(Add to Favorites | View All Articles | Resource Directory)
|
|
|
Community Relations Strategy for Small Business
Does your company have a community relation strategy? Have you even considered it? It is essential to have policies in place. Having run a small business for years which eventually turned into a multi-state franchise system, I realized early on that a business who is part of the community it serves can survive the ups and downs of the business cycles, making it somewhat recession proof. Nothing turns off the community more than a business which refuses to give back a little and gives some ridiculous excuse of; "It is our corporate policy, sorry!" Many times a volunteer for a club or organization will come in and ask for a hand out. Rather than giving them an excuse, talk with them about what you can do, have a policy which helps them too. Do not just tell them sorry; "No can do" offer them other assistance instead. For instance if they come in a are looking for a donation, you might say. We are not able to give a straight donation, but we are allowed to give you an item or two on the discount rack for a door prize or silent auction. Your employees and managers of all your stores should have leeway to help you serve the community, which support your business. By having a policy up front and community relations over all strategy you can turn a potentially negative event, which will hurt you thru word of mouth into a bonanza of new discovered customers within that group. I have written an outline, which can assist you in promoting your community relations strategy. Now realize every business is different and ours is unique like yours. We are in the mobile car wash business and are able to do such things as car wash fundraisers and give out gift certificates for auto-detailing. But whatever business you are in you can easily develop a community relation manual by taking this outline below and modifying it and then writing three paragraphs for each item. This will give you an edge on your competition and help you align your business strategy with that of your community and insuring that you attain a larger and more loyal customer base. COMMUNITY RELATIONS I. CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS A. Volunteer Support B. Maintaining Lists 1. Change Yearly 2. Phone Numbers, Addresses 3. Share Lists 4. Networking With Lists C. Carry Through D. Remember Names E. Environmental Groups 1. Maintain Communications 2. Volunteer F. Attend A Meeting II. SERVICE CLUBS A. Rotary B. Kiwanis C. Optimist D. Elks E. Lions F. Women's Groups III. PTA'S, BOOSTER CLUBS A. Community Relations Representatives At Schools B. ASB Clubs C. Student groups D. Awards E. Scholarship Funds F. Fundraisers G. Coupons, Etc. IV. SENIOR CITIZENS A. Discounts B. Mobile Home Parks C. Golf Courses D. Square Dances E. Senior Centers V. SEARCH AND RESCUE A. Fires, Locusts B. Floods, Hurricanes, Tornadoes C. Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Tsunamis D. Riots E. Volunteer F. Other VI. WHEEL CHAIR WASHING DAY VII. MISCELLANEOUS "Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs
MORE RESOURCES: News provided by Yahoo! News and Google News Small business seminar set Reid: small biz package will kick off fall Senate agenda - The Hill (blog) Plastyc Makes Debit Cards a Small Biz Reality - TheStreet.com Small biz carries the workload - New York Post Smith discusses small business in G.I. How do you keep small business costs under control? Small-business owners see changes headed their way under health care reform Small business scams |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Do You Need Accounting Software for Your Small Business? If you're anything like me then you dislike with a vengeance doing your accounts and taxes.So how can you make this process easier, less painful and cut your accountancy fees?Well buying an accounting software package is one way. Dealing with insecurity - A must for success I was floored! I couldn't believe what they were saying! But there they sat -- three of the biggest film stars of our age -- telling the world they had issues with confidence. I was watching an interview where Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore were talking with Oprah Winfrey. Small Businesses - How to establish branding without spending a fortune When we speak of branding most of the time people try to relate it to big business house, however, the fact is that every business needs to establish their brand in order to survive the competition. This is nothing new; experts and management gurus had been preaching the same sermon for years now but what they have not told is why you need to brand your small business? How is branding going to help you to establish your business? How can you establish your brand without spending a fortune on it?You might be having a very small business but would you like your client to perceive your business as a small time entrepreneurial effort? Definitely not, and your business cards, letterheads and other marketing collaterals does just that. Loose Lips Sink Ships - The Fastest Way to Put Yourself Out of Business I agree that knowledge should be free, but the next person I see revealing their hard attained business practices in a public forum, I am going to feel the need to approach them, make them choose their own switch from an outside tree, then whip them with it.This is the mistake I see most small businesses make: running their mouths too much. Balancing your priorities- Not everything can be perfect As small business managers, we juggle limited resources in a quest for success. To an extent, when we focus on success in one area we forego attention elsewhere. Top 7 Small Business Tax Tips Here are seven ways for owners of small businesses to save money on their taxes.1. Find Some Sample Payroll Check Stubs on the Net for Easy Reference Starting a business? For many people, the bravery to venture out on your own is the ultimate dream, you're your own boss, you make your own time, and your dreams of making it big in the independent business lives on. But don't forget there are many responsibilities. Five Quick Ways to Speed Up Cash Flow At one point or another, almost every business runs short of cash. Whether due to normal fluctuations in demand or an unexpected decline in sales, cash shortfalls are the bane of every company, and are responsible for sleepless nights for many business owners. Small Business Credit Card Advantages Obtaining a business credit card enables the small business owner to separate personal expenses from business expenses. Offering business credit cards to their employees eliminates the need for employees to use their personal credit cards or cash to make company purchases. Offering free information may stimulate your business You've heard it before; we're living in an information age. The business world is no longer driven by tangible products but on information and ideas. Lubbock TX Good Market for a Service Business We very much like what we see in Lubbock, TX as a good place for a service business. The city is a very well designed and laid out town with growth in the 4-5% per year range, growth in the Northwest quadrant of the city is steady and good. Making Your Product Desirable For Alliance Partners How do you make sure you have the business solutions or services that your alliance partner needs?You can only make sure that what you have to offer a company fits into their goals and mission if you do your research on what drives that business. If you go in "cold" you are not likely to win any business as you do not know enough about the company and they certainly do not know enough about you. Small Business Marketing, According to Seinfeld What could Seinfeld possibly have to do with marketing a small business? As it turns out, all small business owners could take a few lessons from the show that brought us such popular phrases as "Man Hands" and "master of your domain".The Coffee Shop - Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine spent countless hours in the coffee shop, talking about "nothing. Put off procrastinating until another day One of the most common issues that comes up for business owners is procrastination -wasting time, putting obstacles in the way of taking action towards goals, making excuses for delays, creating confusion/busyness etc. Procrastination is a self-defeating behavior. Small Business Owners - They Owe You The Money Why Dont They Pay? Doesn't it frustrate you when you've given good service, sometimes super service, and the customer doesn't pay you?Some of them aren't doing too well and are struggling for cash, but, gee, so are you. In the time they take to pay they could have paid off a little each week and the debt would be gone. Genius Time? It Matters I frequently give presentations at small business gatherings, providing me the opportunity to have engaging conversations with owners about the challenges they face. Based on their input, the economy continues to plug along, heading in the right direction, and distancing itself from the difficult journey of the past few years. Arranging Your Fundraiser When deciding to host a fundraiser for your company or organization there are many fundraising ideas available to you for choosing. The most popular fundraising ideas range from chocolate, magazines and candles to candy and much more!When picking your fundraising product be sure to pick a product that will have a good mark up and will be an easy sell. Truck Detailing Shop Business Case Study As an entrepreneur you can learn a lot by following the real life case studies of other entrepreneurs. Often the text books in school leave out the beginning details and the juicy part of how it all comes together and is created out of nothing but a thought. Admit your mistakes - then do not repeat them That's right are you making enough mistakes in your business? Some of you are probably annoyed at my question; others are thinking "Geez, Rose! If I made any more mistakes I'd have to run screaming back to a day job!"If you went to school in the public school system in America, you were culturally trained to avoid and hide mistakes, after all; your teachers and professors didn't give you a great grade for your efforts unless those efforts produced great results. So, too, if you were an employee in corporate America you were rewarded for chasing perfection and penalized for making mistakes. How to Handle Rejection When You Start an Office Cleaning Business "If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you."Thank goodness starting an office cleaning business isn't anything like skydiving! If you fall flat on your face, there's no chance that it's going to hurt that bad.
|
| home | site map | articles |
| © 2006 |