Planning ahead ensures the most pertinent marketing strategies for your business.

To help your publicity and social media schedule, here is a list of the top 20 U.S. holidays this year, as well as occasional tips for marketing around them. Included among the holidays is a suggested time to launch your marketing efforts. Your company or brand’s timetable may vary.

Saturday, February 2: Groundhog Day. This holiday helps to shake off the cobwebs from the winter freeze and get excited for a new season.

When to market: the week of.

Idea: Get your customers excited by offering conditional deals. For example, you could propose a winter offer if the groundhog goes back in its burrow, or a new product release or update if the groundhog says spring is here.

Thursday, February 14: Valentine’s Day. Ah, Valentine’s Day. The holiday of love and appreciation. Perfect for retailers to market products that are romantic and sweet; you can transform your own offerings to make customers swoon.

When to start marketing: mid-January.

Idea: Add a swipe of red to your company logo and offer “companion” deals: When customers refer others to your business, they get 50 percent off their purchase.

Monday, February 18: Presidents Day. This national holiday, which marks the birth of George Washington, sees a boost in retail sales because so many people are off from work. And what else is there to do when you’re not working but shop?

When to start: the week of.

Idea: Create day-only deals to spike sales and create a sense of urgency.

Sunday, March 17: St. Patrick’s Day. It’s the celebration of the Irish in America. Although its roots are religious, the holiday is celebrated by all manner of people (even the non-Irish). Characteristic colors are green and the holiday is associated with good luck—and maybe a few beers.

When to start: March 1.

Idea: Create a “lucky” campaign in which winners are randomly selected to receive a prize.

Sunday, March 31: Easter. For this religious holiday, brands often opt for levity by incorporating secular Easter staples into their marketing, such as the Easter Bunny, candy, and pastel colors.

When to start: March 18.

Monday, April 1: April Fool’s Day. Not for the fainthearted brands, April Fool’s is one of those days when you can infuse some carefully crafted humor into your marketing—the key words here being “carefully crafted.” It’s not about playing tricks on your customers, but rather offering surprise and delight.

When to start: the day of, as a surprise.

Monday, April 22: Earth Day. It’s about preserving all that is natural and green. Today would be a good day to pledge funds to an eco-charity, or cease direct mail for a time to honor the holiday and save paper.

When to start: the week of.

Sunday, May 12: Mother’s Day. The holiday when we honor moms everywhere.

When to start: May 1.

Monday, May 27: Memorial Day. A day for remembering those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. It’s also unofficially known as the first day of summer, when many seasonal venues such as pools and amusement parks open.

When to start: May 13.

Sunday, June 16: Father’s Day. The holiday when we honor dads everywhere.

When to start: June 1.

Friday, June 21: First Day of Summer. The changing of seasons is often a great time to make product changes, introduce new services, or give a general refresh of your business.

Thursday, July 4: Independence Day. This holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, is all about celebration and patriotism.

When to start: June 22.

Idea: Inspire your prospects to become independent of your competitors and try your services.

Monday, September 2: Labor Day. Considered the unofficial end to summer, Labor Day—when we honor the nation’s workers—is the time retailers give deep discounts on seasonal inventory in preparation for new stock.

When to start: two weeks before.

Sunday, September 22: First day of fall. September is the precursor to a very busy three months containing the busiest holidays of the year, so use this date as a benchmark to ramp up and start planning for all of the holidays to come.

Monday, October 14: Columbus Day. This holiday marks the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the Americas.

When to start: the week prior.

Idea: Reward customers who embark on a journey to your brick-and-mortar location rather than shop online, then wow them with your personalized customer service.

Thursday, October 31: Halloween. The day to celebrate everything frightful and ghoulish, filled with tooth-rotting treats.

When to start: October 1.

Monday, November 11: Veteran’s Day. A day to honor those who served our country in the armed forces. Many restaurants offer 50 percent off the meals of veterans who provide their credentials. Consider a similar offer.

When to start: November 1.

Thursday, November 28: Thanksgiving.

When to start: November 1.

Wednesday, December 25: Christmas.

When to start: the day after Thanksgiving.

Tuesday, December 31: New Years Eve.

When to start: December 1.

Stacey Acevero is the social media community manager at Vocus. A version of this story first appeared on the Vocus blog.

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