September arrives with purpose and possibility. This isn’t a month that happens — it’s a month that you harness.

For business owners, it’s a strategic sweet spot. Customers are settling into new routines, establishing fresh priorities, and preparing for the year’s final sprint and the typical rush of Q4 activity. Whether your audience is embracing spring renewal in the Southern Hemisphere or autumn preparations in the North, they’re primed for meaningful engagement.

Here are some ways to make this month connected, relevant, and strategically successful.

September holidays — 2025

September 1 — Labor Day (US) and Labour Day (Canada). Honor the hardworking people who keep our economies moving. It’s also Ginger Cat Appreciation Day (Global) because divas deserve their moment in the spotlight.

September 2 — World Coconut Day (Global). From water to oil to flour to cocktails, this tropical export does it all.

September 4 — National Wildlife Day (US). Celebrate the incomparable range of creatures we share this planet with, from backyard birds to endangered species.

September 5 — National Food Bank Day (US). Support those helping make sure everyone is nourished.

September 6 — Read a Book Day (US) and National Hummingbird Day (US). Celebrate the transformative stories and knowledge shared on the page and the weird miracles of avian engineering that confound a lot of natural laws. 

September 7 — Father’s Day (Australia) and Grandparents Day (US). Celebrate the ones who helped shape your world with love, laughter, and snacks.

September 8 — Star Trek Day (Global) and International Literacy Day (Global). Today’s Prime Directive: Boldly celebrate the transformative power of being able to read.

September 9 — Wonderful Weirdos Day (US). If your brand has a wacky personality, you can use this for just about anything.

September 11 — National Day of Service and Remembrance (US). Turning a day of unspeakable tragedy into one dedicated to community service and bringing people together.

September 13 — Positive Thinking Day (Global). Choose optimism: it’s contagious in the best way.

September 15 — International Democracy Day (Global). The United Nations’ theme for this year: the need for inclusive AI governance.

September 16 — International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (Global). Thank the scientists who helped heal our planet’s protective layer.

September 17 — Constitution Day/Citizenship Day (US). Democracy in action deserves recognition.

September 17 — Australian Citizenship Day (Australia). Honoring both Australian rights and those who became Australian by choice. 

September 19 — International Talk Like a Pirate Day (Global). What’s a pirate’s favorite exercise? The plank! 

September 21 — World Gratitude Day (Global) and International Day of Peace (Global). Double the reason to spread good vibes.

September 22 – September 24 — Rosh Hashanah (Global). The Jewish calendar’s New Year begins at sundown on the 22nd and lasts until nightfall on the 24th.

NOTE: Use discretion if planning events on these dates, as some of your customers may be unable to attend. 

September 27 — World Tourism Day (Global). Whether local or international, travel helps us understand how much we have in common with others around the world.

September 28 — World Rivers Day (Global). Celebrate the waterways that sustain life and communities worldwide.

September 28 — National Good Neighbor Day (US). Strong communities start with caring neighbors.

September 30 — National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Canada). A day to honor Indigenous survivors and communities.

September 30 — International Translation Day (Global). Recognizing interpreters, translators and those who break down linguistic barriers to understanding one another. 

September awareness themes

These September weeklong or monthlong observances give you more runway for campaigns:

Global:

US-Focused:

September newsletter ideas

You already know how to make customers feel valued and motivated — these September themes simply give you fresh ways to channel that expertise into your email marketing.

Honor Fresh Starts and Hard Work

Labor Day, Constitution Day, and the back-to-routine energy of September create the perfect opportunity to celebrate dedication and new beginnings. 

Switch up your usual promotions with “fresh start” packages or services. Think productivity tools, organizational systems, or goal-setting resources that help customers tackle Q4 with confidence and help them work smarter.

Ask your customers about their September goals or challenges. Just like you naturally ask customers about their needs when they visit you, continue those valuable conversations through your digital marketing. Use those insights to create content that feels supportive and authentic. Create a “question of the week” in your email, via SMS or social and share the best customer responses in your next communication. 

Emphasize Wellness 

National Mental Health Awareness Month and Self-Care Awareness Month offer opportunities to celebrate wellness and community support with thoughtful, uplifting approaches.

Focus on achievable wellness wins. Create a weekly mini campaign featuring one easy tip focused on customer wellness. “Take five minutes to step on grass and breathe” creates positive momentum and makes people feel accomplished rather than advocating overwhelming lifestyle changes. Or simply link to your current favorite podcasts or meditation clips.

Make people feel welcomed, valued, and connected to community. This is as simple as making sure to warmly greet everyone who comes in your door, even in your busiest moments. Or offering complimentary bottled water on a hot day. Sometimes the best wellness support you can give someone is seeing them and making them feel they belong.

Celebrate Learning and Growth

Read a Book Day, International Literacy Day, and Library Card Sign-up Month celebrate the power of knowledge and continuous learning.

Partner with your local library, bookstore, or school. Create reading challenges, book clubs, art contests, or educational workshops related to your industry.

Share your business’s current fave books, podcasts, or learning resources. Share what motivates you as a business owner. Curate the unique tastes of your staff. Customers love behind-the-scenes insights into what influences the businesses they support.

Host skill-sharing sessions where customers can teach each other. You probably know which of your customers have singular talents and skills. Have them give a weekend workshop on cooking techniques, crafts, technology tips, or professional insights. Hold a Lunch & Learn where everyone speaks for 10 minutes informationally, not promotionally, on their unique area of expertise. Bonus points: you’re a networking nexus.  

Connect with Nature and Conservation

World Rivers Day, National Wildlife Day, and other conservation awareness themes remind us we’re part of a larger ecosystem.

Work with local environmental organizations. Participate in or sponsor community cleanup efforts. Educate customers about local wildlife and waterways, or simply donate a portion of sales to local wildlife conservation groups.

Be honest about your environmental impact. If your business is resource-intensive, share what steps you’re taking to improve. People appreciate real attempts.

Create content that helps people connect with nature. Share content — either yours or solicited from customers — identifying local birds, finding nearby walking trails, or simple gardening tips.

Encourage Kindness and Community Service

The National Day of Service and Remembrance, World Gratitude Day, and Good Neighbor Day create genuine opportunities for community connection and positive impact. You already know how to make customers feel valued and motivated. This theme simply gives you more ways to channel that expertise into your email marketing.

Create “pay it forward” opportunities. Surprise customers with small acts of kindness and ask them to do one themselves. Pick a local charity and make it easy for customers to donate to it by rounding up their purchase to the next dollar via your point-of-sale system. Or put up a corkboard where people can pay for a future customer’s coffee or pastry.

Thank the people who make your business possible. Genuine appreciation brightens everyone’s day — suppliers, delivery drivers, cleaning crews, loyal customers. Thank them in person, send an email, or handwrite a note.

Get Playfully Creative

Talk Like a Pirate Day, Star Trek Day, and Read a Book Day give you permission to show personality and have fun with your brand.

Appeal to people’s love of cosplay. Offer free merch or a deep discount to customers who come in dressed for the day in question. You might be surprised who shows up!

Fess up. Everyone has that book they know they should have read by now but never have. Share yours and your employees’. Buy 10 copies from your local bookstore and give them away to the first 10 people who confess they haven’t read it either. Or provide fun 100-word summaries of the ones most people haven’t read (Moby Dick? Finnegan’s Wake? Dostoyevsky novels?) so they now get the main ideas.

Share “just because” content. Pick things that make people smile and brightens their day for a moment: Baby animal videos, a spontaneous dance break with your employees, whatever makes sense for your business. Simply spread humor and humanity.

Support Health Awareness Positively

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, World Alzheimer’s Month, Gynaecologic Cancer Awareness Month and other health-focused observances offer opportunities to spread hope, support, and positive community action.

Support established organizations. Amplify their work. Donate proceeds, volunteer time, or help spread awareness about the amazing progress being made in research and treatment. Such community partnerships position your business as a local leader, attracting new customers who share your values.

Lead with optimism. If health awareness relates to your business, share educational content that empowers and encourages people. And celebrate the heroes working toward solutions.

Plan for Year-End Success

As Q4 approaches, September’s fresh-start energy is a great staging area to start setting up your holiday marketing goals. 

Use a customer survey. Ask about their upcoming holiday needs, gift preferences, or service requirements. Early insights lead to better planning. And you can easily add the responses to your CRM to track requests and trends for increased sales. 

Create anticipation for what’s coming. Build excitement with sneak previews, or “get on the waitlist” messaging, while staying in the current moment.

TIP: Now is a great time to strategize ways to create a steady revenue stream for your business in 2026. The last four months of this year would be anideal time to collect your customers’ thoughts on starting or iterating on your customer loyalty program, or maybe launching a monthly subscription box, membership (or giving program if you’re a non-profit).

September newsletter subject lines

  • “September success starts now” — General “fresh start” energy
  • “Fresh Start, Fresh Finds” — General “fresh start” energy
  • “Your hardworking self deserves this” — Labor Day appreciation
  • “Here’s to the start of a great new chapter” — Read a Book Day
  • “A Novel Way to Treat Yourself”— Read a Book Day
  • “Make it so” — Star Trek Day
  • “Captain’s Orders: Treat yourself to Something Great” — Star Trek Day
  • “We’re positive you’ll love this” — Positive Thinking Day
  • “This is positively adorable” — Positive Thinking Day
  • “Ahoy there, matey!” — Talk Like a Pirate Day
  • “Gratitude is our attitude” — World Gratitude Day
  • “Local kindness, far-reaching impact” — Good Neighbor Day
  • “Let’s talk about what matters” — Use this for serious awareness topics
  • “Ready for Q4? We’ve got you covered” — Gear up for year-end preparation
  • “Celebrating the cultures that make us stronger” — Hispanic Heritage Month
  • “Today’s adventure starts here” — World Tourism Day
  • “Rivers run deep. So does our appreciation” — World Rivers Day
  • “Because you’re simply the best” — General customer appreciation

You now have everything you need to create September newsletters that genuinely connect with your customers during this fresh-start season. Pick one idea from this list that feels authentic to you. Your customers are ready for the connection you’re about to create!

Plan out the rest of your year with our Online Marketing Calendar! It includes a free template and list of holidays to help you stay organized and set up for a successful year.

September 2025 Marketing and Holiday Planning infographic