At this season of giving, wise men and women business owners seeking to form great marketing partnerships are guided by a star principle: Give to receive. A backstory from my firm, Bartel Communications, illustrates this point.
In 2007, we launched a new business anniversary consulting service. The Bartel Way(TM) uses integrated marketing and public relations strategies to position products and services within the context of celebrating a business anniversary. In short, this strategic system helps businesses transform anniversaries into “sell”-abrations.
We had transformed our own 10th business anniversary into a “sell”-abration with wondrous results:
- New and repeat business
- Strengthened key relationships
- Competitive marketplace advantage
Wanting to bring those same results to other businesses, we needed a marketing partner with a broad reach into our target market. We found that partner in The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County, which was marking its 40th business anniversary.
Our gift to the Chamber was The Bartel Way(TM).
Bartel Communications led a team in planning, executing and publicizing the Chamber’s 40th business anniversary. The branding message — “Celebrating 40 Years of Passion, Endurance, Loyalty, Strength” — that we created was incorporated into aspects and activities of the Chamber’s milestone business anniversary year celebration. The results?
- 35% increased attendance for the kick-off event, the 40th Anniversary Awards Dinner, and record attendance for other Chamber events during the anniversary year;
- 158% increased sponsorship revenue and 58% increased total revenue for the 40th Anniversary Awards Dinner and increased event and sponsorship revenue for other Chamber events during the business anniversary year;
- 1.5 million positive print and broadcast media impressions;
- 4 industry awards, including two Awards of Merit from American Chamber of Commerce Executives and the 2008 Mark of Excellence Award from the American Marketing Association, representing the Chamber’s first-ever honors.
The Chamber’s 40th business anniversary campaign spotlighted our new business anniversary consulting service, positioned Bartel Communications as the business anniversary experts and earned the Chamber’s deep gratitude. As a result, the Chamber regularly refers member companies to us for business anniversary consulting services.
Give to receive — the star principle of a great marketing partnership.
Blogger Bio: Pauline Bartel, M.A., is President and Chief Creative Officer of
Bartel Communications, Inc., an award-winning corporate communications firm,
specializing in marketing, public relations and business anniversary consulting
services. The firm created “The Bartel Years™” and “The Bartel Years 200™,” rosters of business anniversary symbols to inspire two centuries of business anniversary
“sell”-abrations. Download free copies of “The Bartel Years™” and the special
report “The Top 10 Business Anniversary Ideas for SELL-abrating Your Business
Anniversary” at this link: http://www.paulinebartel.com/services/corporate-services/business-anniversary-consulting