How to Promote MLK Day Sales via Texting

Martin Luther King, Jr. (aka MLK) Day is one of the less-emphasized holidays of the year.

But MLK was an important man in US history and it’s appropriate to showcase the day that commemorates all of his efforts toward civil rights.

For businesses, MLK Day, like any holiday or special day, provides another opportunity to host specials and deals to help engage customers and get more sales.

And one way to help customers engage with your business for MLK Day is through texting.

So what are some ways you can use texting to promote your MLK Day sales?

In this article, we’ll do a brief walkthrough of a few ideas for how you can honor the spirit of the holiday while still taking advantage of the opportunity for your business.

1. Be Tactful

While promoting sales during MLK Day can be a strategic way to engage customers, don’t forget the holiday's significant historical context.

To navigate this balance, tactfulness is key. Your texting campaign can honor Dr. King's legacy while effectively promoting your business by: (1) not being overly trite or trivial and (2) acknowledging the contributions Dr. King made, even with just a passing mention.

Example:

“

Today only - In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King everything is 20% off storewide. Shop here: [link]

2. Showcase Products Related to MLK

This isn’t a necessity – but depending on the nature of your business, MLK Day may provide a unique opportunity to showcase products that are related to Martin Luther King.

Your promo text message could include, for example, products (such as books or documentaries) related to the civil rights era or to famous figures in history.

A word of caution: since race relations can be a touchy subject, try not to be controversial so that you don’t alienate some segments of your audience.

Examples:

“

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King - this weekend only, enjoy 25% off all books and documentaries about great heroes of the past. See everything on sale here: [link]

“

Dream big, shop small. Support local merchandise this MLK Day weekend - Take 15% off all locally made products. (This weekend only.) Shop here: [link]

3. Highlight Other Significant Figures in Black History

In a similar vein to the point above, you could use MLK Day text messages to specifically highlight other significant figures in Black history.

You could showcase people such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and other key historical figures.

It may even be appropriate to write up a blog post about Dr. King and/or some of these other men and women of the past and use your text message as an opportunity to drive more traffic to your website rather than showcasing a promo.

(You’ll just want to make sure the ROI for writing up and promoting this type of post would be worth it.)

Example:

“

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream and Harriet Tubman had an underground railroad. Today we honor both of these historical figures with 35% off all items related to Civil War and Civil Rights history. View all sale items here: [link]

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