Should You Establish an Anniversary Program?

No matter the size of your business, whether it be two employees in a basement or 10,000 in a skyrise, it is vital to take stock of the path to growth and success over time.

Without a past to serve as guidance, how can a company adequately shape the future?

Establishing an Anniversary Program creates space for entry-level employees, stakeholders, and C-suite executives alike to come together, discuss, and reflect upon the business. There is no greater opportunity to create a company-wide marketing message of the journey than an Anniversary. Anticipation and excitement for updated designs, new gear, and creative awards will keep employees engaged during the stages of planning and execution.

Lackluster attitudes can shift to full-blown enthusiasm with the help of a few freshly branded materials. Below are some suggestions on introducing or revamping the marketing for an Anniversary Program in your business:

Think Ahead
Choosing a timeline is key in creating anticipation within the company. All employees should be made aware of the Anniversary Program’s timing in order to prepare and organize their thoughts and suggestions. It also creates space for collaborative creative ideas, whether it be redesigning the logo or adding a new adjective to the slogan. When the Anniversary Program commences, employees will be thrilled to see that their ideas have already been put into action.

Boost Morale
Throughout the Anniversary Program, it is vital to stay focused on overarching themes. A few examples are Productivity, Company Culture, Rapid Growth, or a combination of multiple patterns within the business. Think out of the box with how to physically relay this message to your team. Productivity? Think branded coffee mugs. Company Culture? Print the internal motto or mission statement on pullovers. And the list goes on.. There are plenty of ways to make an impact through marketing during an Anniversary Program. The key is to keep employees feeling positive in a potentially vulnerable environment.

Get Creative
Looking back at a year’s progress from multiple perspectives is one of the most valuable outcomes of an Anniversary Program. Checking in with employees will make them feel heard. Do not allow the participation to stop at jotting down problem centers on a white board. Always be sure to take it to the next level and show everyone how sincerely you value each individual’s effort.

Communicate and collaborate on effective strategies to transform the business. Make updates to what is outdated, transform policies to benefit culture, and draw outside the lines. Refresh the mindset of the business and promote knowledge sharing in an exciting and positive way.

Reinforce who you are as a company by sharing newly branded materials with the group. Sweatshirts, drawstring bags, pens, and clipboards with your logo will create a sense of unity while everyone works together throughout the Anniversary Program. In addition to the company logo, consider including the Anniversary date and year as well. Over time, employees will have collected the history of your company in tangible gifts.

Spread the Love
Don’t stop at internal distribution. Think bigger! Share branded materials from your company’s Anniversary Program with current clients, prospective clients, business partners, and sources of referral. A commemorative gift will show how greatly you value their connection to your company. Creative assets to mark this milestone will work wonders on your network. Talk is talk, but action affects change. Show people how much you care.

Say Thank You
As a token of gratitude to employees for coming together in a collaborative setting, demonstrate thanks through giving. Providing a gift will create incentive and positive associations with the Anniversary Program moving forward. Consider an awards banquet on the last day, or an unveiling ceremony. Add new plaques to the office space, acknowledging the milestones that have been reached in the last year. They can be funny, sincere, factual or nostalgic - just be sure to stay in line with who you are as a brand.

Confirm Commitment
As the icing on top, choose a post-Program gift to thank everyone for their effort. Anyone who contributes to the overall success of the organization should feel equally valued, appreciated and acknowledged as they reflect upon the time spent shaping the company during the Anniversary Program. As an example, perhaps throughout the course of the Program, your employees decided that more out-of-office community gatherings would boost productivity. Be sure to show you are responsive and confirm your commitment. Thank everyone by gifting a branded baseball cap to be worn at the first official company-wide softball night!