In these modern times, the idea of a local community having an impact on the success of your business sounds a little… well… quaint. As if the mere idea is something out of the 1950s, when everyone in every town knew one another and all shopped at the same stores, ordered services from the same providers. It’s a rather provincial, fanciful idea to the modern businessperson.
After all, why would you need to be hamstrung by the needs of the local community in modern business? For one thing, you can sell and market to people who live thousands of miles away from you. You can provide a service for clients that you will never meet, instead communicating online. There’s absolutely no need to be part of a community anymore – unless it’s the general, global community, that is.
To an extent, all of the above is true. No longer does the success of your business find its root in the area in which it is based; it’s just not how the modern world has been created. However… does that mean you should abandon the local area entirely?
It might be tempting to do so; ignore all local marketing, ideas, and integration in favour of a more national or even global approach. Why focus on the small scale when you have got big dreams you want to tick off? After all, it’s not like you’re turning your back on the local area, is it?
You can still check your local rankings and indulge in the occasional leaflet drop in the area your business resides. The region will still be caught up in the general focus, services, advertising, – just because it’s not directed right at each specific area you operate in, that doesn’t mean you can’t be successful… does it?
Perhaps, but what possible benefits are you abandoning if you decide on a catch-all attitude to geographic locations rather than specialising in each area? As it turns out, you could be missing quite a few tricks.
When Businesses Become A Part Of The Community…
… they are protected by that community.
That protection might come in a range of different forms, but the most primitive form of protection is through patronage. If you are rooted into the local area, then there is something of a silent social bargain going on. People recognise that you help the area, so they will go out of their way to help you.
It might be a small number of customers who understand this intrinsic link, but sometimes, a small number of customers is the difference between keeping your company afloat and slipping under the waves. Loyalty is often referred to as being a concept absent from the modern business place, but it doesn’t have to be.
Of course, it’s imperative that you understand that loyalty works both ways. If your customer base is expected to stay loyal to you through thick and thin, then they need to have a reason to do that. There are a variety of ways you can integrate into the community and give back, giving a national or global business a local flavour wherever you are situated. Given the return is the loyalty of a group of consumers you will be able to rely on, it seems that trying out one of the following could benefit both sides exponentially.
1) Sponsor Local Events
One of the major benefits of local sponsorship is that it tends to be cheaper than the costs of running a campaign on a national level. You could sponsor fun runs, the latest local area duck race, or the local school sports day – all can help raise your profile.
On the surface, these events can seem like a financial loss for a relatively small group of customers targeted. However, adjust the way you perceive them instead: see them as loss leaders, which might cost upfront but which will be returned by a greater sense of belonging in the community.
2) Hire Local
Obviously, there are some positions your company might need to fill that are going to require hiring outside of the local vicinity. It’s just plain unlikely that you will be operating in an area which has the perfect candidates with the perfect qualifications right on your doorstep.
However, for less specialised positions, it’s good to garner a reputation as being an employee who will look locally first. If you take on seasonal staff to cope with rushes, advertise on a very local level (such as the newspaper or even just an old fashioned ad in the newsagent window) before you expand your search.
3) Get Involved In Fundraising
If the area you operate in has a fundraiser going, then it’s vital that your company be ready and willing to help out. Benevolence is one of the best reputations you can cultivate for your company, especially if you focus on small issues that are unlikely to garner national attention.
If could be anything from donating to the local hospice or getting involved in a crowdfunding campaign for a local individual. Maybe it’ll be the eternal local issue that catches attention every time; funding for the new church roof. Not only do you get the personal benefit of just doing something worthwhile, but the cache of having done so will be returned to your business for years to come.
4) Alter Your Branding
If you operate in numerous locations, it can seem cheap and efficient to run with the same kind of branding and marketing everywhere.
However, this can run detrimental to a desire to integrate with the local community. It is always worth switching things like leaflets and various branding to reflect the status of each branch of your business. It’s the difference between seeming to be a big, national, faceless, personality-free company and something that fits in with the regional way of life. This is an investment you won’t regret.
So while a modern business should be outward-facing and open to embracing the globalism that can be captured, there’s still plenty of benefits to be had from becoming a part of the community your business sits within. Why not give it a try and see how much you can benefit?
