[lisa123]

I have been thinking about this recently.
Do you ever celebrate your business anniversaries?
any if you do, how?

give aways to current clients?
funday with some proceeds going to charitable causes?
Tell the media in the hope of a story?

I probably want to organise something so our name can be spread bout a bit, but unsure what to do, if anything.

Anyone got any ideas?

[shelton]

Yeah, how about going out for a nice meal?

Or am I missing the point . . . 

[Jan K]

i celebrate each anniversary by giving myself a mental pat on the back purely for still being in business 

[dustycorner]

Hi Lisa,

Why not contact you local paper see if they want to do a feature on your 1st annivesary, let them know how your businees has grown and get some free advertising too.

Cheers Mark.

[lisa123]

Shelton,
I meant in an advertising and promotions type way 
i will have dinner and many bevvies also of course.

Perhaps not many people celebrate. might jinx the next year, i don't know.

Slightly OT but do you think that by offering incentives to current clients more work will come in?
I'm thinking of offering a couple hours free cleaning per quarter or something for customers who refer friends and neighbours who then sign up.
Maybe 1 free hour to the current customer for each sucessful referal. anyone tried it?

[dustycorner]

Hi Lisa,

I did something similar when trying to grow a window round. Any customer who got me a new customer got their next clean half price. It does work.

Cheers Mark.

[diamond-domestics]

We've only recently started up (end of Jan) and we wanted to throw a launch party.  I know its OTT but we thought we could make some good contacts and market ourselves around a bit with newspaper etc...

Now we don't have the money (gone on boring things like industrial vacuums and the like) but we have said that we are definately throwing a 1st birthday party next year.  We'll have more clients to invite (fingers crossed) and more contacts to make. And the newspapers lap it up!

Vicky

[Ali_D]

Hi Lisa

To celebrate your first year (congrats!) what about starting a loyalty club.  The ones already with you join automatically and get some sort of freebie, as a thank you for their custom over the year.  It can only help with your word of mouth referrals.

Ali

[hooverman]

We gave our customer's a Hamper and a Mug with our name on it.

[lynngc]

lisa,
well congratulations to  you and other lisa.

it is very hard in the first year, well done to you both.

perhaps a feature in the local evening paper, with a write up, plus photo.
these are very helpful to new businesses, and you get a great plug.
what ever you decide to do, good luck.

lynn