As the weather continues to warm and spring swings into full gear, here are some ideas to help fill out your May marketing calendar.

Theme: National Bike Month/National Bike to Work Day

Goal: Lead generation, lead qualifying, engagement

Industries: Health insurance, financial services, health care, fitness
• Prepare a direct mail postcard with a QR code on it promoting fitness and environmental awareness for National Bike Month and offering a free bicycle water bottle if they sign up for a newsletter or free trial (since you’re spending money on water bottles, get more bang for your buck by getting as many touches as you can with an on-going newsletter as opposed to a one-time download, such as a white paper).
• On the landing page for the QR code, have a sign-up form for the business-related offer and the water bottle.
• After they sign up, send an e-mail follow-up thanking them for signing up and highlighting additional offers or services they may be interested in.
• Include a business card with the water bottle, which should also be branded for the company.

Theme: National Photograph Month

Goal: Engagement, boost social media presence

Industries: Banking, financial services, insurance, fitness, any business-to-consumer

• Launch an e-mail campaign to current customers or even potential customers giving them the opportunity to win free services/products from your business (ex: if it’s a gym, free one month membership; if it’s a bank, free checking for a month).
• In order to win, customers must share a photo of them doing something relating to your business or industry on Twitter using a hash-tag of your choosing.
- Encourage creativity and fun. Post some example submissions you took yourself!
• If the campaign is experiencing high engagement, have your followers vote for their favorite. If not, select a winner yourself.
• Promote the contest across all of your social platforms in addition to e-mail.
• Promote the fact that you will announce the winner via social media to keep people checking back.

Theme: Eat What You Want Day (May 11)

Goal: Client retention, customer relations

Industries: Financial services, health insurance, any business-to-consumer

• Identify clients or customers who are not currently signed up for any sort of regular communication from you or your company.
• Send them a direct mail letter thanking them for their business.
• In the letter, offer them a chance to select a gift certificate to a restaurant of their choice if they sign up for your newsletter (again, newsletter is just an example).
• Allow them to sign up via a QR code in the letter.
• On the QR code landing page, have the contact form and give them the option to select a restaurant for their gift card.
• You can either mail the gift card, or some businesses will let you send them online via e-mail.