Ribbon cuttings, anniversaries and awards
A photo, a crowd and a plaque. Cheap, and owners remember it for years.
Ribbon cuttings, anniversary visits and an annual business award are the recognition side of business retention. They cost little, produce a photo the business will use for a year, and give the EDC or chamber a reason to show up at the door.
What is a ribbon cutting program?
Chambers across Texas run ribbon cuttings for grand openings and milestone anniversaries, with members, elected officials and the public invited, a photographer, and the photos shared afterward. Galveston, Denton, Lufkin and Lake Travis all publish how to request one. Some chambers add business birthdays: a visit and a photo at year one, year three and every five years after.
The annual version is the award: Business of the Year at the banquet, with the owner's family in the room.
Why does it work?
- Recognition is retention. People stay where they are appreciated.
- The photo becomes the business's marketing for a year.
- Every anniversary is a reason to visit, and visits are the program.
How do you start a ribbon cutting program?
- Put a standing request form on your site.
- Build the kit: big scissors, ribbon, a banner, a checklist.
- Bring a photographer and post an album the same day.
- Add anniversaries. Pull the dates from your visit log and the sales tax permit list.
- Give one award a year, chosen by the board, and tell the story of why.
Texas examples
- Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce, ribbon cuttings and business openings
- Denton Chamber of Commerce, ribbon cutting program
- Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce, ribbon cuttings
What to watch out for
- Do not skip the small ones. A food truck's ribbon cutting matters as much to its owner as a plant opening does to the plant.
Pair it with: the certificate in BRE in a Box. A business that gets its Google listing to 90 earns a certificate from you, which is a ribbon cutting for the digital storefront.
Questions directors ask
Who qualifies for a ribbon cutting?
New businesses, relocations, expansions and milestone anniversaries. Some chambers add business birthdays at year one, year three and every five years after.
What goes in the ribbon cutting kit?
Big scissors, ribbon, a banner, a request form and a photographer who posts the album the same day.
How is recognition a retention tool?
Appreciation is why owners stay engaged with the EDC, and every anniversary is a visit.