As a forward-thinking company, it’s important to think ahead without losing sight of what matters most. Some would say, “do unto others as you would like them to do to you”. As operators, you may already feel that you are continually giving back. You’re on the front lines assisting in natural disasters; you help keep parts, cities, and communities clean. However, there is more that can be done. Here are a few ways community involvement can boost morale, and will positively benefit your company’s brand!
Benefits of Community Involvement
From February to November, most of our industry is swamped with work. This leaves very little time to branch out, and it may be hard to give back locally, but there are many rewards in doing so. Offering your services (or staff) to good causes is a great way to obtain and maintain facetime with local people in the community. People enjoy being able to learn about local businesses and connect faces with names. In fact, 74% of consumers have a better opinion about a brand after an in-person event. (Markdebrand 2016). Customers that you meet at local events are also more likely to engage with your company. Additionally, if they have a satisfactory experience during the encounter/event this can be an easy way to spread good word-of-mouth. Think of community involvement as a style of ‘grass-roots’ marketing’, that has two amazing benefits. It illuminates your company values, boosting community perception, and inadvertently opens the door for unexpected leads.
It doesn’t stop with your business’ external perception. Make sure that your involvement is evident within your own walls as well. You may consider connecting with staff and asking them about causes or local community events that your business can engage in. This could also be a way for your staff to feel more purpose in the company. Giving back in the community is not only a concept for personal growth, but it also great for the business.
Can Community Involvement Grow Your Business?
Maintaining a healthy business helps build a strong community by offering jobs and creating city revenues. People are interested in working for a company that makes a difference. This is why community involvement is also considered a helpful way to attract potential hires. Small acts of service such as providing some extra hands at a local food shelf, highway cleanup, or possibly even sponsoring a local youth sports team, are all great examples of involvement. It is understood that business and customers are the number one priority, but it never hurts to pay it forward. Just don’t forget, in order for the deed to have the biggest impact, it needs to be done without anything expected in return.
Finally, let’s talk about how community involvement helps with the longevity of your business. As the millennial generation are gradually taking over the workspace, it is important to maintain your company image as one that is focused on helping others. As we inch our way to 2020, millennials are expected to be nearly half of the working class (Forbes 2017). According to Cone Communications, 70% of millennials are willing to spend more with companies that support causes that they care about (Forbes 2017). One of the factors that are making HR professionals reconsider where they work is how the company engages with the community.
In short, reaching out into the community ca:
- help you with local marketing
- attract good candidates for your company
- help employees feel rewarded
- increase overall public opinion of your brand
For links to our studies, or more ideas on how you can get more involved with your local community, check out the links below.
- Alton, Larry. Forbes, 2017 accessed 2 Dec, 2018, forbes.com/sites/larryalton/2017/06/20/how-millennials-are-reshaping-whats-important-in-corporate-culture/#128e1d302dfb
- Markdebrand 2016 accessed 3 Dec, 2018, https://markdebrand.com/experiential-marketing-statistics/
- https://thrivehive.com/ways-to-get-business-involved-in-community-2/