What is your business doing to give back to the community?
Being a business owner, there are many opportunities for you to help the locals, many of whom likely support your brand.
Some business owners will simply write checks to area charities, the chamber of commerce, a local school or two etc.
Others, meantime, will opt to undertake some projects in the local neighborhoods. Still others will offer to sponsor an area Little League team or make some related contribution.
No matter what option or options your business chooses, it is important that you never forget the locals. Remember, without the locals, there is a very good chance your business would not exist to begin with.
With that being the case, is your business giving back to the community?
Put Your Thinking Cap on
In order to put your best foot forward in helping locals around your community, try out some of these options:
- Recycling – You might be a tad puzzled as to how recycling helps your local area, but it does so in several ways. First, some local groups (Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Little League, the local library etc.) might be accepting recycling donations. By contributing items such as cans, bottles, paper products etc. from your office, you are helping those local groups ultimately make money. Not only does this help you make a contribution towards keeping the environment better protected, but you also help residents of your community;
- Fundraisers – Many communities will have fundraisers during the year, events to help local or national causes typically. By contributing to such events, you once again are doing your part to help others in need. Whether you are a well-known company such as LV Sands or a small business involving just a handful of people, the message is the same. Doing your part to help the environment and/or local people is oftentimes one in the same;
- Sponsorships – Another avenue for you to consider is putting your company name to an area event. For example, maybe your community’s Little League team is competing elsewhere around the state or even nationally. You can sponsor the team, helping them with travel expenses, uniforms, and other necessary items to get them where they’re going, plus help them once they arrive. In return, your company’s brand will be seen by countless people, opening up the door for more potential clients;
- Hiring – Last but not least, hiring locals to work for you is about as good as it gets. On the one hand, you hire local talent; talent you know stands a good chance of staying in your community for years to come. On the flip side, your business is seen as one that clearly cares about the community. Even if you can’t hire many individuals for well-paid positions, you might want to consider bringing on some area students for internships. This is again a smart move, allowing your business to expand its message throughout the area. If a number of the interns ending up having positive experiences with your company, it might convince their parents to want to do some business with you. For those already buying from you, such experiences could increase their willingness to purchase goods and services from your company.
In a day and age when finances can be challenging for both business owners and consumers, working together is key.
It is hard to find those individuals who would not want to help the environment, so that is a good starting point.
Meantime, working together with community members on helping local causes, that is another win-win for those involved.
A brand’s image can go a long way in determining just how successful it can be.
Those brands willing to spend time working on their image are typically the ones that end up staying in business for longer periods of time.
Even though your number one priority at the end of the day is turning a profit, you might be surprised at times how far goodwill towards others will take your brand.
By giving back to the community, your company can not only be seen as a local leader, but also open doors to new potential business opportunities you might have missed before.