Having a community that supports you is essential for survival — this is especially true when running your business. Whether online or in person, you’ll want to seek opportunities for community involvement.
After all, contributing to your community and doing some community marketing does more than just benefit your business.
With winter activities coming in full swing, it’s a great time to think about how you can get involved in your community.
What is Community Marketing?
Community marketing is all about connecting a brand to a specific community, whether on or offline. It helps you stay focused on treating your customers like people and not just numbers. And that is a key part of gaining loyalty.
Community marketing is a chance to intensify your customer relationships. By tapping into both social and emotional needs, businesses create an association between their consumer’s moral identity and the businesses they support.
Building a branded community gives a place for your customers’ passions to meet your business’s purpose.
What Are the Benefits?
- Community Growth. By getting involved in your community, you make it a better place and foster even closer relationships with others in your area.
- Brand Awareness. By making your company more visible, you provide people the opportunity to get to know your brand and build trust with you.
- Competitive Advantage. By getting out there, you can get a leg up on your less-than-involved competitors. And because customers prefer doing business with companies they trust, building trust leads to more business.
In-person Ideas
Become a Sponsor
Sponsorship marketing often goes missed by small businesses, but is an amazing community marketing opportunity. Don’t believe the myth that you have to have big bucks to tap in. Whether you host a water tent at a sausage sizzle, or adopt a few classrooms at your local primary school, your care and support will be the star.
You can even help sponsor a local kids Footy team, getting your brand out there to families and friends.
And the return? If you worked hard to solidify a personal connection, you’ll likely be at the top of people’s minds when choosing services.
Participate in the Local Farmers Markets
If you want ways for people to meet the face behind the brand, farmers markets are a great opportunity. While generally they’re a vendor’s paradise, service-based industries can get in on the action, too.
Catering companies can show off their cooking chops by selling meals. Salons can set up braid specialists at a booth. Even an A/C tech can use an outdoor unit as a cooling station and explain the importance of regular cleanings.
The goal is to get acquainted, so draw them in.
Host an Industry-related Event
We’re not talking webinars. If you have brick-and-mortar premises, use them to your advantage. Invite current customers to bring others in the community out for a bit of fun.
Host a block party with other local businesses to build a referral network or go it alone. If you’re a pool-cleaning business, rent a field or community center and have a fun water day.
Barbers looking to get more involved can open their shops for free back-to-school cuts and styles right before classes return.
Online Ideas
Collab With Other Businesses
Collaborating with other small businesses can improve leads and boost your chances of success. If you’re looking for another business to link with, consider:
- Businesses you like
- Vendors you use currently
- Companies that complement yours
- Businesses located near you
- Locally popular businesses
By working together online, you can cut costs greatly. Simply promoting the partnership on social media, both businesses immediately increase their reach. If both companies are OK providing free services, join forces for a fun giveaway.
When you’re not running giveaways, build a service package. You can’t be a one-stop shop for everything. By teaming up with local business partners, you can build the perfect package to solve your customers’ needs.
Music Playlist
Does your brick-and-mortar shop have a specific vibe? Help your clients enjoy that vibe at home by curating brand playlists and making them available to stream.
Go general and replicate the exact music played in your office or salon, or have even more fun. Allow each employee to make their own streams to share with customers. That way, when their phone plays it, they’re reminded how much they appreciate your business.
All in all, by forming a community around your brand using community marketing, you can fire up growth and build long-term relationships. And then everyone benefits, all year long.
