Insights

People remember and celebrate their wedding anniversaries (especially after they’ve forgotten once!). We understand that these milestones are an important way to reflect on where we’ve been and reaffirm our commitment for the future – and we all agree that those things are worth sharing and celebrating.

Why don’t businesses do the same?

Corporate anniversaries are a wonderful opportunity to communicate with your audience – clients, prospects, employees, and beyond – and a perfect time to share your story. It’s a chance to talk about why you started your business in the first place, where you’ve been, what you do, and what makes you different and an opportunity to thank employees and clients who’ve helped you reach this milestone.
We’ve seen clients celebrate 100 years (or more) in business in a big way, setting aside a specific budget to communicate their major milestone. But you don’t need to wait 100 years to talk about your success this way. Commit to celebrating in some way every five years – or every single year – and build it right into your communications plan.
Not sure how to get started? Check out this list of ten ways to celebrate a corporate anniversary.

1. Content:The lead-up to an anniversary is a great time to gather, review, and catalogue your company’s assets from over the years. Go through your old storage cases for photos, old brochures and campaigns, etc. Send a survey to your past and current clients asking them to share memorable stories. Interview some of your first or longstanding employees. Then share what you’ve gathered!
2. Legacy Piece: Create a brochure – or dedicate a wall in your office or store locations – showcasing highlights from your company’s history and celebrating where you’ve been.
3. Webpage: Share your story on a dedicated website or webpage. Share it on your homepage and add the link to your email signature.
4. Video: Produce a video that tells your story and talks about your values, highlights from your years in business, projects you’ve delivered, special moments or stories, and what makes you different.
5. Public Relations: Send out a news release that highlights your important milestone – and why it matters to your community or industry.
6. Sponsorship: Celebrate your anniversary by sponsoring a local or industry event.
7. Donation: Connect your anniversary with a non-profit organization that you care about. Celebrate your tenth anniversary by giving away ten free ___ to a non-profit, or make a donation – and share it with others.
8. Logo: Create a special anniversary logo (and tagline) to mark major milestones. Add it to your website, your stationery, your email signature, and signage in your office or store locations.
9. Sale or Promotion: Invite your clients and prospects to celebrate with you by hosting a sale or contest connected to your anniversary.
10. Celebration: Host a party for your clients. Order a cake to share with your employees. Create meaningful anniversary traditions – and then make a point of repeating them every year (or at a set interval).

Celebrating corporate anniversaries doesn’t need to be burdensome – or expensive. With a little bit of creativity, you can turn your anniversary from just another date on the calendar into a unique opportunity to share your story – and celebrate your success with the people who helped you get there, and the ones who will keep you in business and celebrating anniversaries for a long time to come.
If you would like help creating your corporate anniversary communications – give us a call. We’re here for you.