Small businesses should never forget where they came from. If it wasn’t for a thriving local community, many small companies would never enjoy any success. It’s the local people that buy your products and keep coming back every day that set you on the path to greatness. As such, it only makes sense that you give back to them. For many companies, it’s not a case of being unwilling to give back, rather they don’t know where to begin. You can start with these four ideas:
Sponsor local sports teams or events
Communities will be full of local sports teams or events that everyone enjoys. As a business, you’re in a unique position to be able to help both teams and events prosper. If you sponsor a local sports team, you can supply lots of youngsters with lovely jerseys, a place to train, and money to actually stay afloat. With your help, a local event can have the funds to put on a show that gets the whole community involved. It’s a brilliant way of giving back, but you also benefit from some extra exposure as a sponsor. So, it’s the definition of a win-win!
Invest in finding solutions for community problems
No community is perfect, and you may have several problems in your local area. This could include things like an increase in rubbish on the streets, a lack of funding for schools in the area, social issues, etc. Local businesses can make a huge difference by investing money to help find solutions for these problems. There’s actually a very interesting article by Jozef Opdeweegh that talks about how we can all do more to help those in need. One point he makes is that business owners could invest in social issues or help find answers to common problems. Ultimately, there are people who come up with the answers, but they lack the funding to put them into practice. This is where local businesses come in; they can come together to provide the funding required, leading to a better community.
Volunteer within the community
As the business owner, you could make a huge statement by volunteering within the community. It actually does wonders for your business reputation as you seem like someone who genuinely cares about where they live. You might volunteer at local nursing homes, volunteer to pick up rubbish, and so on. Of course, you can get your employees involved, but it’s up to them if they want to do it or not. Perhaps they will be encouraged to join in when they see you lead by example, and then see the positive response this gets.
Support a local community charity
Another great way to give back to your local community is to support a local charity. This could involve donating money, volunteering your time and expertise, or holding events or fundraisers for the charity. For example, with Christmas around the corner, why not consider donating gifts to a local charity that supports children who may have experienced abuse, neglect, or trauma? Businesses can purchase an Amazon returns pallet that will provide the charity with a variety of gifts that they can choose to distribute as they see fit. Whatever form your support takes, it will have a positive impact on the people of your community and help make a difference in their lives.
This short list has already uncovered three very valuable ways of giving back to a local community. Remember, businesses tend to hold all the power within local areas. But, you only got to that position because of the people in the community. Not giving back is a very bad thing to do as it shows you’ve lost touch with your roots. Your business looks like a corporate pig that only cares about profits. By engaging in the community and trying to make a difference, you’ll earn endless respect from those around you.
