Have you recently won an award, reached a milestone or just done something pretty incredible? Of course, you want everyone to know.
Recently, the company I work for achieved Gold partner status from Acumatica. As a new Acumatica partner, this is a huge deal for us and we are pretty excited about it. I wanted to do more than just put the new logo on our website. I wanted to make a splash.
Skywriting? Paint our office gold? Convince my team to wear gold lamé suits to the next Acumatica partner event?
I don’t have the budget for any of that.
So, I asked a few of my marketing buddies and we came up with this list of creative yet realistic ways an ERP/CRM partner can promote an important news announcement.
1) Post blog articles about the big news. (You knew this had to be #1 on my list.)
2) Share the news on social media – Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Don’t forget the hashtags.
3) Update your website.
4) Have your CEO do a video explaining what this news means to the organization and what it means for your clients. Or have your team do a fun, lighthearted video showing their reaction to the great news. (Repeat steps 1 to 3 to promote this video.)
5) Do a mailing to your key referral contacts, or top clients, with a note about the announcement. Since I was announcing GOLD status, I could send something golden, like bags of gold chocolate coins or gold dusted chocolate covered strawberries.
6) Publish a press release. Try to include quotes from industry influencers. (Our press release.)
7) Write about it in your email newsletter or send an email blast to clients/customers/partners.
8) Submit to online sites that include Partner news such as “The Partner Channel Magazine” or appropriate partner forums/groups.
9) Design a custom email signature graphic for all your employees to use. (Hint: use Canva.com)
10) Update your LinkedIn profile and ask your team to do the same.
11) Take a photo of your team holding a sign announcing the news. Maybe add some gold party hats and confetti.
12) Have a party at your office to celebrate the news and share photos (or videos) on social media.
But before you start your celebration party, there is something very important to keep in mind. Your audience. Just because this news is super exciting to you does not necessarily mean that anyone else cares. You got Gold status? You have been in business for 25 years? So what?
In all your communications, be sure to focus on how the news translates into value for other people. The audience you are talking to could be your clients, prospects, partners, referral sources, employees and even hiring candidates. From their perspective, answer the question, “That’s great for you, but why should this matter to me?”
Some of these methods are easy, and others are a bit more time consuming. Choose the ones that fit the type of news you have to share. And have some fun – after all, you’ve got something to be excited about!
By Anya Ciecierski, Collaboration Works Marketing
Twitter: @AnyaCWMktg