Getting involved with your community is good for business as it can enhance your reputation and performance in the market place. So where do you start?
- Find out about issues and initiatives in your local community from research via the internet, your local authority, your customers, employees and suppliers.
- Speak to your employees and get then involved in potential community projects.
- Make contact with local community groups to understand their ethos, activities and how you could get involved. Consider how a relationship could benefit both parties.
- Look at your existing business resources and how you can use them to benefit the community and your business at the same time. Would you open up your premises to help a local organisation run an event for example?
Do you have a social cause close to your heart? Would you consider engaging with a named Charity? You can find out about local or national causes that are relevant to your business and industry. Supporting a cause could mean supporting a local business. For example volunteering or mentoring.
So what are the benefits to your business for supporting a good social cause?
- Giving relevant skills can contribute to real social change within your local economy ( link to economy page).
- Supporting a good social cause can be motivational for your staff.
- In your marketing initiatives you can highlight your cause related activities.
- Can help build loyalty from your customers and suppliers.
Where do you start?
- Meet with your team to discuss potential causes to support.
- Research local and regional causes that are relevant to your business or close to your heart.
- Check out what your customers and supplier support, and if you and your company can get involved.
- Look at the potential benefits for both the local economy and your business.
- Look at your marketing strategy and how can you can include this in your promotional efforts.
You can find additional information at the following websites:
