Building a local business that supports the community is no easy feat. You need to be able to immerse yourself in the local community to fully support them and give back to enable you to lean on their support and make your business their go-to destination for the service or products you supply.
It doesn’t matter if you are a local mom-and-pop corner grocery store, contractor, construction company, or medical facility; you need to be able to support the local community to build better relationships and support the longevity of your business.
Know the Area
You cannot build a local business if you don’t know the area you are setting up business in. Even if you’ve lived there your entire life, knowing the history, backstory, cultures, and demographics of residents will serve you well in the long run.
Look to experts in your local area and read any works they have published, such as Angelo Dellomo Mays Landing works chronicling the history of forgotten towns. Connect with historians, colleges, or universities and get to know as much as possible about the area you are serving.
Charitable Efforts
There is no better way to serve your local community and get to know the residents than by volunteering to help with initiatives, sports teams, or charities set up to offer help and support. It can be supplying food to and helping out at a local soup kitchen, sponsoring a little league team, or holding fundraisers or galas to help raise money for issues close to people’s hearts. Locals will look favorably on those invested in giving back and helping the less fortunate.
Buy Local
Say you are a small new restaurant or diner. Using local produce and suppliers can help you to make connections in your local area and use these to market your food and meals. If you use fresh fish for your seafood dishes, promote this as you can guarantee your food is high quality and as fresh as possible.
If you use produce from a local farm, again, this can help you to offer better quality foods and support local businesses at the same time. Find out who can deliver what you need in your area and choose local businesses over out-of-town companies as much as possible.
Partner with Businesses
If you can partner with a complementary business, preferably one already established if you’re a new business or vice versa, this can help you build your visibility and reputation easily without investing in additional marketing. You can offer joint services or offers when using each other’s services, run joint giveaways or promotions, or stick to each other’s products.
For example, if you’re a coffee shop, you can sell a local bakery’s muffins or sweet treats. If you can offer value to another business that also benefits your customers, then it is worth exploring this avenue to boost your company.
Supporting your local area is about more than providing a service for the residents. You need to fully invest in everything the area stands for and meet the needs of consumers and other businesses to help you boost your profile and do some good for those you want to use your company.
