Using Social Media to Showcase Your Company’s Longevity 

By Becca Anderson

Longevity doesn’t have to be explained. Sometimes it just has to be shown. 

If you have great equipment, celebrate its durability. If you have outstanding employees, celebrate their commitment. If your company has a rich history, tell those stories. One of the easiest places to do all of that is on social media. 

I took a couple of hours one afternoon just to look for posts that companies had made online that demonstrated longevity in creative or interesting ways. See what you can learn from them, and adapt these ideas for your own company.

Editor’s Note: Most of these examples have a link within the text. Click through and watch the original posts. They’re worth a few minutes of your time. 

Straight History Lesson

Ontario Laundry Systems has been in business over 30 years. They put a post on Facebook that read:

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗔 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿.

At Ontario Laundry Systems, we’re committed to helping our customers improve efficiency, reduce costs, and keep their laundry operations running smoothly. We pride ourselves on always being a family business built on honest relationships. For over 30 years, our clients have known that we don’t paint a false picture—we give you the truth and stand by our word. Have questions? We’d love to help. DM or email us at info@ontariolaundry.com.

They coupled the post with a video of Warren Gibson talking about how the company got started in their parents’ basement. 

Take-away: This is a company that started small, has grown over the decades, and still remembers and values its roots.

Salute the Heroes

Pellerin-Milnor is focused around equipment and the folks who build it. If you’ve ever toured their plant in Kenner, LA, you have seen the pride of workmanship everywhere. It’s only natural for the company to highlight the people who have been multi-decade pillars of the company.

The post itself saluted individuals who had been with the company 25 or 30 years, plus it congratulated a retiring employee who had been with the company 46 years.

NOTE: We are not reproducing that post here, because we don’t have permission from the honorees. This is an important point. If you are saluting employees, you MUST have their permission to put their images on social media.

In place of the images, Pellerin-Milnor’s COO and Executive Vice President, Rick Kelly, sent this statement:

“One of the things we are most proud of is the dedication of our employees. Every month, we celebrate team members reaching remarkable service milestones—from 20 years all the way up to 50 years with the company. Their commitment, expertise, and contributions have been instrumental to our success, and we are deeply grateful for the knowledge and leadership they have shared over the years.

As many of our long-tenured employees begin to retire, we are equally focused on preserving that invaluable institutional knowledge for the next generation. We have implemented cross-training programs to broaden skills across our workforce, and we are leveraging AI-powered tools to create modern work instructions that go beyond traditional written procedures. By incorporating photos, videos, and guidance, we are capturing the practical experience of our veteran employees in a way that makes it easier for new team members to learn, retain, and build upon their expertise.”

Take-Away: This company is proud of the people who make success possible for all of them. They make an ongoing practice of honoring the employees who made the growth of the company possible. Employees notice that appreciation, and many stay for decades. Customers feel good about a company that thinks like that.

Natural Tie-In

It’s great when you can get your message out in conjunction with something others are already thinking about. Dexter did this with their 4th of July Facebook post.

Not only does it salute the country for its milestone birthday, it subtly reminds people that Dexter has been making great equipment for an awfully long time, as well. 

And, sticking with Dexter for a moment, they also have an outstanding video on Facebook that combines energizing music with crisp videography to tell their story of being founded over 130 years ago, and all machines made in the U.S. The comments indicate that they got their message across in an enjoyable way.

Take-Away: This company has a history to be proud of, and feels very solid because of it. That’s a good message to convey to potential customers, and reassuring to those who already own Dexter equipment.

Expertise and Legacy

Crouse’s Cleaners combined a salute to heirloom garments with a subtle way to show off their staff’s ability to handle any kind of garment—old or new. The video follows the garment through the process to full restoration, with staff shown gently handling the delicate dress to keep from damaging it.

The text with the video says:

If this dress could talk. Think of the first dances, the happy tears, and the family history woven into these seams. Restoring an heirloom isn’t just about pressing fabric. It’s about preserving those exact moments for the next generation. We treat every heirloom piece with the care its history deserves. 

Take-Away:  We know what matters to our customers, and we handle it with care. Don’t worry, if you leave it with us, we’ll give it the proper attention to detail.

Industry Leadership

Dempsey Uniform & Linen Supply put a post on Linked-in to salute its own president for his long service to TRSA, and being named Board Chair of the association. Why is that significant? It says that this company is working to improve the whole industry, not just its own bottom line. It has a president who devotes time and energy to making that happen.

The text with the post said:

Dempsey Uniform & Linen Supply President, PJ Dempsey, has served on TRSA’s Board of Directors for more than a decade and has held numerous volunteer leadership positions, including Board Treasurer and Chair of the Government Relations, TRSAPAC, Strategic Planning, and Environmental Committees. Most recently, he served as Vice Chair of the Board.

Regarding his new position as Board Chair, he says, “TRSA plays an important role in advancing and strengthening our industry, and I’m honored to serve. I look forward to working alongside the Board, staff, and members to build on TRSA’s strong momentum and help ensure our industry continues to thrive.”

Congratulations to PJ from the entire Dempsey team!

Take-Away: Our whole company is behind our president, who is actively working to improve the whole industry. We have depth in this industry, and want to see it grow and succeed.

Maximizing Exposure

Kreussler posted a post about a post! Actually, they were capitalizing on the fact that they have a real asset in Chris White, who both represents their brand and runs America’s Best Cleaners, a certification group whose affiliates are among the top tier of cleaners. So when Chris was invited on the popular podcast “Cleaner Conversations”, it wasn’t enough to hope people saw it. Kreussler posted an image from the podcast and linked back to it. This is a way to maximize good exposure online.

The double-edged sword of social media is that everything that is posted is there forever. In this case, the fact that the podcast is still available long after it actually happened just drives more attention to the company and its expert. As the subhead said, “When Chris White talks about the industry, people listen.” There’s no good reason not to tout your experts!

If you have someone who is invited to do a TV spot or a podcast or is otherwise featured in media or social media, don’t just nod and say it was great that they did that. Draw attention to it on your own social media so people take notice.

Take-Away:  “We have very knowledgeable people in our company who are leading the industry and are experts in the field.” The subliminal message is that if you want this kind of insight and expertise, you have to come to their company for it.

Let Someone Else Say It

It’s great when you blow your own horn, but when someone else does it for you, it has a lot more impact. A post on Facebook from Loomis Brothers Equipment Company highlighted Pellerin-Milnor equipment that they found while on a repair call.

The post read:
Loomis Bros. Equipment Company

Built to Last

I recently visited an install of some new dryers at a St. Louis hotel, but the real star of the show was a Milnor washer from 1995 — 30 years old and still running strong! Proof that quality equipment stands the test of time.

The post included photos of the equipment, including the tag from the back showing the proof of how long it had been in service. Pellerin-Milnor reposted the post. Smart!

Take-Away: “We don’t even have to tell you about this. Others see it, too!” The fact that someone else called attention to the equipment just gave it more validity to a casual scroller.

Get Posting!

What is it about your company that demonstrates strength through perseverance? That’s what longevity is all about. Your people, your company itself, your products or how you provide services, your mission, your depth with the community or the industry. These are all areas you can talk about to reinforce your company’s staying power.

The next memorable post about standing the test of time could well be yours. I’ll be watching for it.

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