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Like many folks, you’re probably looking forward to the upcoming Independence Day holiday as a chance to relax with family and friends. For many micro business owners though, this holiday can be a great time to gain some brand recognition through a variety of unique events (parades, public gatherings, etc.) that are going on in the community. Having an entire community in one spot can be a great way to help maximize your efforts, no matter how minimal they may seem.

As with all holidays though, we must remind you that the holidays can be a difficult time to reach consumers as they are focused with other activities. You don’t want to act so aggressive with your marketing efforts that you are turning off potential consumers to your offerings. It’s important you manage your expectations for marketing around Independence Day.

With that said, here are a couple ways you can help promote your micro business over the Fourth of July holiday:

Take advantage of town events – Chances are there is a parade, festival or other local event happening in your town or a neighboring town to celebrate Independence Day (just check your local paper for upcoming events). While these events can be filled with fun activities for your family to enjoy, they can also provide a great atmosphere for building brand awareness for your business and networking a few potential leads. If there is an option to set-up a booth during an event, this may be a good way to promote your products or service. There may also be sponsorship opportunities associated with a parade or festival that can help build awareness. No matter the case, make sure you are wearing your company T-shirt and hat (if applicable) and keep plenty of business cards on you, as you never know when a potential customer may turn up. In a nutshell, just being present and opportunistic can help you land a customer or two without being seen as aggressive.

Handouts – Building off the town events idea, think about different handout items you can attach your business information to and pass out to crowds as an act of goodwill. Many companies have attached a small sticker with their company name, website and contact information to items such as candy, popsicles and bottled water and hand them out within crowds. You may find the more refreshing options such as popsicles or water more receptive during the hot July days.

Host a party/get together – Leading up to Independence Day, perhaps your micro business can host a party at your building (if you own/rent commercial space) or set-up a party at a public area like a park. A great way to help get the word out is to invite your existing customers to the event as a thank you for their patronage in 2011 thus far. Also encourage them to bring a friend to learn more about your business in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. Also offering an incentive or prize for folks to attend can help attract folks to your party. It’s important you are not too pushy and “over the top” with your sales pitch as you will likely drive folks away. Make sure you have plenty of take away items (brochures, magnets, business cards, etc.) that folks can take to help keep you top of mind.

There are just a few ways you can help grow your business over the summer holiday season. How do you plan on marketing this Independence Day? Please take a minute to share your success (and not so successful) Independence Day marketing stories with us!