You can set your watch by the mundane marketing themes that spring up at the same time each calendar year. Dads and Grads, Moms, Back-to-School and the big one: Christmas. Breaking through the clutter and outsmarting your competition with marketing ideas that have impact is harder. Small business marketing expert, Ripl Inc., a software company empowering hundreds of thousands of businesses to succeed on social media without the need for specialized staff or high costs, is sharing some of the ways small businesses are celebrating mom’s this Mother’s Day.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, two of the very best ways for small businesses to capitalize on the approximately $24 billion that is spent annually for Mother’s Day is to attract attention through social media. A significant portion of sales are captured or advertised through social media for holidays in general, and Mother’s Day in particular. With a high percentage of mothers on Facebook, the platform performs well both organically and through paid content around Mother’s Day.

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“No matter the channel or the type of content you are producing, be it paid, video, stories, or any other forms of social content creation, it is important to recognize that powerful digital tools exist for small businesses that want to tap into the benefits of an increased social media presence during periods of opportunity such as around Mother’s Day,” said Clay McDaniel, CEO of Ripl. “We offer many holiday themed templates to our small business community so they can easily take advantage of these special dates on the calendar and the added revenue they can provide.”

Small businesses often find that their increased use of Facebook is a major catalyst for online growth and ecommerce sales. For many small businesses, social media and the use of digital tools such as Ripl, enhance their opportunities to engage and entertain customers, and allows them to build the relationships and sales they need at critical times.

“Social media is what the Sears Catalog used to be. Everyone is using social media and their phones as their shopping guide no matter their age,” said April Edwards, who co-owns Grapevine Cottage with her mother, Joy Edwards. “I started using Ripl for my social media because you can put together animated videos quickly and that get a lot of engagement. It touches an emotional nerve and makes people feel. That is important in my business – and obviously right now in general. Gifts come from the heart and in our case are often born from a sentimental place of nostalgia. You have to find ways to entertain people and connect with them.”

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Here are a few ideas for any small business to consider implementing for Mother’s Day, or any other upcoming holidays on the calendar that are worth celebrating with customers, employees, and online audiences.

• Attract attention and engage with customers by asking them to share their favorite Mother’s Day memory, the best advice their mom ever gave them, old throwback photos of them with their moms, or a touching story or quote. You and your employees should share posts as well.
• Increased advertising on social media around Mother’s Day and holidays to promote your business or special offer is a cost-effective option that is simple and will allow you to target moms in your market interested in what you are selling.
• Do you have a personal story to tell? Something fun and creative that helps tell the story behind your brand? Customers want to feel you are authentic and that they are being recognized and can relate to your brand ideals. This is particularly important around meaningful holidays such as celebrating Mother’s Day.
• Buy one and get one for free promotions are often a great way to capitalize on holiday revenue that is available to small businesses if they market their offer at the right times and across the correct marketing channels to take advantage of the timing.
• Hold a contest on social media to promote your business and leverage the holiday you are celebrating. This engagement with customers will not only build your online community but can also help to drive sales of existing products in a way that feels organic and natural for you audience.

Ripl helps small business owners make the most of their time by optimizing the quality of options and content available to users to simplify the execution of professional-grade social media. For what amounts to the cost of a take-out lunch once a month, the Ripl app provides an all-in-one social media marketing tool for small businesses.