Marketing Ideas for September 2024
The fall season is traditionally a slower sales period for game and hobby stores, but that doesn’t mean your business can’t thrive. At Mantle, we understand the challenges you face, and we’re here to help you turn those challenges into opportunities.
Below, you’ll find a printable calendar for September 2024. Use this as a tool to plan events, sales, and marketing strategies that can keep your sales strong throughout the month. Remember, you don’t need to fill every day with activities—focus on what feels right for your store and your customers.
Let’s work together to make this September your most successful yet!
1st
- National Pet Rock Day
- The first Sunday in September marks this odd day. Take this opportunity to make it a special moment and create a marketable event around it. Maybe a Paint and Take event focused on creating a pet rock, a fashion parade showing off your customer’s favorite painted rocks, or creating a special roleplaying adventure based around a magic rock, Earth elementals, or scaling a huge rocky mountain to save the King or Queen.
2nd
- Labor Day
- The unofficial end of summer. One last long weekend before school is in full session and the weekly grind continues. This is a great moment to ride the coattails of major chain advertising offering Labor Day sales. Customers will already be expecting a discount, bundle, or deal. It’s also time to review your event schedule and adjust if needed due to most kids returning to school and changing schedules.
4th
- National Wildlife Day
- There are tons of animal and wildlife-themed games and products. If you carry any of these, why not have a special sale or demo to promote them? Take a percentage of your profit and donate it to a good cause local to you.
5th
- National Cheese Pizza Day
- Does anyone really need an excuse to offer free pizza to customers? Well, if you do, here it is. Nothing brings gamers in like free food. This would also make a great day to cross-promote with a local pizza place. And don’t forget to stock up on those pizza-themed games.
6th
- National Read A Book Day
- If you’re stocking comic books this is a no-brainer. Even if you don’t sell comics, RPG source books are a great product to push on this day. If you have access to a local writer, consider an event having the writer do a reading that day, a book signing, or any other way to possibly cross-promote your business to a group of customers that may not have known you existed.
- National Food Bank Day
- Another great opportunity to help a local cause while also encouraging visits to your business. This would be a great weekend to run a charity event where canned and dry goods are the entry fee.
7th
- National Beer Lover’s Day
- If you’re lucky enough to have a liquor license you’re probably already on top of this day. If you don’t, you’ve still got some options. Check with a local bar, tavern, or restaurant to see if you can host a game night with drink specials.
- National Tailgating Day
- Almost as popular as football itself, tailgating is like having a mobile barbeque. Check with your local restaurants for a cross-promotion or maybe you can set up a grill outside and give out free hotdogs. A good day for creative promotions.
8th
- Star Trek Day
- Star Trek originally aired on September 8th, 1966. While the original series original ratings were subpar at best, the cult-like following it created has turned the Star Trek Fan Base into one of the most fanatical bases of all time. Be sure to showcase any Star Trek products you’re currently carrying, set up a cosplay event, and/or attend a convention as a vendor.
- National Ampersand Day
- What a great day for promoting pairs of things. Set up some bundles & sell them together. Sleeves & deck boxes. Binders & packs. Minis & paint. You get the idea.
- Grandparent’s Day
- Even Grandparents enjoy hobbies. Especially retirees. This day could be a great opportunity to welcome a new demographic into your store.
9th
- When Pigs Fly Day
- Based on a saying, “When Pigs Fly!” is basically saying that something is impossible. Well, make the impossible happen on this day! Deep discount, i.e. clearance day, change the rules of a popular game or focus on having a magician in store to entertain your customers and staff as a special event.
- Boss/Employee Swap Day
- Designed to reconnect managers with their ground-level employees, National Boss/Employee Exchange Day is a perfect opportunity for team-building and growth. Use this day to help employees interested in management take their first steps in training. You can also swap positions for the day to give everyone a fresh perspective and enhance understanding. It also helps your management team stay connected to the everyday tasks faced by their staff. It’s a great way to boost morale and strengthen your team
- National Teddy Bear Day
- Celebrating the companionship that a teddy bear brings most children. Make today a day of celebration by offering a Teddy Parade or a show and tell, letting customers share their teddy stories. If you sell any kind of plush, today would be a good day to offer a discount or a bounce back coupon to anyone making a purchase.
12th
- National Video Game Day
- Even if you’re not dealing in video games, you probably have some collectibles or tabletop games themed after some popular video games. Take advantage of this day to promote those products and possibly offer discounts.
15th
- Double Cheeseburger Day
- Cheeseburgers are a classic American staple meal. A double cheeseburger must mean it’s a double classic meal. If you serve food, today is the day to feature and focus on these delicious sandwiches.
18th
- Rice Krispie Treat Day
- An easy to make treat. Bulk stores have these tasty snacks usually readily available. Using the smaller package, it makes a great inexpensive give away along with any sales or visits from your customer base. Sam’s Club has some here for under $10. We wrote an article on how inexpensive give aways can work as a great marketing tool for you here.
21st
- Batman Day
- Every third Saturday in September, Batman is honored. Originally in Detective Comics in 1939, Batman has grown into a household name and several successful feature films.
- National Singles Day
- This day is meant to celebrate all the single people in your life. However, if your store sells card singles you could have some fun with it. Maybe advertise some of those card singles like a dating site. Or parody a dating game show. Get creative.
- Oktoberfest
- Wait, isn’t this supposed to be in October? Well yes. September 21st is the kick off of Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany! It will run from September 21st to October 8th. It’s relevant for us because restaurants, street fairs, and marketing tend to reflect this end of year, harvest style of celebration. Partner with a local brewery, while checking with local and state laws, about a cross promotion. Look to have a public outreach with a booth at a local fair, or feature German games, publishers, or artists. Just don’t forget to wear the Dirndl or Lederhosen.
22nd
- Hobbit Day
- Another major franchise with a huge fanbase. Have a second breakfast or dress like a Hobbit. Whatever you do make sure to celebrate some love to J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpieces of fantasy fiction.
- September Equinox
- Welcome to the first day of Fall. Today is the day where days begin to get shorter, days become cooler. This is when most people start to notice the shift in weather and that cool autumn breeze starts to set in. Some of the more northern countries and some US States, you may see snow soon if you haven’t already.
23rd
- National Family Day
- This is a great day to invite entire families into your store and promote games and products the whole family can enjoy.
29th
- National VFW Day
- Take some time today to honor those veterans who not only served our country, but continue to serve other veterans, their families, and their communities.
- National Coffee Day
- Most of us probably celebrate coffee every day, but today is the big day. Check with local coffee shops, and set up a flier swap or coupon exchange. There are lots of ways to take advantage of celebrating everyone’s favorite wakeup juice.
