In 1999, Congress designated May as National Military Appreciation Month. This is an opportunity for all Americans to publicly express their thanks for the sacrifices and triumphs of our current and former service members. Six national observances are held throughout the month, beginning with Loyalty Day on May 1 and ending with Memorial Day on the last Monday in May.
Even if your company or organization is not military-focused, you can still do your part to honor the many heroes of the U.S. Armed Forces. Here are just a few ideas.
Hand out freebies to employees and customers.
Have a military-themed custom lapel pin created that also includes your company’s name or logo. Distribute these tokens to your staff and customers and encourage them to wear the pins during the entire month of May. You’ll get valuable added exposure for your business while helping others to recognize our military personnel and veterans.
Offer a discount to military members.
Consider providing a generous discount or coupon to active and retired military ID Card holders. Present it along with a custom-designed lapel pin, lanyard, key chain, or other branded gift. This is a great way to build goodwill with customers and spread the word about your business!
Honor your club’s veterans.
Do you head up a local Lions, Shriners, Elks, Masons, Kiwanis, or other club? Have an embroidered patch created to honor your chapter’s current or past service members. Consider sponsoring charity projects that assist veterans, or presenting at a community veterans’ ceremony. Have a custom lapel pin created with your chapter’s logo on it and pass it out at these events.
If you run a military-related support group, strengthen camaraderie by handing out custom Military Appreciation Month lapel pins to all participants.
Get young students involved.
This month is a terrific opportunity to teach young people the importance of showing gratitude and support to our service members (past and present). Have your students send thoughtful, hand-written cards and letters to hospitalized veterans or those living in veteran homes. With every note, include a military-themed lapel pin with your school’s logo on it.
Engage your followers.
On your Facebook and other social media pages, invite your customers and followers to name their favorite military hero or share a special story about that person. Choose your favorite comments and reward those individuals with a branded lapel pin, silicone wristband, or lanyard. Or send a pin to all contributors to thank them for their time!
Designing Your Pin
Lapel pins are more versatile now than ever before! Today, you can choose from an exciting array of pin styles—from silkscreen and offset printed to die struck and cloisonné. An experienced pin vendor can help you determine what type of pin is best suited to your purpose and budget. They should also be able to guide you in the design of the piece, whether you have ideas in mind or are starting from scratch.
Once you’ve “pinned down” a look, you can explore various ways to enhance your pin with gemstone accents, metallic plating, and special packaging. When all is said and done, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind lapel pin you’ll be proud to show off!
Caryn Smith is Manager of Signature Pins. When you need custom lapel pins, visit https://signaturepins.com/custom-html/ today.