April 14, 2023
Sometimes it takes out-of-the-box thinking to really change your company’s marketing strategies.
One way companies are seeing an unexpected change is by incorporating more community outreach into their yearly goals. If you want to build your brand on principles of loyalty and a volunteer spirit, you have to live those values.
Reaching out to customers is important for building brand loyalty, but it can be hard when your customers only see you online or you’ve run out of new ideas.
Instead of having a staff whose faces are anonymous and a brand identity that mixes in with all of the others, start making your brand stand out by becoming a stronger part of the community. How do you do this?
You can become better known as a brand, and as a team, by getting involved in customer outreach.
When you start sponsoring youth programs or volunteering, your brand goes from another brand that wants consumer’s money to one that stands out for their charity, their willingness to be active in the community, and the impact made on people’s lives. That’s one of the most genuine ways to build your brand.
Make your customer service and marketing plans great this year by incorporating more community outreach through these possibilities.
Volunteer at Habitat for Humanity
If you think volunteering might be right up your alley, you would be smart to work with a program like Habitat for Humanity. This program is not only giving houses to people in your community who could later turn into your customers, but it’s helping with homelessness and disadvantaged residents.
Many people participate in this volunteer project every year. Get involved by organizing a day that you could volunteer with your team, getting your faces out there, and making a real difference in someone’s life. You could offer a financial donation, but your personal interaction would mean the most as you build your brand.
If you don’t want to organize your whole team, perhaps you could incentivize company volunteering efforts by creating a contest or other prize for team members that volunteer the most hours.
Choose the program you want to work with and have your staff receive a bonus or perks–like a great parking spot–if they get the most hours in this month. Not only will your team feel good about making a difference in the community, but people will respect your brand for being active in volunteering your time and energy.
Try a sponsorship
Do you like the idea of sponsoring something more than volunteering? Perhaps you could do both. Sponsorships are a great way to get your brand name noticed, and all it costs you is a financial donation.
Sponsoring a youth sports program is common for companies that want to show they care about the youth of the community and to get their brand name recognized on team jerseys or on the field.
Show that you care about the community by getting involved in a youth sports program sponsorship.
You might consider sponsoring a local foster care organization as well. This is especially great during the holidays when the care programs are struggling to maintain their operations.
Sponsor a foster care facility or organization so that your team can offer money for a shopping spree or holiday gifts. You can also offer your time, which may mean taking the kids to a fun activity, like a sporting event.
The community will take notice, and you’ll know you’re doing your part to help disadvantaged children in your area.
Raise money or set up a grant program
Sometimes companies prefer to stick to a financial contribution and nothing more, which is completely fine.
Set up a community grant program to show that your employees want to get involved with the community. Give your staff the chance to give away the money to the cause that they are most passionate about for an added bonus.
You might decide to raise money for a local cause by setting up a fundraising event or crowdfunding campaign. Go with a cause like a children’s need, a homeless shelter, or other local charity. Promote your involvement on social media to help raise awareness about the cause and show your customers the charitable side of your brand.
Use these tips to increase your community outreach and build your brand. You’ll find that it in turn leads to better customer service and more respect of your brand from the community.
