Now don’t get me wrong. I love parties as much as anyone. In fact, I have spent many years planning special events. But parties are a one-time occurrence. What do you have left when it’s over? Some new friends, a newspaper clipping, and some unexpected bills? Instead, when you’re lucky enough to have a major milestone to celebrate, wouldn’t it be better to leverage it beyond the party itself to build continued business momentum?
Like any business owner or marketer, you are constantly looking for new ideas and new angles. A historical landmark is a big deal! Opportunities for you to shine await you. There ARE inexpensive and effective ways to build momentum for your business around the celebration of your next business milestone.
What is a business milestone?
Anniversaries are the most obvious answer to that question. Here in New England, where my company is located, we have some companies that celebrate two-hundred-year anniversaries, but many more companies celebrate five-year anniversaries. Frankly, in today’s economy, five years is a big deal! And so it’s ten, twenty, and so on. Every milestone counts.
Key dates in your business history could provide another excuse to celebrate. When did you open a new office or move to your current location? How long has your oldest customer been with you? Are there major successes worth noting? Exclusive product launches? Important personnel hired? Look at your company history to find newsworthy events.
And please remember…
…as you make your plans, remember that you are creating a file for your next significant anniversary. Take note. Keep copies of everything you produce and everything the media generates. Videotape events. Years from now, when you or your successor make plans to commemorate the next anniversary, it will make the job so much easier!
You will also give a copy of your file to your public library or historical society, because the history of your business is connected to the history of your community. Your history will be available for others to study.
Some thoughts on clients…
…customer loyalty, your reputation and how it all works together. After all, these are your goals! You’ve probably noticed that the effectiveness of traditional direct selling techniques has steadily declined with increasing people’s access to the Internet and general distrust of salespeople. Why should anyone trust what you say in your ad or commercial when they can go online and find out the truth?
In fact, a survey by the American Marketing Association showed that in 2001, 40% of consumers surveyed admitted that advertising played a role in their purchasing decisions. In 2004, the number dropped to 14%. Where is that number today? Maybe 5%? Lower?
The message from consumers is loud and clear: “We hate being sold to!” And people today are becoming more sophisticated and even clever when it comes to “making” them a sale. They recognize him from a mile away.
So… what’s a business to do, because we all need to sell in some way? Of course, we all use social media, email marketing, and other methods, but the human connection still works every time, and NOT in a direct sales environment, but somewhere else.
This is where history can play a part, and the fact that you have a milestone to celebrate is WONDERFUL!
When you connect your business with your historic community, you and your staff will have the opportunity to connect with people on a different level than direct sales, and that level is a very personal one. Residents of historic communities, especially, feel connected to and protective of their local history. The same is true at the state, national, and even international level, depending on what you are supporting.
This is what we know:
People are more involved than ever in their family, home, neighborhood, and community. Those who live in historic communities, in particular, LOVE their local history. They are emotionally connected to it. They respect businesses that support local history and preservation efforts.
They also respect companies that celebrate their own history. Those businesses, in turn, enjoy the high-status reputation that comes from being an integral part of their storied community. Clients know that these businesses “get” the importance of history and it truly distinguishes one business from another.
If you are a family business, you have an added advantage. Play with your family/business story! People love to hear your story. You can make an even deeper emotional connection using the family angle.
What is this all-important “emotional connection”?
The emotional connection works in certain specific ways in the sales process. Remember the old phone company ads with family members getting together, the ones that made people cry (including me!)? Many of our clients are hesitant to celebrate a five-year anniversary because it’s “too short a time,” they think, especially when their neighboring business just celebrated a fifty-year anniversary. Even two years is not too short! The real psychology of celebrating an anniversary is less about the number of years and more about sharing your story with other people. People love to hear stories. Stories convey emotion; They convey your humanity. When you capture someone’s interest with a good story, you help separate your business from the big, cold businesses in your community. (Think about how you respond in these situations.)
Marketing theory talks about why it is effective to establish an emotional connection and points out three main benefits:
• Quickly establishes a strong relationship. Although some traditional sales techniques have been tarnished, the principle of establishing a good relationship from the beginning is still just as important. The strongest and most lasting relationship is created through an emotional connection.
• Helps overcome the “don’t sell me” objection. When you reach out to make an emotional connection, your prospect will move to reciprocate. People instinctively do it. Suddenly, they are in a relationship with you. So it’s up to you to continue that momentum.
• Show respect for your prospect. I know this sounds illogical, but it really isn’t. When you share your story with your prospects, it reaches out emotionally to them. The fact that you’re doing this first, with interesting, factual (not sales) information about your business, allows them to come to their own conclusions. As a writer for the Harvard Business Review recently put it, to be successful, we must “show that we respect our clients’ ability to make their own judgments. Salesmanship is in the heart, not the brain.”
Again, think about which stories YOU respond to, how you like to be treated, and put yourself in your prospects shoes. Tell your story in a way that really “reaches” people and makes them want to celebrate their milestone with you!
the great reward
By embracing the mindset we recommend, you’ll not only reap the rewards of new customers and customer loyalty, but you’ll also play an active role in preserving the historic character of your community. You will be involved in something “bigger” than your business, something meaningful and lasting. You will boost your reputation in your community and leave a legacy.
I promise you will be very proud that you have taken your business in this direction!
