Community involvement has long been a way for businesses to set themselves apart, cultivate stronger relationships with potential customers, and create a meaningful legacy. Both employees and company leadership want engagement that connects with the community and shows their target audience the business is about people AND profit. So how exactly do we do that?
Achieving Deeper Community Engagement
People are emotional beings. We’re drawn to inspiring stories of change and community impact. These stories should also be authentic. They should convey how giving reflects your company’s values or is connected to your people.
Consumers have finely tuned senses. By being open about what motivates your giving, it closes the door on consumer skepticism about “greenwashing” and instead forms a deeper connection.
Three Strategies to Highlighting Community Engagement
If your organization is a force for good but needs a storytelling refresh, try one (or all) of these top marketing strategies to highlight your community engagement.
Marketing Tip #1: Leverage the Power of Your Website.
The typical consumer uses social media, making it one of the best places to share the impact you’re making in your community. Through video, images, or creative graphics, you can highlight the nonprofit organizations you partner with, show your employees volunteering for a day of service, or create eye-grabbing Reels that demonstrate the outcomes of your organization’s impact.
Marketing Tip #2: Get Behind the Scenes
When heading out to a day of service, plan ahead. Take shots of the team getting their hands dirty, but also think of unique ways to show what the day means to you, such as interviews or an employee “takeover” of your social media accounts. Get behind the scenes to show what service means to your partner–and your employees.
Marketing Tip #3: Create an Informative and Engaging Community Landing Page
Landing pages dedicated to community impact speak volumes about your mission and priorities. It’s a space where you can show why you’re partnering with a certain organization, the impact you’ve made (or will make), and content that shares the benefit of your partnership in a creative way.
As a bonus, think about a giving link so that others can look into your community partners more and do their own giving if interested.
Marketing Tip #4: Stop the Scroll with Inspiring Videos
Whether on social media or your website, video has the power to stop a viewer in their tracks. Create a video that tells the story behind your community involvement, how you got connected with a specific charity or what your employees have gained through making a community connection.
Start by focusing on one person, whether an employee or beneficiary or single cause. Show them in the workplace as well as interaction with community partners and let us hear from them why the work is personally meaningful and fulfilling.
Communicating clearly about your community involvement is an essential part of forging strong relationships with your ideal customers. Your story and your values are intricately connected. Embrace telling your company story through the lens of your purpose. When you talk about living your values, it fosters a human connection with our audiences, inspires others to do good, and helps foster a community where business is a force for good.
