How to market company milestones

Photo courtesy of Eastern Propane & Oil

You don’t have to go far in the propane industry to find a family-owned or -operated company. It’s not unusual to find a second-, third- or even fourth-generation family member still involved in a business.

One fourth-generation company, New England-based Eastern Propane & Oil, reached 90 years of business in 2022. According to Tom Manson, CEO of Eastern, the company’s anniversary celebrations were focused on hard work, family, dedication and leadership.

“It’s really not about how we’ve survived 90 years; it’s really a story of a family and how the company is inextricably linked to the family,” he says about the Clement and Anderson families.

When reflecting on the year of celebrations, he says the communication about the milestone year was intentional with messaging for customers and employees.

“If we keep it personal with the employees, then they keep it personal with the customers, which is really our value proposition,” Manson says.

Here are some ways that you can create a marketing campaign about your company heritage and involve your customers and employees.

Design an anniversary logo. Eastern created a specific anniversary logo that was used in email and direct mail communications, company email signatures and other marketing materials.

Update the company website. Include a timeline of the company history with details about its founding, ownership and values. Additions might include the new anniversary logo, photos from the archive, employee features, longtime customer testimonials and upcoming events.

Send email newsletters. Communicate with customers and vendors with email campaigns. Eastern used redesigned internal monthly newsletters featuring the anniversary logo and had team members update their email signatures.

Share photos from the archive. Keep followers updated with current photos of the company’s work, community involvement and celebrations for the anniversary, but also incorporate photos from the archives that can spark curiosity and highlight longevity of the brand.

Profile team members. Highlight the workforce that made the company’s growth and success a possibility. Eastern featured longtime employees’ careers on social media once a week throughout the year.

Tell stories with videos. Interview the owners and longtime team members about their history with the company. Use short clips to document celebrations and daily life on the job. These videos can be shared on social media, YouTube or featured on the company website.

Write a press release. Send an announcement to local media with a press release and establish talking points that the leadership team can use during possible interviews or community events.

Learn more about Eastern Propane & Oil’s 90th anniversary here.