5 Ways Your Business Should Be Bonding With The Local Community:

Now more than ever, small businesses need to look for ways to capitalize on relationships within their communities.  It’s a great way to solidify your presence and ensure some level of sustainability and growth. Accomplishing this can be done by aligning yourself with and connecting to the business and people around you. Doing so successfully will most likely gain new opportunities for you and, depending on your strategy, establish you as a cornerstone of the community. The “go-to” for all needs provided. Achieve this, and word of mouth will quickly become your best source of clients. 

This is not a difficult or far out-there concept. Many businesses see the value in such an approach, but achieving it, can be quite daunting. By the end of this article, I hope to provide you with 5 tactics that will get you on that path.

1. Meet and Greet Your Neighbors

Whether you’re new to the area or have been at your location for some time, it’s always a good idea to make a habit of stopping in to see neighboring businesses. Say a quick hello and checking on how things are going creates the perfect opportunity to promote your products and services. It’s also just a nice gesture and one that will be appreciated. The people you talk with may not be in the market now, but they may be soon or at a minimum, know someone else that may be. The impression you make by taking the time to get to know them will pay dividends in the end.

Be a consistent patron when possible too. Little things like buying morning coffee for yourself or coworkers do a lot to build a relationship. Your engagement in actively supporting the community will foster similar actions from those around you and will help build your reputation as an active supporter of local businesses.

2. Join Local Business Organizations

Many communities have various organizations and networks made up of and in support of local businesses. As these organizations are built to advocate on behalf of the business community, it is a good move to become a member as well as a participant. Everything from a Rotary Club to a local Chamber of Commerce can provide not just benefits to members, but endless networking opportunities. Often you will find that they assist in organizing a variety of events and methods of reaching out to the community. Joining these organizations will not only present you with networking opportunities and exposure but likely helpful advice for the management of your own business. Shared business practices and experiences are a frequent topic of discussion and will offer you additional ideas for your own business.

Some membership organizations also offer workshops and mentoring programs for business management and development. You can even gain access to business grants. Much of this is just a click away and can be found on local community sites. 

3. Get Involved

It’s a rather straightforward notion, but it’s amazing how many businesses don’t take advantage of this. Most communities and schools have regular events ranging from food festivals and food drives to parades, concerts, and sporting events. The existence of these events typically relies on the involvement or sponsorship from local businesses such as your own. Each different event offers a unique opportunity to get your name out in front of the local community. You could sponsor or host an entire event or just a team or food booth at a festival. The act alone will gain you valuable exposure to those who live in your community and beyond.

These events are managed in a number of ways with some offering their own management and promotional services. Some, however, may require the businesses involved to help promote the event. That’s not always a bad thing as it serves as yet another way for you to reach out to the people and businesses within your community.  

4. Contests and Giveaways

This is a big one because as we all know, the word “free” could quite possibly be one of the most attention-grabbing words in the English language. Nothing attracts the masses like something that is “free.” Just about every business has done this or will do it at some point as choosing to give away a product or service in exchange for the audience regularly delivers a return on your investment. This type of promotion also makes it much easier for businesses to justify an “ask.” It’s almost expected when engaging in a promotion like this. The trick is to ensure that you are connecting with truly qualified buyers and not just people looking for something for nothing.

In today’s world, things get muddied quickly with the constant bombardment of texts, emails, and other forms of messaging. Ensuring that the promotion you will run will indeed connect you to the right potential buyer is critical. Try to make it relevant to that person’s lifestyle or interest. The more they can connect with your promotion, the more likely you will be to gain them as a future client. 

5. Educate

This can be done in a number of ways depending upon the business you run. Anytime you have an opportunity to engage potential buyers and educate them about something useful and meaningful to them, you jump on it. Doing so creates value in your brand. People will look to you as an authority in your field and thus, buy from you in the end as they see you as their source for problem-solving. 

A good example of this is a car dealership holding seminars or posting how-to videos answering commonly asked questions such as how to pair a phone or engage in safety features. If you own a bakery, you might host a cooking class where a financial advisor might teach people how to balance their finances. The list can go on and on, but the important thing is that the class has value for those participating. You become a resource and a reason for people to invest in what your business provides.

Being a small business owner is no easy task. It is further complicated when one finds themselves in an increasingly larger pool of big corporations. The key thing to remember and build upon is your relationship with the community and how you connect with it. Most people would prefer to deal with someone they know and can physically visit and interact with. In an increasingly faceless world, it’s time to reconnect with each other. Being a small business can actually provide you with a competitive edge and strengthen your small business community. Moving forward, operate with this in mind: The human element of your business is your edge and a great asset. Use it and help people get to know you.