Running a small business can be challenging, but also rewarding. When it comes to community engagement, using your business to support local causes can be personally gratifying as well as helpful to getting your name out there. It builds brand awareness, attracts employees, and increases customer awareness. In this article, we’ll cover 7 ways to get involved with local events and organizations. Now is the time to start planning your community involvement for the year!
1. Volunteer with Local Organizations
Instead of doing the same basic team building exercises that have been done before, help your team bond over volunteering together. For example, you could sign up to help at an animal shelter, collect items for donation, work a food pantry, participate in a 5k, and more. Volunteering with your employees helps show your business’s support for the community in which you’re located. It allows you to live out your values while making your little part of the world a better place. Volunteering is also a great way to expand your brand footprint, making yourself visible to existing and potential customers. You can post about your volunteering activities on social media as well.
There are just a few things to keep in mind when planning an employee volunteering event.
- Will the time be paid and during their regular working hours? Or an optional event during non-working hours?
- Avoid charities that might alienate some employees, such as religious or political organizations.
- Make sure that all employees can physically participate–heavy lifting in a food pantry, for example, might not work for everyone.
2. Sponsor Local Events
Support your community and get your business name out there by sponsoring local events like music festivals, town celebrations, community sports teams, charity events, school events, and more. You could also appear yourself and/or send employees to represent your business and lend a helping hand in person.
3. Hold a Fundraiser
Hosting a fundraiser or collecting donations for a cause that is important to your business and employees is another great way to get involved locally. For example, many local businesses put out “Toys for Tots” boxes at Christmas time. Collecting school supplies before the Back to School season is also a popular idea. You could also collect canned and shelf-stable food items to donate to a local pantry. Consider offering a special discount or other incentive to customers who bring donations. If you want to do a fundraiser instead, the ideas are endless. Just consult with your accountant about the best way to handle collections and the total donation.
4. Host an In-Store Event
If you have a brick-and-mortar store where retail or other physical goods are sold, you could host in-person events once a month or so with light drinks and refreshments for guests. This can help get people into your store who may have never come in otherwise and encourage people to spend some more time in the store browsing, increasing the chances of a purchase. Ideas for other types of in-store events include inviting speakers to give a talk or presentation, launching a new product, tarot card readings, live music, sip & paint night, etc.
5. Participate in Local Job Fairs or Resume Workshops
If your business is looking to hire new employees, participating in local job fairs or career advancement workshops for resume writing, interview practice, or skill building is a great idea. This is a way to give back, find your next hire, and can help position you as a leader in the local business community.
6. Join the Chamber of Commerce in Town
Becoming a member of the local chamber of commerce board is a great way for business owners to get more actively involved in the local business community. Business owners get to network with other business owners in the area and can help advocate for better business policies and procedures.
7. Offer Discounts to Local Heroes
Show your appreciation for teachers, military personnel, firefighters, and more with discounts for hometown heroes. This could be a standard practice, or you could have certain discounted days for different professions. It’s a nice message to send–even people who aren’t eligible for the discount can appreciate that you do it. “Local hero” discounts can also help foster a sense of loyalty to eligible customers and incentivize them to return to your business for future purchases.
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