Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. I know I’m not the only that feels this way. Everyone seems to be in a better mood on the Fourth – happy to have the day off work and relaxing in the sun.

As marketers, it’s an opportunity to tap into these feel-good emotions and use them to drive more successful Independence Day campaigns. Below I share a few holistic ways that you can promote your business over the Fourth of July holiday. Have some fun with it – your customers expect you to!

Offer Fourth of July Discounts

One of the easiest ways to boost sales over the holiday is to offer a special sale or promotion. Buyers tend to have a day or two off work and many of them go out shopping. They eagerly await good sales and promotions, so put your store on their radar. Run the promotion through the entire week so that shoppers have multiple opportunities to save.

Hand Out Free Items

People love getting free items, so get your promotional products together and see what you have available. Look for summer-related branded swag such as beach balls, drink coolers and water bottles. If you don’t have promotional merchandise sitting around, you can run to the store and stock up on popsicles, lemonade or water guns. They’re inexpensive and will drive traffic to your store.

Host a Sidewalk Sale

Shoppers seek out sidewalk sales in the summer. The best part is – it costs nothing to host an epic sale. All you need to do is pull out a few tables and feature the products of your choice. They could be sale items, summer-related merchandise or bestsellers. Promote your sale on social media and host a giveaway or raffle to increase traffic.

Have a Customer Appreciation Day

Remember, people are in a good mood and looking for ways to celebrate the summer – and spend their money! Hosting a customer appreciation day is a great opportunity to refresh your brand and reconnect with customers. Pull out the grills and cook hamburgers and hot dogs for your customers. If you have extra inventory you need to get rid of, slash the prices and put it on tables outside your store.

Show Patriotism

One of the best ways to connect with people is to show your human side. Decorate your business in red, white and blue. Post things about Fourth of July on social media. Get involved in your local community, such as participating in local festivals and parades. As you organize content on social media, use hashtags so that people can find your posts such as #starsandstripes, #redwhiteandblue and #America.

However you choose to celebrate the Fourth, be safe and have fun!