Ten Tips for Marketing your Business Anniversary
This post is dedicated to helping you market your milestones.
Your business anniversary can be marked in any number of ways. You can celebrate during one day, one week, or even have a year-long string of celebrations. To make the most of it, my best advice is to prepare early.
First, know that celebrations and meeting objectives can occur at the same time! Here is a sample list of objectives that may be important to business owners:
Show Gratitude
Showcase the history of the business
Highlight services & products
Attract new customers
Relay social proof
Grow the online community
Dream during this process! Put your biggest business dreams on paper. Then, backtrack by defining goals that will bring the dreams to fruition.
Now, on to the top ten.
That part about starting early? You’ll soon see why it’s important because most of these tips have to do with what you’ll want to accomplish BEFORE the big day.
Gather stories and photos. Recall what happened along the way and how the business may have expanded or adapted to changing times. Stories make marketing and celebrations come to life. Reach out to advocates who may have something to share - loyal customers, local business partners, founders, or vendors.
Plan the details of the celebration. Define when, where, if there will be any special offers, and all details specific to the event. Check for any conflicts with your date. Host the event during a typically slow time period that could use a boost. Decide who will be the event planner or if you need to hire one.
Write a press release. Check the editorial calendars of local media for any fitting upcoming stories or special features. If your story fits well, it may be just the nudge needed to get it published. Personally reach out to any journalists you know or any who has previously included your business in a story. Be strategic by sending it to media outlets whose content is consumed by your audience. Feel free to reach out if you would like tips for writing a press release!
Have a place to send people who want to learn more. Write a blog post that tells why the business was started, and share something about your passion projects. Add a press page to your website with media contact information. This page can include quotes, short stories or pictures of your team.
Start the creative concepting process. For upcoming communications, loosely design posts, copy, important messaging, and any common phrases or taglines you’ll use. Make a list of any marketing materials that need to be designed and printed. Consider a custom logo design to mark the occasion. Leave plenty of time for the editing process.
Create a custom hashtag just for this milestone. During your event(s) customers should be encouraged to include this special hashtag in their social media posts. By doing so, this user generated content will be grouped together when the hashtag is searched.
Create a contest. Revisit your objectives and craft a contest that meets one or more of them. Contests generate high engagement rates on social media. Keep in mind that there are platform-specific rules to follow.
Plan an ad campaign. Combining paid social ads with your organic posts is a winning combination, but don’t forget to consider traditional media. When a client celebrated a 40 year anniversary last year, we included newspaper in our marketing mix because it fit with their audience profile.
Work with Influencers to generate extra excitement and reach more people. Invite them to visit your business early in the campaign so they can help make announcements in time for their followers to join in the fun.
During your celebration, document the events of the day. You’ll want accounts of events and smiling people to show up on your social media platforms. Ask engaging questions such as ‘Do you remember?’ and ‘What did you first try?’ in your posts. This can amount to excellent content for several days or weeks to come.
Add a collaboration to your plan! Get your free downloadable guide to cross-promotions.
Whether you’ve reached the end of Year One or Year Fifty, your business and its purpose is worth celebrating. Take time to tell your story and commemorate its impact. Marking the occasion adds fresh, fun, eye-catching elements to your annual marketing mix.
Congratulations on your business anniversary!
Market your milestones! Enjoy our tips for marketing your business anniversary.
Extend the reach of your promotion by marketing with a vendor or partner! Be sure to grab this free guide - a planner for successful cross-promotions.
Celebrate your business anniversary and meet your marketing objectives at the same time.