There is a scene in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers where Théoden faces the orc hordes at Helms Deep and he announces: “So it begins”. September and October are like this, after the summer’s lull everything ramps up, back to school, preparing for Halloween with pumpkin lattes, preparing for Christmas and Winter and the darker nights and everything in the run up to 31st December 2022.
While everything seems to be happening all at once for everyone, there is clear advice I can give you regarding your digital marketing. Don’t neglect it. Don’t forget it. Don’t miss the opportunity to make social and digital marketing work for your business.
Digital marketing is one of the few areas where you can outperform your competitors without outspending them. I’ve shared hints and tips on this blog and in my newsletter for free because I believe that every business needs help to get this right. I offer spotlight calls and other services to help you smooth out your approach. See my recommendations on Instagram, I am one of the best.
October is a busy month for awareness days, and there will be something for all businesses to use in their content. Awareness days can seem a little disconnected from what individual businesses do. What does an accounting and payroll company have to say about International Walk To School Month, a campaign aimed at promoting the benefits of walking to school? As a campaign it is better suited to childcare and child-related businesses, though all business people with children will have something to post about it.
Community organisations, hospitality and tourism businesses, and companies owned by and catering for black people, will have something to post during Black History Month. This year in Leeds a memorial plaque for David Oluwale was damaged soon after it was unveiled, the need to celebrate and commemorate black history continues. All communities have opportunities to share their history, October is for Black History Month. Also during October is the opportunity to Wear It Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness and Spina Bifida Awareness Week begins 17/10/2022.
Booksellers, time to think of prose and form in your socials, 06/10/2022 will be National Poetry Day. Aside from the announcement of the Forward Prize for Poetry, as mentioned elsewhere in my blog, poetry is an excellent means of expressing oneself and to explore individual identity and the identity of others.
Caterers, roasters, cafe owners, everyone needs a pickup. 01/10/2022 has the potential to be a difficult news day for many, though it is also International Coffee Day. We all have our favourite kick, though my VA Jim is rather taken by the description of coffee in The 1975’s single Part of the Band: “I like my men like I like my coffee, full of soy milk and so sweet, it won’t offend anybody”. Jim’s hometown is near Lincoln, and all businesses in his second favourite county should celebrate Lincolnshire Day also on 01/10/2022.
World Mental Health Day returns on 10/10/2022. If you’re ever not sure where to turn or have a friend or relative you’d like to help – try Chasing the Stigma’s Hub of Hope . No matter what you’re going through, you shouldn’t have to do it alone. Find services local to you using geolocation technology.
Agriculture businesses, caterers, and grocers are among the businesses who have the opportunity to celebrate World Food Day on 16/10/2022. 21/10/2022 should also be Apple Day in the UK, and it has nothing to do with electronic hardware. Random fact, my favourite apple is a Pink Lady, preferably cored and sliced – what’s yours?
If one wants to celebrate awareness days then many of the international days come from the United Nations. On 24/10/2022 it will be United Nations Day.
The month ends scarily with the end of British Summer Time on 30/10/2022 and Halloween on 31/10/2022. It is a time for trick or treat, costumes, and potentially watching scary movies behind clenched fingers. In Mexico 31/10/2022 will be the first day of Day of the Dead, which is celebrated 02/11/2022. While awareness days may appear good opportunities to post ‘anything’ you must be aware of the cultural and community relevance of the events you post about. And here is the best Halloween photo ever taken!
Other awareness days:
- UNESCO International Music Day trumpets on 01/10/2022
- Grandparents Day on 02/10/2022
- United Nations World Habitat Day on 03/10/2022
- UN World Space Week begins 04/10/2022 with the theme “Space and Sustainability”
- Padmasambhava Day (Buddhist) is observed 04/10/2022
- International Day of No Prostitution will be 05/10/2022
- Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, Jewish) is on 05/10/2022
- Succot (Jewish) is observed on 10/10/2022
- Ada Lovelace Day will be celebrated on 11/10/2022
- UN International Day of the Girl Child is 11/10/2022
- National Coming Out Day raises awareness on 11/10/12022
- UN International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction observed on 13/10/2022
- International Credit Union Day is held on 20/10/2022
- International Stuttering Awareness Day will be 22/10/2022
- Hindu celebrations for Diwali on 24/10/2022 and New Year on 25/10/2022
- Intersex Awareness Day on 26/10/2022
- Milad al-Nadi (Prophet’s Birthday, Isalmic) will be 08/10/2022