National Wear Red Day can boost your recognition

Let PR show you how to create a winning campaign for a special celebration

You may be aware that National Wear Red Day is celebrated on Feb. 6 this year. It’s a symbol of support and a way to bring attention to women’s heart health. While you may briefly wonder why so many of your employees are wearing red on Friday, it won’t really mean anything else for your company.

Or will it?

This day serves as a reminder that it is possible for you to create special recognition for your own company and a cause that you choose. With help from PR, you can learn how to do this and how it can be beneficial to your company.

Profitability and visibility

Creating special recognition can be an ideal way to bring awareness to an issue, encourage community involvement with your company and foster increased visibility. It’s also useful for your company culture as a way to spark the kind of solidarity and teamwork that comes when everyone rallies together around a single issue.

Additionally, this kind of event can also serve to position your company or CEO as a thought-leader on a subject. When people see you as a go-to expert in your industry, they’re more likely to trust what you have to say about an issue and your product, leading to increased sales.

If you’re lucky, your idea can take hold and gain mass appeal. This can result in positive news coverage and additional brand recognition for your company.

How to initiate a special observance

It doesn’t have to be nationwide or get Presidential approval for a day off from work (although people would probably appreciate it if you did). The range can be regional, community-based or even just company-wide.

A campaign of this nature should be more than just a gimmick; it should be a comprehensive, well-planned program that fits in with your overall strategic goals. In other words, don’t just say you’re creating a recognition event; you need to back it up and see it through.

First, you have to decide on a cause. You can find a way to make your own mark on an existing cause (such as honoring veterans in your area on Memorial Day) or develop one of your own.

Then, you have to decide what this celebration will look like. Will it be a day-, week- or month-long event? Will you host, sponsor or promote events related to your cause?

For example, if you own a chain of restaurants, you could begin by designating the second Monday of April as Meatless Monday in all of your establishments. This could help celebrate vegetarianism and the fact that people can make healthier choices if they want to.

At the same time, you would be promoting your tasty meatless options, attracting a new segment of the population and thereby driving more business, as well as showing support for an increasingly popular lifestyle.

One of the most important aspects of this or any type of campaign is spreading the word. Social media is a great medium for this task if you know how to use it correctly.

Help from a PR firm is essential

All of this can be time-consuming, labor-intensive work, especially if you want to do it right. Even if you have in-house PR help, hiring a PR firm for special projects like this is a wise move. These pros can get the job done and allow the rest of your staff members to focus on their primary responsibilities.

With Axia, you get a trustworthy partner who can help you accomplish special projects professionally and efficiently. Register today for our  60-Second Impact to learn more about the tools and tactics we use to help you execute important campaigns and grow your business.

Lisa Goldsberry is a writer for Axia Public Relations with more than 15 years of public relations experience. She specializes in business, higher education and technology PR. Connect with Axia Public Relations on Twitter @axiapr.