When you are running a business, no matter what industry you are in, it can be hard to gain a competitive advantage. There are only so many customers around and so much money that they have to spend that it can be difficult to come up with ways to reach your target audience and grab your slice of the market.
Sometimes focusing your efforts elsewhere is a good idea. For example, it is very good to give a little bit back to the community as and where you can.
Giving back not only makes you feel good it also does wonders for your business’s reputation, especially if you provide something that is beneficial to the local communities and families, such as a playground. Giving where you can, can help enrich your brand and promote your business at the same time, so it is a win-win situation all around.
If you contribute to your local community you will most likely end up gaining repeat business from local customers as well as raising and increasing brand awareness within the local target market.
Why Contribute to Local Communities
Local communities are most likely the lifeblood of your business. If you do not employ local people, then you probably will sell to them. Either way, loving where your business is based or operates from is important as it fosters a good impression. Giving back to the local community, through donations of items, a supply of items, or funding for local projects will give your business and brand a boost, both in the short term and long term.
Contributing to a project or sponsoring a project such as an outdoor playground featuring commercial quality outdoor equipment will be something that will be talked about for many years to come. When investing any money into your community your return on investment should be long-lasting and long-lived, and it is important to remember that results may or may not be seen instantly.
What You Can Expect to Achieve
With any investment within your business, you will be evaluating what you will receive and achieve in terms of return. For a community enrichment project such as a playground, you can expect an instant boost to your business image.
Local media and possibly even media further afield (national) will pick up on your contribution, and it will only be beneficial to boosting your brand’s image and reputation. So once you have decided to invest in a community project, no matter what your contribution is, it is now time to start working on making and boosting your business’s brand, image, and reputation.
Marketing and Promotion
Once you have decided what project or projects your business will be contributing to in your community it is time to start creating and putting into place a marketing and promotional plan.
Do not wait until the project is completed to start shouting about it from the rooftops. As soon as you have the go-ahead for your project start getting the word around. From creating press releases to updating your social media with regular progress updates, you must now carve out marketing opportunities that highlight the contribution you are making.
Do not be afraid to start working on promoting the launch of your community involvement project as soon as possible. It is never too early to get the word out and about with regards to what your business is contributing and how your contribution will help your local community.
If you are investing a significant amount into a community project it is probably wise to get a marketing and promotional expert on board sooner rather than later.
A good marketing professional will be worth their weight in gold, they will ensure that everyone who needs to know about your involvement within the community does know. A good marketing professional will save you the time, stress, and hassle of having to build awareness of your community project/enrichment scheme, especially if you are busy running your business.
By now you will most likely have decided what you want to contribute to your local community, and what you expect to achieve or receive in return. The next step is to start working out the timescale and budget of your project.
Working out these two areas will be essential to establishing the results you need to receive and wish to receive from the project before you undertake it. Remember not to let figures affect you too much, as whatever industry you are in, contributing to local families and communities will certainly be of benefit to your business growth and development moving forward.
