Tips for community engagement
If you are a smallish business operating within a defined area what do you to engage and stay relevant to your community? Sometimes the ideas just don’t come which is why we have put together a list of suggestions to get you thinking about what you might do to better “spread the word” and create long-lasting good vibes.
Share interesting stories about your staff members - not only does it providing grounding with customers to know about “real” people behind the scenes, it also serves to boost team morale.
2. Connect with other business owners that you work with and write/share stories about your connections.
3. Connect with one or more of your customers and create posts or blogs about what they do in the community.
4. Product or service giveaways - think about how you might reward customers for sharing your message.
5. Set up a community event to raise money for a charity that fits with your brand.
6. Set up a drinks and nibbles event which embraces your supply chain - how are your products or services made? What sets you apart from your competitors? What are the steps you take towards quality control that are taken and how important are they? Put on a 5-10 minute presentation (anything longer will seem like a sales pitch) that is designed to generate questions from the audience that can be answered more casually once the presentation is over.
7. Set up a monthly podcast where you interview a client or staff member and talk about success. Share far and wide on social media.
8. Write to customers and tell them about initiatives you have in place or are putting in place to reduce your carbon footprint. Ask for their feedback about things that they are doing in this space and look to adopt some of your customer’s habits. Over time feedback to customers what you have taken on board and how it is working.
9. Ask your customers to provide written/video or sound content for you to share on your website and social media.