Giving back to the community is integral to any small business’ success. One of the easiest ways a small business can do so is through participating in community service.
Community service is a great way to give back to the area you operate your business. It also can help attract new business and promote employee happiness. When a small business takes part in community service, not only does the community greatly benefit, but it does as well.
Therefore, it is immensely important that small businesses take the time to bring their employees together and positively impact their communities.
Here are four ways small businesses benefit from giving back to the community:
1. Creating loyal customers
Customers enjoy supporting businesses that give back and do good in their communities. They feel these businesses care about more than just making a profit and want to keep the communities that support them. When a small business is dedicated to helping a cause, its customers become more invested in that small business and that cause. Furthermore, a small business gains an extra advantage when it performs community service with a nonprofit its customers have a pre-established connection with. These customers enjoy knowing their money is going toward a cause they care about each time they do business there.
2. Engaging employees
Employees greatly value the opportunity to venture out of the office and make a difference in the community. A team that has the opportunity to interact in a nontraditional, informal setting forms closer connections. Employees are more relaxed in creating stronger relationships. This helps them perform better when they return to the office to work with their co-workers. Furthermore, when small business owners allow employees to be part of the decision about where they will volunteer, they feel their voices are heard. This leads them to believe that their opinions are valued. Therefore, employees feel more closely connected to their coworkers when participating in community service. They become more connected and engaged in their work overall.
3. Attracting new customers
When a small business takes part in community service, it has the opportunity to attract a variety of new customers. Consumers who hear of the community service a small firm participates in may be touched by its efforts. They may want to show their support by becoming a customer. Furthermore, the organization to which the small business is devoting its time may wish to show appreciation by becoming a customer.
4. Promoting positive public relations
When a small business gives back to the community, it has the opportunity to develop a positive reputation with the public. Small businesses need a public relations team to inform the public of their community service projects. The public relations team will work to ensure the small business receives coverage in the news. This informs consumers of the philanthropic work it is doing. This will, in return, create a strong, positive public perception of the small business, which will likely also bring in more business. Furthermore, it will help to distinguish the small business from its competitors. The business will establish itself as an organization that works to promote the well-being of the community it thrives in.
Small businesses may not have the resources to employ a public relations team. They may be able to obtain positive press, expanding their reach by sharing their good deeds on social media. The business could also benefit from sharing posts others have provided on social media. These posts should highlight the organization’s work in the community.
Taking part in community service is a powerful way for a small business to not only make a positive impact on its community but also on itself. However, a small business should not choose to give back to the community with the sole interest of receiving these benefits.
When small businesses decide to conduct community service, they should do so because they are passionate about the cause they donate their time and want to see it flourish. Small businesses genuinely devoted to their community service endeavors will stand out from those just giving back to receive good press.
Here are a few ways a small business can show it is committed to community service:
- Donate a portion of its profits to the nonprofit where it is volunteering
- Ask customers to round up their totals at checkout and donate the difference to the nonprofit
- End the work day early or cancel the work day altogether, so employees can volunteer at the nonprofit
- Host a fundraiser for the nonprofit
When a small business employs any of these tactics, it demonstrates to consumers it is not just conducting community service to strengthen its reputation and attract customers. The small business is dedicated to advancing its community and in its actions of donating its time and money to will prove this.
Participating in community service is extremely important for any small business. When small businesses give back their time and money in a meaningful way, they positively impact the communities that support them.
PaySmart is a payroll provider located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, supporting small businesses in the Central PA region. We are dedicated to helping small businesses take care of their payroll needs. To learn more about how PaySmart may provide payroll solutions, please get in touch with us at 717-766-1777. Our New Client Concierge is waiting for you!