This past year we learned the true power of a community that bands together in tough times. Small businesses serve as the lifeblood of many communities around the world. You can significantly impact your community by working together with neighbors to support local interests and encourage others to push through challenges.
Lending a helping hand is terrific; being a prominent influence in your community is better. There are no limits when local businesses are willing to step into their neighborhoods and contribute their time on a human level. This engagement forms deep-rooted connections with buyers, positively builds brand recognition, encourages customers to shop local, and develops a devoted consumer base.
Implement these four methods leveraging your brand to encourage and engage your community members right now.
Celebrate Milestones
The small moments every community loves to rejoice about have gone unnoticed this past year. Doing what you can to commend other’s accomplishments can personify your brand and strengthen your roots within the local community.
With so many events and people to celebrate, there is an endless opportunity to spread positivity and support locals that make a difference. Current times make it seem like there is not much worth applauding, but it is quite the contrary. Healthcare workers, veterans, firefighters, teachers, long-term care providers, parents, and anyone going above and beyond the call right now are great examples of local heroes.
Customized signage is perfect for giving praise to these otherwise unnoticed moments. Yard signs, window clings, car wraps, banners, and flags call for supporting your chosen achievements from customers and passersby. Go above and beyond by sending personalized packages to compliment those engagement efforts.
Small gifts such as stickers, pens, and mugs are another fun way to spread your message and support your local community. Those promotional products will serve as a tangible reminder of your brand and the trust you’ve built, in addition to being commemorative take-home items for the people you’re celebrating.
Become A Local Business Sponsor
Get your brand in front of more eyes while building the “like, know, trust” factor simultaneously. People in every industry need extra support right now, and you can be the hero that answers their call.
Sponsoring a children’s sports team is one popular choice, and this could allow you to place your logo or company name on uniforms. With so many options on how you can get involved with your community, you can grow your customer relationships. Sponsoring an event allows you to get your message across in the way that you see it.
Sponsoring a local club, nonprofit program, fundraiser, or other community event displays your logo on advertisements for the event and signage, printed materials, t-shirts, and promotional items at an event. Whether you host a table, donate giveaways, or give a short presentation, events provide endless opportunities for brand awareness.
Give Away Free Valuable Information
Release small bites of advice tailored to other business leaders and professionals. Site visitors will return to your site and share with colleagues if they found some value in the content they found on your website. Teach community members something new, and they will view your business as valuable far beyond just the product or service you sell.
No matter what business you work in, you have treasured information you can offer. Position your brand as an industry expert to educate and engage potential customers, build credibility, and grow your tribe.
Host a virtual series of events that people can look forward to offering information and resources to save others time researching. For example, business owners are well-positioned to provide graduating seniors with interview tips or hold a class on entrepreneurship basics. Other ways to engage with the local community are DIY craft workshops, cooking classes, or virtual group workouts.
Offering a free download in exchange for an email address is a highly effective strategy to get more traffic while also expanding your email marketing list. The more tools and information you can offer, the more consumers and search engines recognize the value your website is providing. Find out what your community members are interested in and identify ways to use your expertise to share knowledge.
Support Other Local Businesses
You know how challenging navigating the current market can be. Other local businesses face those same challenges and are likely looking for fresh ways to bring in new business. Now is the perfect time to get to know your neighbors and team up to help each other!
Partner up with businesses that are not direct competitors of yours. Joint promotional offers or a “support local” campaign turns new heads to your website. You could even share fliers or coupons to drive traffic to each other’s businesses.
Great business leaders are highly involved in their community, working closely with other business owners to make a difference locally and forge new relationships. All the businesses involved will benefit from the extra exposure, which will strengthen your community.
Community Involvement Is Key for Your Business
As a local business, it is essential to have a presence in your community. When you support your neighbors during difficult times, you all come out stronger on the other side. Consider this an opportunity to gain brand recognition, build a loyal customer base, and make a positive local impact by getting involved.