Hooks to use in May

May is filled with symbols that remind us of renewal and growth not only in terms of the wonderful spring flowers but also in its historic significance. It’s also technically the last month of Spring for countries in the northern hemisphere. Named after the Greek Goddess Maia (goddess of growth) or Latin maiores (elders) it signifies the transition to much warmer weather. May’s birthstone is also Emerald (think the Emerald City from The Wizard of Oz!) and is symbolic of love, growth and success.

For me, May represents sunny days and a promise of a beautiful summer on the horizon. Beltane, also known as May Day, is celebrated on the first of the month, marking the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Beltane is a pagan holiday, celebrating life and fertility. For others, a more recognisable phrase may be that used on May 4^th. ‘May the fourth’ sounds a lot like ‘May the force be with you’ as used in Star Wars. However you connect with the month of May, there’s a clear message that this month is about change and new beginnings. In business, this can mean taking on new opportunities, making the most of the weather and connecting with those around us. Take the hint to leave the comfort of the indoors and embrace what awaits you outside with open arms. 

May 1st obviously kicks off with the bank holiday, and many are grateful for a longer weekend and more time to spend with loved ones. You could use this as an opportunity to share on social media what you’ve done for your bank holiday and engage with your audience to discuss their plans. If you need more hooks, then look no further:

Important dates:

May 3^rd – Press Freedom Day.

May 4^th – Star Wars Day and National Weather Observers Day. Do you like Star Wars? Can you talk about this?

May 5^th – World Asthma Day. Do you have asthma? Do you know anyone who does have it?

May 8^th – World Cross Day and World Migratory Bird Day.

May 9^th – Europe Day. 

May 10^th – National Children’s Day UK. Does your business work with children? Do you have any children in your life?

May 12^th – International Nurses Day UK/ME/Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. Do you work in healthcare? Can you talk about this in your business?

May 15^th – International Day of Families. Are you close with your family? Is there anyone you would consider important to you that you can share a story about?

May 16^th – International Day of Light.

May 20^th – World Bee Day. Do you like wildlife? Do you like bees? Do you have any interesting stories about wildlife etc?

May 21^st – International Tea Day and World Day for Cultural Diversity. What’s your favourite drink? Do you like tea? Do you like coffee?

May 23^rd – World Turtle Day.

May 25^th – Africa Day.

May 31^st – World No Tobacco Day. Do you smoke? Have you ever smoked? Is this a story you are comfortable to share?

Try to use some of these hooks to find opportunities to connect with those around you. People like to buy from people, so share your identity. Engage with your audience. Once people build connections, they’re more likely to buy. If you need more help, then some awareness weeks in May can also be of interest. For example:

May 4^th – 10^th Screen Free week

May 4^th – 10^th Deaf awareness week

May 10^th – 18^th National Doughnut week

May 11^th – 17^th National Stationary week

May 13^th – 20^th Coeliac awareness week

May 18^th – 24^th Dementia Awareness week

May 18^th – 24^th National Vegetarian week

May 19^th – 25^th National Epilepsy week

May 25^th – 31^st Type 2 Diabetes Prevention week

May 25^th – 31^st National BBQ week

Think about how you personally and professionally engage with these relevant topics in the month of May. Focus on what you think is important for you and what feels authentic. If you’re struggling to find one, then our diary/planner is a brilliant place to look with a more detailed breakdown. There’s an audience for everything – just make sure to be yourself. 

Whatever you pick, share what you can across social media. Reuse content on various platforms if necessary. This can increase engagement across different algorithms. This is a great opportunity for your PR to reflect your business positively. Have you or anyone in your team won an award this month? Are you running an event this month? Are there any awareness days/weeks over the next month that completely align with your business or purpose? Anything you do needs to be documented and shared from start to finish.  Always consider how you can make something accumulate into more than one story. This helps when pitching to journalists. Do also remember to check dates as events can vary from year to year.