By all means, celebrate that corporate anniversary. But don’t ram it down the throats of uninterested customers.
A business I know recently celebrated its fiftieth birthday, and wanted to let everyone know about it. My main reaction was: why?
I suspect their reasoning (egged on by loads of companies trying to sell them commemorative tat) was that “well, we should do something, shouldn’t we?”
Let’s look at who cares, and who should care.
The Company
- Does it care about the anniversary? Yes.
- Does it care that it’s been in business for 50 years? Yes.
The Customers
- Do they care about the anniversary? No.
- Do they care that the company has been in business for 50 years? No.
- Should they care that the company has been in business for 50 years? Yes.
Why should customers care? For all the obvious reasons, and some that might be forgotten, such as:
- A proven track record – the company has consistently maintained customer satisfaction over time.
- Industry knowledge – deep expertise in the field, allowing the company to guide customers more effectively.
- Financial stability – able to support customers in the future.
- Refined processes – streamlined operations, tested systems, and efficient logistics.
- Customer experience – established systems to handle customer enquiries and training efficiently.
So by all means, celebrate that anniversary. But don’t ram it down the throats of uninterested customers. Instead, use it as a reminder to unleash a company marketing asset that new competitors cannot emulate.