Community Engagement Strategy for Small Businesses | 3 C’s
As a small business owner, one of the best things you can do is get involved with your local community. It may seem like a burden in the beginning, but it can be considered a solid long-term investment. This is because the action will spread good word of mouth about your brand, setting it up for success. However, this is only possible if you have an effective community engagement strategy.
That’s why, in this article, we’ll discuss the necessary elements that will help your engagement strategy succeed.
What Are the 3 C’s of Community Engagement?
The following 3 C’s of community engagement are important to consider when developing your strategy:
Communication: A good strategy is one that uses communication to promote understanding and trust in a community. It encourages open dialogue so that every individual feels valued and heard.
Consultation: Including consultation in your strategy means considering the community’s opinions when making decisions. Their acknowledgment is very important if you want the engagement plan to be effective.
Collaboration: The collaboration part of the community engagement strategy means to involve the locals in its implementation. This includes partnering with other businesses and individuals to create solutions together.
Tips for an Effective Community Engagement Strategy
Now that you have understood the 3 C’s, let’s discuss what all you can do to engage your local community.
Participate in Charitable and Sponsor Events
A great way to show the locals that your business cares about the community is by participating in charitable events. You could make donations or participate in organizing a fundraiser. Another great idea is to sponsor events like contests and festivals.
All this will create a good business reputation for you among the locals. In fact, 85% of customers are known to have a positive image of businesses that give charity.
Partner With Other Companies and Local Influencers
Another tip for your community engagement strategy is to partner with other local companies for a common cause. This will help you achieve goals that were unattainable without the shared budget and resources that the partnership will bring.
We also recommend connecting with various local influencers to spread the word about your activities to their fans. Since the fans value the influencer’s recommendations, they’ll extend that trust to your company, too.
Help Students With Workshops and Internships
Communities love businesses that try to give back by helping people stand on their own feet. That’s why you should include the arrangement of workshops in your community engagement strategy. Help the youth learn new skills that they can build careers out of.
You should also offer internships in your company as a way of giving back to the community that supported you. This will further encourage them to support your business, knowing you’ll keep benefitting them even in the future.
Offer Small Grants and Sponsorships
As a small business owner, you can also incorporate mini-grants in your community engagement strategy. These can be used to fund various community events and organizations. Apart from this, you can also step forward by sponsoring different programs.
For example, you could sponsor local sports programs to help them get the necessary equipment. You can even choose to sponsor art programs trying to raise funds for things like venues, costumes, professional coaching, etc.
Conclusion
Community engagement can be a primary key to the success of your business. So, it’s always a good idea to invest time, money, and even your products to build a strong engagement strategy. The abovementioned community engagement strategy examples have proved to be useful for many businesses.
They will help you show the zeal of your brand in giving back to the community. In return, they’ll offer you their support, encouragement, and appreciation.