Marketing Ideas for January 2026
Kick Off Your 2026 Marketing!
Happy New Year! A new year could mean a new start, fresh opportunities, and a clean slate for your business. January is the perfect time to change up your strategy, reconnect with your customers, and set the tone for your business in the year ahead. Whether you’re building excitement online, creating in-store events and experiences, or planning your next big sale, the January 2026 marketing calendar is packed with non-traditional ideas to help you engage customers and drive them into your store.
Let’s make 2026 your most focused, energized, and successful year yet. Ready to dive in? Let’s go!
1st
- New Year’s Day (F)
- New Year’s Day is considered one of ten Federal holidays with non-essential Federal Government offices closed. This is a banking holiday as well, so be sure to stock up on change.
- New Year’s Day is considered one of ten Federal holidays with non-essential Federal Government offices closed. This is a banking holiday as well, so be sure to stock up on change.
- New Year’s Inventory
- With the beginning of a new year, it’s time to pick the day to do your start of year inventory counts. Always consult your tax professional on when this absolutely needs to be completed. Most businesses do their whole store inventory count at the start of the year to see what products survived last quarter’s holiday sales and rush.
2nd
- National Science Fiction Day
- A day to celebrate anything science fiction based on any medium. Book, art, movie? Celebrate it.
3rd
- JRR Tolkien Day
- J.R.R. Tolkien Day is “The Lord of the Rings” author’s birthday. Feel free to highlight some Lord of the Rings merchandise or host a second breakfast for your staff in true hobbit fashion.
4th
- National Trivia Day
- This national day is a day to test or share small bits of almost useless information. Did you know that Trivia is the plural of the word Trivium? Now you do.
6th
- National Take Down the Christmas Tree Day
- This is a great reminder to take down any holiday decorations you may have up still. Pack away the Christmas rush and take a moment to finish your inventory and detail clean areas that have been neglected due to the holiday sales rush.
8th
- Show and Tell Day
- To create an off the wall marketing idea, show and tell. Have this event as something for your customers and staff to bring in whatever theme you wish, plants, animals, comic books, collectibles ect ect. The idea is to create an event out of something you’d normally never think of as a day to draw in customers.
11th
- National Milk Day
- Milk now also comes in non-daily options as well! Today is a great day to advertise milk-based drinks or small giveaways with sales such as bite-sized MILK chocolate bars.
13th
- National Sticker Day
- Stickers were originally invented by European Merchants who wanted to advertise their goods to people who went by them. Today, we even have digital stickers and emojis. Stickers in bulk are almost ridiculously cheap. These 2”x2” stickers start at $35 for 1000. This is a good brand awareness day.
- Stickers were originally invented by European Merchants who wanted to advertise their goods to people who went by them. Today, we even have digital stickers and emojis. Stickers in bulk are almost ridiculously cheap. These 2”x2” stickers start at $35 for 1000. This is a good brand awareness day.
- National Rubber Ducky Day
- Based on a 1973 Sesame Street Calendar and an introduction to the Rubber Duckie character, this birthday has been given. After World War One and Two, the ducks’ design changed slightly due to the invention of plastic and vinyl. The Rubber Duck is a Toy Hall of Fame inductee for the year 2013. Rubber ducks in bulk are very inexpensive and are a memorable giveaway, especially if it’s based on a sale.
- Based on a 1973 Sesame Street Calendar and an introduction to the Rubber Duckie character, this birthday has been given. After World War One and Two, the ducks’ design changed slightly due to the invention of plastic and vinyl. The Rubber Duck is a Toy Hall of Fame inductee for the year 2013. Rubber ducks in bulk are very inexpensive and are a memorable giveaway, especially if it’s based on a sale.
- National Clean Your Desk Day
- Cleaning your desk is a great way to get organized and ready for the new year, PS. you are almost two weeks in already. Make sure you get a head start on any tax documents you need to get to your accountant. It’s also a good time to reorganize your desk and work area and bring in a completely new space. Change the layout, add some plants, and change the brand of the pen you like to use. Actually, complete this year’s budgeting and goal planning. Get rid of the good stuff that has been shoved into your desk that isn’t actually good stuff, and get rid of the clutter of stacked-up junk mail that has been sitting there for at least 3 months. A clean desk will bring you new energy to focus on planning and fulfilling your goals this year.
15th
- National Hat Day
- Hats have a very long and festive history. Wear a hat, give out a hat, and celebrate the early Millinery skills needed to craft hats. Like Ugly Christmas Sweaters, today is a great day to let staff wear outlandish hats or a promotion where customers can receive a small discount or prize for wearing a hat or crazy hat.
- Get To Know Your Customers Day
- Do exactly as this says. Learn more about the people who are supporting your business. Find out what they like, what they love, and what they do. Make a connection with them deeper than a transaction. This holiday happens every January, April, July, and October on the third Thursday.
16th
- Appreciate a Dragon Day
- There be Dragons! The mythical beings of Dragons have captured the imagination of us all at one point or another, today is a great day to advertise your Dungeons and Dragons campaigns or show off your other Dragon merch.
- There be Dragons! The mythical beings of Dragons have captured the imagination of us all at one point or another, today is a great day to advertise your Dungeons and Dragons campaigns or show off your other Dragon merch.
17th
- Use your Gift Card Day
- If you issued and sold gift cards during the holidays, now is a good day for a reminder to your customers to come in and use those gift cards! Highlight clearance, new release or anything else you want to move.
18th
- National Winnie the Pooh Day
- Originally created in 1926, Winnie the Pooh is a staple among many homes with young children. Don’t forget your honey on the way to the Hundred Acre Woods.
- Originally created in 1926, Winnie the Pooh is a staple among many homes with young children. Don’t forget your honey on the way to the Hundred Acre Woods.
19th
- Martin Luthor King Day (F)
- King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King’s honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later. It is a Federal holiday, be sure to have your banking done before the weekend.
- Brew A Potion Day
- In most games that have some sort of alchemy, potions are the difference between winning and losing. With Brew A Potion day, creating a special coffee drink for the day or inviting a local coffee shop to offer samples could be a marketing event that helps drive customers into your business.
24th
- National Compliment Day
- Bring some praise, love, and happiness to your community. Give out compliments all day, this should already be an everyday event. This holiday is just to highlight it.
26th
- Happy Birthday Aquaman (DC)
- Happy Birthday Aquaman, DC Comics
28th
- National Lego Day
- Celebrating children, creativity, and building, Lego day is a great day for a Lego event or a Lego sale. Check with your Lego representative about sales as the company usually has a MAP policy.
29th
- National Puzzle Day
- Puzzles are a great option for unplugged mental exercise. This makes a great day to highlight puzzles and possibly offer a sale.
- Puzzles are a great option for unplugged mental exercise. This makes a great day to highlight puzzles and possibly offer a sale.
31st
- Inspire Your Heart with Art Day
- Art comes in so many forms and this day is dedicated to art. Pick a style or artist and celebrate it! Have an arts and crafts day, a miniature building. If you sell Games-Workshop, plan a paint-and-take event. So many options for brand building or a sales event for this.
