a stern dressing down.” - Source

We couldn’t believe our eyes when we read that estimate – AND that the projection number is even 8.5% higher than last year’s number! That’s a lot of money spent on a considerably less significant holiday, and Valentines Day actually contends with Christmas and Thanksgiving in the top three holidays for retailers. Yes, Valentines Day is a thing of marketing genius. And the marketing has been around for surprisingly longer than we thought – the first mass-marketed Valentines were done by Esther Howland as far back as the 1840s! She was a smart woman, even getting her friends to help her mass market her charming Valentines and place ads in newspapers. Now that's the entrepreneurial spirit! - Source 

Valentines Day got us thinking about all of the advertisements and specials that marketing groups invent to create a jump in consumption – there seems to be a Valentine special for everything and anything people can sell, regardless of romantic potential. Marketing the right product or special during this particular holiday and other holidays can become overwhelming for small businesses with little time to devote to marketing analysis and strategy. If you’re a business owner struggling to find clever marketing ideas to appeal to your audience, give us a call – our focus is on research, relevance, and results. We can guide you through any marketing snafu you come across and steer you to a productive sales goal, even beyond the holiday madness.

Have you come across a strange Valentines offer that made no sense or seemed irrelevant? Did you buy it? Why or why not? We'd love to hear your input and experiences.