Ever wonder how a contestant gets picked on “Let’s Make a Deal?” There’s one dressed like a coffee pot and another looks like Uncle Sam. The answer is easy – it’s the one who stands out most in the crowd. The same is true of small businesses trying to get noticed among summer promotions like Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day. You have to break through the summer holiday clutter. Here are four ideas to help you get noticed so your customers come ready to make a deal with you.

If You Can’t Beat ’Em, Twist ’Em

Rather than trying to compete with holiday promotions, join the club, but do it with a twist. For example, center your Memorial Day promotion on an employee who is a veteran. Name the sale after that individual and feature him or her in the promotion. Invite people to help you celebrate your veteran’s service. Offer to make a donation to a veterans’ organization for each person who attends. You can offer special discounts to fellow veterans. These promotions will help you drive traffic to your store.

Complement Another Business

Look for opportunities to work with another small business that offers products that complement yours. Then cross-promote the holiday. For example, a restaurant might pair a meal from their Tex-Mex menu with a free salsa lesson at a dance studio for Cinco de Mayo. The promotion provides leads to the dance studio and the restaurant differentiates itself from other places offering similar menu items.

Hang on to the Holiday

The return on your summer promotion doesn’t have to be confined to that day. Provide incentives for customers to come back after the holiday. It might be a coupon that’s given out during the holiday that can be redeemed the week after. This extends the return on your promotional dollars while encouraging repeat sales.

Keep Your Eye on the Target

It’s tempting to blast a promotional holiday message to everyone. The problem is, the message won’t reach everybody. So instead, consider a message targeted to a specific segment. For example, a camera store could target families of deployed service members. The business could offer to take a photo of the family that they can send to the deployed parent. It builds goodwill in the community, which then contributes to your local brand.

You may not need to dress up like Uncle Sam to get noticed this Memorial Day, but breaking through the clutter of holiday promotions will help you stand out among customers who are ready to make a deal.