Now, don’t get me wrong. I love parties as much as the next person.In fact, I have spent many years planning special events. But parties are a one-time occurrence. What are you left with when it’s over? A few new friends, a newspaper clipping, and a few unexpected bills? Instead,when you are lucky enough to have a significant milestone to celebrate,wouldn’t it be better to leverage it beyond the party itself—to build ongoing business momentum?

Like every business owner or marketing person, you are constantly looking for new ideas and new angles. A historical milestone is a biggie! The opportunities for you to shine await. There ARE inexpensive, effective ways to build momentum for your business around celebrating 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 businesses celebrating two-hundred year anniversaries, but many more businesses celebrating five-year anniversaries. Frankly, in today’s economy, five years is a big deal! And so are 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 present location? How long has your oldest client been with you? Are there major successes worth marking? Signature product launches? Important personnel hired? Look at your company history to find the newsworthy events.

And please remember...

...as you make your plans, please remember that you are creating an archive for your next significant anniversary. Take notes. Keep copies of everything you produce and everything the media generates. Videotape events. Years from now, when you or your successor makes plans to mark the next anniversary, you will make the job that much easier!

You will also give a copy of your archive to your public library or historical society, because your business history is connected to your community’s history. Your history will be available for others to study.

Some thoughts on customers...

...customer loyalty, your reputation, and how it all works together. After all,these are your objectives! You’ve probably noticed that the effectiveness of traditional direct sales techniques has been steadily declining with the rise of people’s access to the Internet and a 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, an American Marketing Association survey showed that in 200140% of consumers polled 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 increasingly sophisticated and even canny about when selling is “being done” to them. They recognize it a mile away.

So...what’s a business to do, because we all need to sell in some fashion? Of course,we are all using social media, email marketing, and other methods, but the human connection still works every time—and NOT in a direct sales setting, but somewhere else.

This is where history can play a role, and the fact that you have a milestone to celebrate is FANTASTIC!

When you connect your business to your historical community, you and your staff will have the opportunity to connect with people on a level other than direct sales—and that level is a very personal one. Residents of historical communities, especially, feel connected to and protective of their local history. The same applies statewide, nationally, and even internationally depending on what you are supporting.

Here’s what we know:

People are more invested than ever in their family, home, neighborhood,and community. Those who live in historical communities, in particular,LOVE their local history. They are emotionally connected to it. They
respect the businesses that support local history and preservation efforts.

They also respect businesses that celebrate their own history. Those businesses, in turn, enjoy the high status reputation that comes from being an integral part of their historical community. Customers know that these businesses “get” the importance of history and it truly sets one business apart from another.

If you are a family-owned business, you have an added advantage. Play up your family/business history! People love to hear your story. You can make an even deeper emotional connection by using the family angle.

What is this all-important “emotional connection?”

Emotional connection works in certain specific ways in the sales process.Remember the old telephone company ads with family members reuniting—the ones that made people (including me!) cry? Many of our clients hesitate to celebrate a five-year anniversary because it’s “too short a time,”they think, especially when their neighboring business has just celebrated a fifty-year anniversary. Even two years is not too short!The actual 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 yourhumanity. When you grab someone’s interest with a good story, you helpseparate your business from the cold, big-box businesses in yourcommunity. (Think about how you respond in these situations.)

Marketing theory talks about why establishing an emotional connection is effective, and points to three major benefits:

• It quickly establishes strong rapport. Even though some traditional sales techniques have gotten tarnished, the principle of establishing rapport at the beginning is still just as important. The strongest, most lasting rapport is created by an emotional connection.

• It helps overcome the “don’t sell to me” objection. When you reach out to establish an emotional connection, your prospect will move to reciprocate. People instinctively do. Suddenly, they’re in a relationship with you. Then it’s up to you to continue that momentum.

• It shows respect for your prospect. I know this one sounds illogical, but it really isn’t. When you share your story with your prospects, you extend yourself emotionally to them. The fact that you’re doing this first, with interesting, factual (not sales-y) information about your business, allows them to come to their own conclusions. As awriter for the Harvard Business Review recently put it, to be successful, we must “show that we respect our customers’ ability to make their own judgments. The art of selling is in the heart, not the brain.”

Again, think about what stories YOU respond to, how YOU like being treated, and put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Tell your story in ways that will really “get” to people, and make them want to celebrate your milestone with you!

The Big Pay-off

By taking on the mindset we recommend, not only will you reap the rewards of new customers and customer loyalty, you will also play an active role in preserving the historical character of your community. You will be involved in something “larger” than your business—something meaningful and lasting. You will boost your reputation in your community, and leave behind a legacy.

I promise you—you will feel awfully proud for having led your business in this direction!

For specific ideas to achieve these results, read about our book, Go Beyond the Party, here!