Getting Your Business Involved with the Local Community
It’s not easy to run a small business these days. You have a lot of competition from major retailers and other organizations, not to mention that people can easily find whatever they need online. As a small, local business, you need to find ways to bring in customers; otherwise, you won’t last long. One strategy you should explore is getting involved with your local community since your larger competitors may not have the same opportunity.
Benefits of Community Engagement
There are some great benefits of engaging your business with the local community. Perhaps the biggest benefit is brand recognition and reputation. When you engage with the community, you also get the word out about your business while simultaneously associating positive feelings with your brand. This is especially important for businesses that rely on local customers. While many small businesses focus on modern marketing tactics like SEO and social media, connecting with your local community remains one of the best ways to market a small business.
Community engagement can also lead to positive relationships. You never know who you might meet during your community outreach and how those relationships might benefit you down the line. You might be able to make new sales, find a better supplier for your materials, or create a strategic marketing partnership with your new connection. Connections are a big part of running a small business, and engaging with the community is a great way to make them.
Strategy 1: Sponsorships
The first way you can explore engaging with your local community is through sponsorships. Sponsorships are when you donate money or something else of value to a local group/event/cause in exchange for having your business’s name published. For example, you might sponsor a local 5K charity event, during which your business’s name would get promoted at the race.
Sponsorships are a great way to engage with your local community and have residents associate your brand with charitable causes. There are many things you can sponsor, such as kids’ sports teams, charity drives, firefighter trophies, arts and cultural programs, community development projects, and much more. Think outside the box and about which causes are important to you, then explore if there are sponsorship opportunities in your area.
Strategy 2: Partnerships
Partnerships are another great way to engage with businesses or other organizations in your area. With a partnership, you and another organization work to benefit one another. For example, let’s say you run your own small bookstore. You could partner with the nearby coffee shop, promoting each other’s businesses or hosting events together. Both businesses benefit from the partnership, as you get to promote your services to people who are likely interested in them.
Strategy 3: Host Community Events
Rather than waiting for community events to join, your business could host its own community event. For example, that same bookstore could host a children’s day, where parents can bring their kids to your store for events like story time and games. Or, if you run a bakery, you could run a workshop on how to bake certain desserts. Think about your particular area of expertise or what your business could share with the community, then start developing some events around those ideas.
Strategy 4: Create a Volunteer Program
A great way to give back to your community is through a volunteer program. At your business, you could create a volunteer program, encouraging your staff to volunteer at local charities. For example, you could close down your business for one day, during which all your employees instead volunteer their time working at a charity event. This is not only a great way to help local organizations but also a great team-building activity and a way for your team to bond outside of work.
Strategy 5: Offer Educational Programs
Finally, consider offering some educational programs. If there’s something that you’re an expert in, you could teach others about it. For example, if you offer computer repair services, you could offer seminars on computer safety, such as how to detect phishing attacks or offer coding classes to kids. Educational programs allow you to share your passion with others while also establishing your business as an expert in your industry.
Start Engaging Your Business in the Local Area
Engaging with your local community is a strategy that takes time to implement. But, if you consistently work at it, you can receive some tremendous long-term benefits. It’s the best way to ingratiate yourself with the local community, building lasting relationships and a positive reputation with your target audience. We hope the above strategies are of use to you and that, before long, you’ll have some strong community engagement strategies in place.
