How to make an impact in your local community
Posted on 1st June 2022 at 16:56
We’re often reminded, when we look at all the larger companies, at just how valuable business values and ethics really are. Long gone are the days when competitive marketing saw businesses winning custom by undercutting each other. For a few years, a business hasn’t needed the low price tag to be effective. They had to be human; or shared a set of political or charitable views that would resonate with their target market.
It might be easy for the likes of Lush to shout about their environmental concerns, among other things, with their large marketing budget and the resources to make a global impact. Smaller businesses may feel they have more “in-house” concerns. However, to make an impact, you don’t have to think global. You can still make an impact right where your customers live.
Here are some ways you can consider making an impact in your local community.
Donate your marketing time to a local cause
A lot of smaller businesses have a charity of the year that they support. Whether this be by creating fundraising events or organising sponsored activities; it gives a business the perfect opportunity to showcase a great cause. Some businesses might not have the resources to stay consistent on social media or would benefit from another voice delivering their message.
Donate some of your marketing time and budget to writing about a great local cause. By repeating the amazing things that they do or writing informative posts that will help to signpost those in need to the charity, you can work towards raising crucial awareness.
Local causes often slip under the radar in comparison to the larger and better funded charities you see everywhere. You can really make an impact on behalf of a local cause by adding your own business voice to their conversation.
Volunteer a little time to helping out
Some of the most impactful causes need more than just awareness. Take local foodbanks for instance; the people that work there on the occasional weekend are all volunteers. These people are donating their time, quite publicly, to helping the community and making a meaningful contribution.
There are plenty of charity shops, foodbanks, or public events that could use the extra hand. Whilst you could be accused of using a cause to better your business, as long as you keep volunteering and keeping talking about it, you are bettering your community. You are just helping raise awareness and this effort will be noticed.
Be a frequent commenter and sharer in your community
Sometimes, other people just say it better than us. For instance, are you going to create a post more meaningful than the one a charity has created? They have people there dedicating their lives to a cause, it stands to reason, they will put their point across better.
The good thing about social media, is that the posts are there to be shared and to reach the maximum amount of people. Don’t be afraid to share a post, even tag a few people in it that you think might be interested. And don’t just do this across your business pages. There are probably more people looking at your personal profile than your business page anyway.
It doesn’t always have to be a charitable part of your community
Charities are not the only organisations that could use the exposure. There are a lot of smaller businesses out there that don’t compete with you directly. Think about the great Sushi you had from the new takeout business; or think about the restaurant that has just opened. You can easily create an online community of these local businesses if you just invest a little time into helping them talk about their business.
In your own marketing, talk about your experiences with these businesses. Leave Google reviews. Recommend them on Facebook to people you know. Share them on your own profiles. Mention them in email marketing. These little things you can do might make the greatest impact for them.
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The short answer is yes; not that it is the main point of this blog article. Your business could also benefit from being part of the community. People will see your values and ethics, and they will gauge you by how hard you work for the local community. It will keep you at the forefront of their minds.
We would never suggest cynically jumping on the bandwagon of a hardworking charity just for some social media points. However, people are buying more and more with their hearts than with their empty wallets. If you can demonstrate a commitment to bettering people’s lives, then people will readily support you in your endeavours.
For more information on how you can best help your community, and the benefits it can have for your business,
please contact us on 01604 698 948. Conversely, you can email us on hello@tj-marketing.co.uk
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