15 St. Patrick's Day Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses

Unless you have a horseshoe tucked in your pocket, luck should only play a small part in your St. Patrick’s Day marketing campaign.

Sure, some brands are lucky. But, most take advantage of holidays like this to bring in new business. They get into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit and capitalize on timely marketing opportunities to promote their products and services.

Your business can do the same with these St. Patrick’s Day marketing ideas. Read on to learn how you can be more than just lucky this year by adopting proven marketing tactics that attract new customers over time.

St. Patrick’s Day Marketing Ideas

Here are 15 ideas for St. Day Marketing campaigns. Test out a few and measure your performance to improve your strategy for next year.

1. Bundle products together. 

Like a pot of gold and a rainbow, some things are just better together (although, I’ll still take the pot of gold by itself).

Bundling is a tried-and-true marketing strategy. By combining similar products into one offer – and adding a small discount – you can increase sales, lower your inventory, and create competitive deals that other brands can’t match. 

The best way to bundle products or services is to think about your customer journey. When a customer buys a product, what’s the next item they’ll need? Packaging both together saves time and ensures both purchases are made with your brand. 

Here’s an example. This tutor sells worksheets that students can complete at home. Parents can buy the worksheets in a bundle for St. Patrick’s Day instead of paying for them individually. The bundle comes with a discount, creating even more incentive to take advantage of the deal. 

2. Offer a limited-time deal, sale, or discount.

Sometimes, there’s no reason to overthink your seasonal marketing campaign. A limited-time offer or sale is always an effective way to grab someone’s attention. Customers are constantly looking for a good deal, so you just need to engage them on social media platforms where they’re ready to buy your products. 

Here’s an example from the Opry Shop. It announced a 20% off sitewide sale on Facebook. The post included a promo code and a link to the shop’s website. By entering the promo code, customers received an exclusive discount available only during St. Patrick’s Day weekend. 

This sale was effective because it did two things. It engaged customers on an active platform and provided an easy path to their site, where buyers could redeem their discount. That added convenience makes the buying decision easier for the customer, leading to more sales for your business. 

3. Create a St. Patrick-themed product or service. 

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the easiest holidays to create themed products and services. For example, if you sell products, make them green or put them in green packaging. For services, launch a  “St. Patrick’s Day” special and include a green theme on your advertisements and promotions. The color green is linked to positive emotions, and using it to spruce up your older marketing content is a great way to stand out from competitors. 

I would be remiss if I did not use this opportunity to call out the Shamrock Shake. A St. Patrick’s Day special, the Shamrock Shake is a mint-flavored milkshake sold by McDonald’s. It’s only available in February and March, and customers look forward to its annual release. It’s a great example of how businesses can leverage seasonal products to increase customer loyalty.

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4. Host a St. Patrick’s Day event. 

If March isn’t your busiest season, you might want to host an event instead. Events help you connect with your community and are a great way to network with other businesses in your area. Some brands may want to sponsor your event or work with you on future marketing campaigns.

One idea for St. Patrick’s Day is a block party. People typically celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by partying with friends and family. Give them a place to celebrate and provide festivities like music, contests, food, etc. Events like these build brand awareness and foster goodwill within your community.

5. Post festive content on social media.

Social media is all about keeping up with the latest trends – and holidays make it easier because you know people will post about St. Patrick’s Day in February and March. You can plan around these trends and create festive content that engages your customers at the right time. 

For example, a catering company shared one of its St. Patrick’s Day spreads for a corporate event. The video is simple and shows off the company’s different foods and catering options. 

This post highlights the brand’s seasonal offers without directly selling to customers. That makes the content easier to engage with because there’s no pressure to buy anything or complete an action. Viewers can simply watch the video, like the post, and dream about food as they scroll to the next post in their timeline.

6. Start an email marketing campaign.

Some people think email marketing is dead – but there aren’t many marketing channels where you can speak directly to customers without being face to face. Email lets you choose who will see your messages and when they’ll get delivered. That level of control and flexibility makes email one of the most effective advertising strategies for small business owners.

Now, throw automation into the mix. Most email marketing platforms have tools that automatically customize, write, and schedule emails. These tools use data from your CRM to personalize messages with information like the customer’s name and recent purchases with your business. Then, they automatically schedule and send emails based on different actions that your customers take. 

For example, let’s say a customer fills out a form on your website. That form submission will trigger an email follow-up with automation software. This helps you create more advanced marketing campaigns like email newsletters, giveaways, and customer referral programs.

Tip: Thryv’s email marketing software has customizable email templates, so you don’t have to write messages from scratch. 

7. Share a promo code for your website or online store. 

Your website is where you convert people who are interested in your brand into loyal customers. Whether you have an online store or a form to book an appointment, your website should have ways to collect payments and information from your customers. 

But, how do you get people to visit your website? One idea is to share promo codes that people redeem for a discount. Distribute them via email and social media, and tell customers that the deal is only available on St. Patrick’s Day. That deadline will create urgency, leading to more people visiting your site.

The example above is from Bouqs, who sent me a $10 credit for St. Patrick’s Day last year. To redeem it, I had to click the link in the email, visit the online store, and enter my code. Even though I didn’t buy anything, this drove traffic to their site and increased my awareness of the brand. 

8. Sponsor a parade, festival, or fair. 

If you don’t want to host an event, consider sponsoring one instead. There are tons of events on St. Patrick’s Day like parades, festivals, and fairs. Attaching your company to these outings boosts brand awareness and forges a deeper connection with your audience. It shows that you’re involved with your community and willing to engage buyers outside your office or website. 

Here’s an example from a plumbing union in Chicago. This group sponsors a St. Patrick’s Day parade, in which people ride floats down the Chicago River (which is dyed green).

Not only is this a great way to promote your business, but it also showcases your brand’s personality. People like shopping locally, and sponsorship opportunities like these show them the human side of your business.

9. Partner with other local businesses. 

Brand partnerships are a great way to reach new audiences. By working with other companies, you can cross-promote messages and connect with a larger customer base. 

Partner with brands that advertise to the same customers as you but sell different products. You should also look for opportunities to bundle your products together. For example, a contractor might partner with a local hardware store, so when a customer books the contractor, they get a discount to the hardware store (or vice versa).

The best brand partnerships create convenience and solve multiple customer needs. Rather than shopping at two separate stores, your offer should save people time and combine the best values of each company. 

10. Advertise using green and “lucky” themes.

Here’s an easy one – get festive. Whether it’s a social media post, a graphic for your website, or a commercial for a brick-and-mortar store, tap into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit by making your advertisements green and “lucky” themed. It’s a simple yet effective way for your business to participate in the holiday. 

Social media is an excellent example. Create festive social media captions and use hashtags trending on St. Patrick’s Day. Hashtags make your content easier to find because people search them in the search bar. Some sites even promote trending hashtags and link to accounts that use them. 

If you’re unsure which hashtags to pick, start typing a few into the search bar. Sites like Instagram show you related hashtags and how many posts use them. Look for relevant ones to your business and included in less than 500K posts. If a hashtag is featured in millions of posts, your content will likely get drowned out.

11. Record a holiday ad for your business.

Video marketing is one of the most effective ways to promote your business. In fact, 93% of marketers believe videos produce a positive return on investment (ROI). Even more say that videos effectively generate leads, grow brand awareness, and teach people about their products and services.

Most people don’t think about Kahlua when you think of St. Patrick’s Day. We default to Guinness because it’s a famous Irish beer. But, last St. Patrick’s Day, Kahlua released this commercial of a man drinking an espresso martini in a crowded Irish pub. It destigmatized drinking cocktails on St. Patrick’s Day and reminded people that Kahlua goes great with coffee (or so I’ve heard).  

12. Host a giveaway on social media. 

If you’re looking for a luck-themed marketing campaign, try hosting a giveaway on social media. Ask customers if they’re feeling lucky and share an exclusive offer from your brand. It might be a free product, a complimentary service, or a coupon to your online store.

Whatever your prize, just ensure it’s worth the entry fee. In other words, don’t ask followers to like your post, comment on it, and share it with a dozen people. Provide one clear action like, “Tag a friend in the comments” or “Like this post to enter and win.”  That will generate more engagement because signing up for your giveaway is easy. If you make it too complicated, people aren’t going to jump through hoops unless the prize is really worth it.

Here’s an example from a clothing retailer on Instagram. It launched a St. Patrick’s Day giveaway and encouraged followers to tag three friends on this post. Winners received a bundle of free products and an exclusive item not offered in stores. 

13. Decorate your online store.

People love to decorate their homes for the holidays. My fiance has a festive gnome for every holiday in the year (and, yes, they all creep me out). 

Your website is like the digital home for your business, and you should decorate it with St. Patrick’s Day themes and graphics. Not only does this show that you’re getting into the holiday spirit, but it also lets customers know that your website is up to date. If you have an online store, decorations prompt customers to search for new products and deals because it feels like a completely different site. 

The example below is from Guinness, which has an entire store dedicated to St. Patrick’s Day. While Guinness primarily sells beer, it leverages holidays like this one to promote branded accessories like t-shirts, mugs, hoodies, and more. 

14. Send your customers a St. Patrick’s Day text.

SMS marketing means using text messages to communicate with your customers. Text is even more effective than email because people almost always open their texts. In fact, 95% of text messages are opened within the first 3 minutes. So, customers will still see your text even if you get left on read. 

Use St. Patrick’s Day as the intro to your text message. Wish your customers a “Happy St. Patrick’s Day,” then follow up with an offer or deal. Be sure to link to your website so customers can quickly and conveniently take advantage of your promotion. 

Here’s an example of what this might look like: 

15. Ask customers to support an eco-friendly cause.

St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect time to go green. Ask customers to join your support for an eco-friendly cause, such as a charity or a volunteer day. By aligning your brand with your customers’ values, you’ll make a stronger connection with them that extends beyond your products and services. 

It’s also a great way to drum up more engagement on your social media pages. Share a link to the donation page and let customers know how you support this cause. Encourage them to join by commenting on your post and visiting your website for more information. 

This small business celebrated St. Patrick’s Day by showing off its eco-friendly products and asking customers to comment with their favorite sustainability practices. This post promotes the brand’s products and generates engagement by aligning with its customers’ values.  

The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow

Why should your business launch a marketing campaign on St. Patrick’s Day? The answer is timeliness. The best marketing campaigns engage the right customers at the right time. Strategies like these keep your brand top of mind and relevant to your customers. Use these marketing ideas to fuel your holiday strategy and leverage more than just luck to bring in new customers on St. Patrick’s Day.