Celebrating Milestones

With Agent@Home magazine celebrating its 10-year anniversary, it brought to mind how many milestones I have reached, not only with my own travel business, but also ever since I wrote my first column for Agent@Home in its September 2004 inaugural issue. I also reflected on how many clients I have helped over the years to celebrate unforgettable anniversaries and milestones through travel.

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If you are nearing a significant anniversary or completing a milestone, congratulations! Now it’s time to let your clients know about it — whether you decide to create a few labels for your stationery, write a single press release or plan to celebrate with several activities.

No matter the details, whatever you do will and should serve as a marketing and communication opportunity. Try to determine the length of time you would like to dedicate to your anniversary program and come up with a budget. Like other communication and advertising projects, an anniversary program easily falls under the category of business-building in all its forms, such as business development, public relations, lead generation, sales and marketing. Whatever you plan to do, try to focus on and involve your clients, your community and any other groups that influence your company.

I’ve put together a list of ideas for helping to mark the occasion and perhaps create a little buzz and good will with your clients. The list begins with the most practical and least expensive. It’s certainly not all-inclusive, but it should help to get your creative wheels turning.

Establish your timeline. Think back to when you decided to start your home-based travel business. Try to rediscover events that happened along the way to your milestone. How many cruises and courses did you take over the years to get a certain certification? Have you collected travel photos from happy clients and news items that may help tell your anniversary story? This type of reaching back through your journey in the travel industry may also help set the tone for your anniversary and spark ideas to commemorate it.

An anniversary theme could include a special logo and tagline: Serving Happy Travelers for 10 Years! Celebrating Five Years of Creating Magical Memories! etc. Make sure you choose a theme that can be integrated into a marketing campaign.

Tell your story. Write a press release that isn’t simply an announcement of your anniversary but shows how relevant your anniversary is. Talk about the economic climate changes and other events your travel business has weathered. Allow readers to see some of what so many years of successful experience looks like.

Provide helpful information about your area of business expertise in travel and explain the awards and certificates that you have earned. Submit content or press releases to appropriate local trade and business journals. Don’t forget to post your anniversary or milestone content through your social media accounts such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and so forth.

Shout it out. Let people see and hear about your success. Include your anniversary logo and tagline on all communications materials. Make sure to use the anniversary logo in email signatures. Have anniversary or milestone stick-on labels printed to use on existing stationery, invoices and envelopes or integrate the anniversary logo into specially printed letterhead, invitations and other materials.

Make sure that, if you participate in bridal fairs or any other trade exhibition, the material you distribute refers to your anniversary. This might include tradeshow booth graphics, advertisements, your personal brochure and even supplier brochures — any place you can put your contact information. Consider adding an anniversary or thank-you message to the recorded greeting on your phone answering system.

Offer anniversary specials. Offer clients a special anniversary package deal. Are there a few services you might bundle together at “anniversary” pricing? Depending on the promotion or supplier you choose to showcase, throw in a shipboard credit, gift basket or shore excursion. You can even reach out to your cruise line business development manager to see if he or she can help you with an exclusive anniversary promotion or help with some co-op marketing funds.

Celebrate your anniversary. You also might want to consider inviting clients to a celebration party in a special location. Be sure to photograph the event and share the photos on your website, social media, newsletters, press releases, etc.

Is your travel business about to reach an important anniversary? Businesses that stand the test of time foster consumer trust and confidence. Experience and longevity is your most valuable business asset. No matter how you celebrate and share your story, enjoy your milestone and have a happy anniversary!