19 August Newsletter Ideas with a Splash of Inspiration

August may be summer’s last hurrah, but with 31 days of celebration ahead of you, there is plenty to add to your email marketing.

Yes, really! This month has many occasions for kindness, great causes to attach your name to, and fun holidays sure to make your customers’ day as summer draws to a close.

In this blog post, I’ve put together my favorite August newsletter ideas to help you take your marketing to the next level.

Table of Contents

19 August Newsletter Ideas for a Red-Hot End to the Summer

Let’s go.

1. Give Your Customers Something to Smile About on Admit You’re Happy Month

August has two month-long occasions for smiling. The first is Happiness Happens Month, and the second is Admit You’re Happy Month.

You can incorporate either of these occasions into your email newsletter plans for the month, as they’re not celebrated on a hard-and-fast date.

I also like these holidays because they’re all about making your customers happy, which should be your company’s number one objective.

You needn’t do anything special for these month-long occasions. Offering a sale will surely have your customers admitting they’re grinning from ear to ear!

2. Provide Ideas for Togetherness on Family Fun Month

Here’s another excellent monthlong occasion in August: Family Fun Month.

You can get in on the festivities with a variety of activities across August. Start the month with a friends and family sale like this:

You could also host a family fun night. At the very least, produce a tips list on how your subscribers with family can have fun throughout August. Use audience segmentation to reach the right demographics.

3. Cut Back on National Simplify Your Life Week

Do you feel like you have too much stuff? I know the feeling!

National Simplify Your Life Week is the first week of August, giving you a chance to declutter and feel good about it.

You could send an email newsletter full of tips for decluttering the home and your digital presence, such as clearing your computer and inbox.

You could also give customers who partake in this weekly occasion a 10% off coupon for sending before-and-after pictures of their cleanup efforts.

4. Give Back on Be Kind to Humankind Week

Every day should be about kindness, but Be Kind to Humankind Week is the last seven days of August, so the focus on goodness is especially high.

What can you do to usher in the spirit of this seasonal event? A sale is fine, but why not shine a spotlight on your company’s philanthropic side by sending a newsletter about the causes you support and how you’ve given your time, money, and effort throughout the year?

You can also explain what you plan to do for the rest of the year and invite your audience to donate if they want.

Alternatively, a short email reminding your readers to pay it forward is still within the spirit of the holiday.

5. Discover Luck on Find a Four Leaf Clover Day

Who says the only time for a four-leaf clover is on St. Patrick’s Day in March? After all, August has Find a Four Leaf Clover Day on the 2^nd.

Don’t recycle the same email newsletter designs you debuted in March. Although that feels like forever ago now, eagle-eyed customers will remember.

Use fresh imagery to embody the spirit of this holiday.

6. It’s Sale Time on Campfire Day

There’s time left for summer expeditions into the great outdoors, as proven on Campfire Day on the first Saturday of August. The weather is still warm and sunny, the days still bright and long, and campsites are still open, so why not go?

Get your customers geared up with a sale for Campfire Day. Now is a great time to discount your stock one last time before that Labor Day sale, which will be here before you know it.

7. Three Cheers for Pals on Friendship Day

July had the International Day of Friendship. If you somehow missed that, you’re not completely out of luck. After all, Friendship Day is the first Saturday of August, another chance to help your customers make great memories and experiences with their friends.

And how can you do that? Well, a sale is always helpful in these kinds of situations. You can offer 20 percent off (for two) or up to 50 percent off to make your sale even more irresistible, as seen in this example.

These sales allow your customers to shop for that perfect gift for their best friend and get a little something for themselves, too!

8. Give Your Customers a Reward on Work Like a Dog Day

Woof! August 5^th is Work Like a Dog Day, another nod to workaholics everywhere (there was also a holiday in July in the same vein).

You know how hard it is to run or manage a business. You do it every day. Your customers have all sorts of jobs and responsibilities, and many of them also pour long hours into their work to get projects done.

If you’ve been sitting on a sale opportunity, unleash it (see what I did there?) for Work Like a Dog Day. A 20-30 percent off is the perfect way to put a smile on your customers’ faces after a long, tiring workday.

9. Find Old and New Classics on Book Lover’s Day

If you love nothing more than the feeling of a book in your hands (a physical book, not an iPad), Book Lover’s Day is for you. Well, let me be inclusionary. Book Lover’s Day is for anyone who loves a good read, including audiobook listeners and digital readers.

Bookstores don’t get a lot of holidays, but this is one of them. If you’ve had some slumping sales since Independence Day, fluff them up by running a discount on Book Lover’s Day.

Don’t run a bookstore but just really like books? No problem! Send an email newsletter with your best reads. You should also run an adjacent social media post asking your audience to post their top recommendations.

This will help all sorts of people find that next instant classic on Book Lover’s Day.

10. Go Low-Effort on Lazy Day

Nope, I didn’t make this one up. August 10^th is indeed Lazy Day. Well, it’s also World Lion Day, National Garage Sale Day, and Chinese Valentine’s Day, but Lazy Day is my favorite of the bunch.

How much effort do you normally pour into your emails? It’s hours, right? You want to get the subject line perfect, the body copy appealing, and the send time correct.

I’m not saying you should let all that fall by the wayside, but it’s okay to put in a tad less effort than usual on this day. You’re just celebrating the occasion the way it’s intended.

If that idea doesn’t sit well with you, you can always do all the hard lifting so your customers can be lazy, such as this email from L’Occitane does.

11. Send Low-Key Vibes on Relaxation Day

Well, what do you know? August also has Relaxation Day on the 15^th.

Again, make this about your customers’ sense of relaxation. Any type of industry that specializes in chilling out should not miss the awesome sales opportunities afforded to you on this holiday. I’m talking about spas, mattress companies, and more.

Fitness brands can help customers find their inner zen by offering discounts on yoga classes or equipment. Even an informative newsletter with photos and instructions on doing yoga poses at home is helpful.

Whatever you can do to put your customers’ minds and bodies at ease, that’s what this day is all about.

12. Save Your Best Zinger for National Tell a Joke Day

Joke holidays are always fun occasions to connect. While I wouldn’t touch Presidential Joke Day with a 10-foot pole, given today’s political climate, National Tell a Joke Day on August 16^th is a lot safer. Businesses can partake without alienating audience segments.

If you review my email newsletter ideas for the past months, you’ll see plenty of examples of how to frame jokes in the context of an email. Lighthearted, easy-to-understand humor is always best. Don’t target any groups; keep it general, amusing, and noncontroversial.

13. Send Emails for a Good Cause on National Honey Bee Awareness Day

Honey Bee Awareness Day is the third Saturday of the month. Even though weekends don’t get the highest email open rates, I’d still recommend sending something for this occasion.

It’s no secret that bee populations are rapidly dwindling, with an estimated five to 50 percent loss of bees over the winters, depending on the severity of the season.

This day is about sharing harrowing facts like that to inform others that the bees we see in our gardens and neighborhoods are returning in fewer numbers every year.

You could use this occasion to put together a tips list on how to attract more honey bees to your garden or even share an informative blurb that honey bees aren’t there to sting you, and there’s no need to fear them (or swat them). Every bit helps!

14. Share Your Best Shots for World Photography Day

Are you eager for a contest as part of your marketing this August? World Photography Day on the 19^th is the perfect occasion.

This day is about celebrating the amazing works of photographers the world over. If you have any audience members with a keen eye for photography (and I bet you do!), launch a contest in support of World Photography Day.

You can choose one or several themes or let it be an open theme. Ask your customers to submit their favorite photos in time for August 19^th. You can then send an email showcasing the most amazing works.

15. Love Your Pet on National Dog Day

Who doesn’t love dogs? You don’t even need a dog to love canines.

Play up your audience’s built-in love for dogs on National Dog Day on August 26^th. I love that this holiday is in the summer because this season is full of “dog days,” as they’re known. It’s a fun play on words!

There are so many ways to celebrate National Dog Day. You can have a sale on pet food, toys, and supplies, as shown above.

You can partner with a local pet adoption agency to spread awareness and increase donations, or you could do a contest seeking the world’s cutest pup. Have fun with this holiday, as it’s meant to be enjoyed.

16. Send an Email on Just Because Day

Who says you need a special occasion to launch your August email newsletter? Certainly not I! After all, there’s an occasion like Just Because Day on the calendar!

Just Because Day on the 27^th is about as straightforward as it sounds, you can send an email just for the heck of it.

What kind of content should the email contain? Well, that’s also up to you, but I’d recommend a discount, because why not?

17. Get Summer-Ready on National Beach Day

As August nearly draws to a close, National Beach Day arrives on the 30^th. I know it’s strange to have a beach day this late in the month when everyone considers the unofficial end of summer to be Labor Day, but as I say, I don’t make up these days.

You’re going to have a summer blowout sale anyway to move out stock for fall items, so beat your competitors and do it on National Beach Day rather than Labor Day weekend.

You can also use this occasion to increase awareness of how climate change and the increasing number of world disasters have harmed our oceans. You could partner with an ocean-saving organization and help fundraise.

18. Facilitate Outdoor Dining on National Eat Outside Day

Hold onto every last ounce of summer by celebrating National Eat Outside Day on August 31^st. The weather is still great this deep into the month, although by now, the days are admittedly getting shorter as we lose extended daylight one day at a time.

Still, we have this day, so celebrate it to the fullest. Companies specializing in outdoor supplies, like umbrellas, loungers, and picnic tables, can use this opportunity to sell out the summer stock before the fire pits come in.

19. Get in the Mood for Food with August Foodie Days

The summer months have had some record-setting food holidays, and August is no different. These holidays give food businesses of all kinds ample opportunities to connect with their audiences over a unique and exciting occasion.

Here are some to add to your calendar ASAP:

National Catfish Month
Peach Month
Picnic Month
Water Quality Month
Raspberry Cream Pie Day on August 1^st
International Beer Day on the first Friday in August
National Ice Cream Sandwich Day on August 2^nd
Grab Some Nuts Day on August 3^rd
Mustard Day on the first Saturday in August
National Watermelon Day on August 3^rd
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day on August 4^th
National Oyster Day on August 5^th
Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day on August 8^th (maybe don’t do this if you want your neighbors to like you)
National Kool-Aid Day on the second Friday of August
National S’mores Day on August 10^th
National Creamsicle Day on August 14^th
Tomatoes Galore Day on August 15^th
National Fajita Day on August 18^th
National Potato Day on August 19^th
National Spumoni Day on August 21^st
Iconic American Restaurants Day on August 24^th
National Waffle Day on August 24^th
National Banana Split Day on August 25^th
Stuffed Green Bell Peppers Day on August 28^th
More Herbs, Less Salt Day on August 29^th
Toasted Marshmallow Day on August 30^th
International Bacon Day on August 31^st
National Eat Outside Day on August 31^st
National Trail Mix Day on August 31^st

Bottom Line

Building a successful August email newsletter campaign isn’t tough when you have so many holidays and special occasions to acknowledge. There’s an occasion on the calendar nearly every day, and that gives you many opportunities to connect with your subscribers and build a great brand image.