Southeast Michigan
Your business does not operate in a vacuum. Regardless of its industry, market segment, reach or scale, your business interacts with, affects and influences many people. What many small business owners often take for granted is that their personal relationships with the people in their market can have a tremendous impact on the success of their business. Take it from experienced small business coaches—making a difference in your community makes a difference in your business.
What Does Small Business Community Outreach Look Like?
Community outreach doesn’t necessarily have to mean community service, or product or monetary donations—but don’t skip those things, either. If your small business’ logo keeps showing up at events you’ve sponsored, you’re not just getting good market exposure. You’re creating a lasting, positive impact between your brand and your community’s collective memory. You can have a similar effect by participating in school drives, food pantry donations, disease awareness and fundraising events, and more.
Outside of that, community outreach is about your small business’ presence. Even if you’re not regularly spending time or money on improving your community, you can still establish a presence by getting to know the people who surround you. Arrange or attend local business meet and greets. Join groups like your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club or others. Be a neighbor. If you ensure they remember you, people in your community are more likely to choose you over a competitor when they’re in need of your product or service.
If you’re struggling to get your foot in the door or aren’t sure where to start, a small business advisor can help. Expert small business coaches can teach you invaluable strategies to establish, grow and maintain your and you business’ position in your community.
Our Advice? Make a Difference
Companies that show they value community service will earn a positive reputation in their market. This can lead to an important boost to your visibility among potential customers and clients, but it goes beyond that.
Your community is full of people—not just customers. Genuine gestures of good will in your community weave your business more tightly into the fabric of your market’s economy and make you more visible to your next top employee or a partner that may allow you to add a new revenue stream to your model. If you and your small business become household names in your community, it could lead to more job applications and better hires or exciting new partnerships between yours and other local businesses.
It’s Not Just Rewarding For Your Business
Improving your business is one thing, but it’s not the end of the list of rewards that come with establishing a strong presence in your community. Many of the entrepreneurs our small business advisors have helped agree that one of the most satisfying aspects of owning your own business is the opportunity to create change in people’s lives. When you get involved in your community, you’re creating positive change for that many more people—plus improving the place where you, your family and friends all live, work and thrive.
Ask a Trained Small Business Coach
AdviCoach small business advisors have the tools, strategies and business coaches to help you get your business growing through valuable community connections. To get matched with the ideal business coach for you, reach out today.