If you are responsible for conducting a monthly simulated phishing test, sometimes choosing a great phishing template every month can be overwhelming. It can be difficult to muster up the creativity for something relevant month after month. In this article, we offer a phishing template and theme for each month of the year to help inspire you for your next phishing test campaign.
January
January is the start of a new year and for some a new "beginning." Many people are starting to make New Year's Resolutions and set goals for themselves. A great Phishing template for this time of year is an advertisement for a gym membership.
This template is great for targeting those who want to get "healthy" in the new year. People setting health-related new year's resolutions are probably looking for "how to get started." Seeing an ad for this can spark their interest and adding a discount to the membership price can add urgency, making this test even better!
February
What's the number one problem people have in February? Forgetting to buy your Valentine a gift! Play off this sense of urgency and use a Valentine's Day phishing template.
Whether it is an ad for chocolate, flowers, or even jewelry, this template is great at reaching the individuals that need help with ideas or a quick turn-around for a Valentine's Day gift.
March
One big event in March is March Madness. Whether you're a fan of basketball or not, you've probably heard your colleagues talking about this yearly event. ESPN and other sports websites allow you to sign up to bet on teams and see which ones will win.
A March Madness template would be perfect to target those in the office who love basketball or even those who like a little bit of competition.
April
People have strong feelings about their time off. April is a great time to use a template about time off for Good Friday, whether your company takes this day off or not.
This template urges employees to have their time logs up to date or else they won't get paid for the company holiday. With this sense of importance, they are more likely to click the link or open the Holiday Policy attachment.
May
May is the month known for celebrating our moms. Mother's Day is an important holiday for many families, and great time for a template about shopping for Mother's Day.
This template incentives individuals to purchase a gift for their mom at a discounted price. It encourages people to click because employees feel they are getting a good price and a great gift, all in one.
June
Just like Mother's Day, June is known for Father's Day. Just like the last example, this is a great opportunity to target employees who are looking to celebrate all their fathers and buy them a great gift that they will enjoy.
Items like grills and other summer fun tools could be a great gift for the dads who love cooking outside!
July
One important holiday in July is 4th of July. This is a great time to grab the attention of Americans looking to celebrate.
A phishing template showcasing events, celebrations, or even 4th of July sales, are sure to catch some clicks.
August
August is the end of summer and time for kids to get back to school. Before they do, they will be in the market for a few new clothes and school supplies.
A phishing template with a sale for these items will catch parents' interest and incentivize them to click to get a discounted price.
September
As everyone settles into the rhythm of a new school year, this is a great time to announce something new and shiny, like a new employee on the team.
This type of template gets readers to click because we are always curious about the new person.
October
To many, October is known as "Spooky Season." Halloween brings with it fun events and activities. This is a great opportunity to develop a phishing template for a Halloween themed office party.
This type of template will be especially enticing to click for your fun-loving employees and people who have FOMO (fear of missing out)!
November
When you hear November, you may think "Thanksgiving." To capture some clicks, we recommend the nearby shopping holidays: Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
At this time of the year, people are trying to find great gifts for the holidays. With a Cyber Monday sale phishing template, employees might be more willing to click on sale ads.
December
To wrap up the year, we have December. Skip the traditional holiday event focused phishing test and go for the more enticing End of the Year Bonus.
With December being a more expensive month for most families becuase of holiday costs, an end of the year bonus is a great way to entice someone to click a phishing link. Money is a strong motivator for taking action, even action as simple as a click.
These are just a few examples of phishing templates and themes that can be used throughout the year. We hope this article helped spark your creativity and will help you with your next phishing campaign!
If you're looking for a software to help you with your phishing tests, check out Tandem Phishing. Tandem allows you to send simulated phishing emails to your employees, enroll employees in supplemental training courses, and generate reports to see progress over time. To learn more about Tandem Phishing, check out Tandem.App/Phishing-Security-Awareness-Software.
