When your company turns five years old, it’s already beaten out nearly 50% of new businesses. When it turns ten, it’s entered an elite group of survivors. And if you aren’t just surviving, but are thriving year after year? Well, that’s cause to celebrate.
But more than just patting yourself on the back, celebrating important milestones helps you engage with existing customers, boost team morale, expand your client base, and recruit top-tier talent. All you need is the right B2B marketing strategy – and we’ve got you covered.
Make a mark (literally)
What comes to mind when you think of your favorite brands? Maybe it’s Target’s red circle or IBM’s iconic stripes. Perhaps you recall GE’s tagline “Imagination at work” or Nike’s “Just do it.” You get the idea. Logos and taglines have an immense impact on brand recognition, so they offer a natural starting point for your celebration.
Many brands choose to incorporate the number of years they’ve been in business directly into their logo, hiding tens or hundreds inside brand names or surrounding their existing mark with a celebratory banner. Others temporarily change their slogan.
When its 30th anniversary was approaching, Perr&Knight asked Bop Design to create a celebratory logo for the B2B brand. The logo was used on promotional merchandise, marketing materials, and, of course, the Perr&Knight website to promote “30 Years of Excellence.”
Whatever style you choose for your milestone logo, make sure you take a few important steps to ensure success:
- Decide how big to go: You may want to use an anniversary logo all year, or you might want to limit it to your anniversary month. You might roll out all new merchandise and update your shipping labels, or you may focus only on advertising channels. Make sure everyone on your team is aligned with the scope of the campaign.
- Plan ahead: It sounds obvious, but to ensure an effective logo rollout, you’ll need time to create the mark itself, attach it to important materials, and organize digital distribution on your B2B website and social media channels.
- Use a professional: If you have an in-house graphics department, let them show off their creativity. Otherwise, seek a professional who will make sure the logo matches your existing brand style while making your anniversary “pop.” Not sure where to start? Talk to a design expert at Bop Design to explore the possibilities.
Design a milestone webpage
A dedicated webpage offers a great place to highlight your B2B brand’s story and target specific marketing goals. Creating a timeline of key points in your business’s growth, like gaining your 100th client, winning a competitive industry award, or launching a new product, helps build credibility. Videos featuring happy, tenured employees showcase your stability and support recruiting efforts.
To jumpstart your web page brainstorm, check out how Microsoft celebrated its 50th anniversary. The brand made a big splash, including a commemorative web page complete with videos, event photos, an FAQ, and an image timeline of the company’s history. Testimonials from executives and customers, as well as congratulations from partners round out the page.
When creating a celebratory webpage for Perr&Knight, Bop Design incorporated some of these impactful elements. The expansive timeline highlights Perr&Knight’s history of growth and leadership in the insurance industry. At the same time, videos from the firm’s team showcase the company’s vision for the future.
Remember, a web page on its own won’t be enough to move the needle. After all, you can’t expect guests to come to a party without invites! Which leads us nicely to the next strategy: spreading the word.
Share the news
For the best results, treat your milestone like any other omnichannel B2B marketing campaign. As your creative teams work on logos and web pages, it’s time to get your audience excited. You’ll want to develop targeted messaging that can be used across channels, as well as timing for each “preview” leading up to the celebration. Make sure each part of your campaign includes links to your landing page to drive traffic.
When planning your distribution campaign, consider these channels:
- Email marketing: Include a mention of your milestone in your newsletter, or create a “coming soon” announcement for loyal customers.
- Media publishers: Offer journalists and industry publication contacts an insider look at your celebration or exclusive interviews with executives. Make sure to plan when each piece should be published so that they align with social media and email campaigns.
- Social media: Make a teaser reel, post a countdown to an event, or create a series dedicated to past milestones. Ask followers to share their memories of your brand, talk about your services, or participate in a challenge.
Get people involved
Getting employees, customers, and partners involved in your milestone celebration is a great way to strengthen relationships across the board. But to make an impact that goes beyond words, you’ll need to get hands-on.
One option is to plan a live event. This could be a simple party or an all-out bash complete with an awards ceremony, product showcases, and a speech from your founder or CEO. We’re also fans of good food and an open bar.
Of course, not every company can afford a big in-person event. Or it might just not be your style! Another alternative is to use merchandise to your advantage. Limited-time merchandise such as anniversary-themed mugs, pens, and (super comfy) hoodies can be sent to loyal customers to thank them for their business. Likewise, bringing branded swag with your milestone logo to trade shows can bring new businesses to your table.
If you want to combine the digital and tangible, why not consider a giveaway campaign? Create a custom landing page and send it to your B2B email marketing list. Be sure the prize is high value, be it a $250 Amazon gift card, a free/heavily discounted starter service, or something else entirely. And don’t forget to engage with both the winner and other participants to encourage further conversation.
Build momentum for the future
As anyone in B2B content marketing will tell you, one-offs and stand-alone campaigns rarely contribute to sustainable growth. So the key to getting the most out of your milestone is to use it as a launchpad. Remember, you aren’t just celebrating an achievement, you are paving the way for future success.
Use your milestone marketing to tease upcoming product releases. Highlight your goals for upcoming years, or provide a roadmap to excite existing customers and attract new ones. You can even start a tradition around your milestone, be it annual awards, company initiatives, or recurring campaigns.
Don’t forget to take a moment to congratulate yourself and your team. Then, get ready to conquer your next milestone with a gorgeous, high-performing B2B website from Bop Design.
