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Especially for small businesses, embracing your local can be vital to your ongoing success. Your local community members not only make up the large portion of your customers — if not all of them — but they also can act as key support when times are tough and help ensure a thriving local market of small businesses, entrepreneurs and community organizations.
But to fully immerse yourself into your community, you’ll need to ensure your efforts are thoughtful and well-planned-out. For guidance, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council offer their tips for how any business can become a valued, trusted pillar of their surrounding community and why doing so is so important.
Give Support to Get Support
First and foremost, support your local businesses! Get involved with your community, shop locally and strive to make a positive impact within your immediate area. Living with intention is a great first step in building rapport with your local community. – Kim Pham, DASH TWO
Build Genuine Relationships
Focus on a relationship that is based out of a genuine interest to provide value to the community on a sustained basis and not solely to chase profits or seek charity. Opportunities to create genuine win-win partnerships with the community live where business interests overlap and align with top priorities of that community. Businesses that identify and pursue that intersection will succeed. – Salim Holder, 4thAveMarket.com
Share Valuable Advice
Share your success story and advice in a local medium. It’s our moral responsibility to give back to our communities. If you’re thriving in business or doing something meaningful, share valuable advice with others who want to follow in your footsteps. This isn’t about advertising; it’s about presenting yourself as a caring and knowledgeable member of the community. – Victoria Kennedy, Marisa Johnson
Be Honest and Show Up
First, be who you say you are. Companies can feel pressure to over-promise in an effort to appease and impress their community. But broken promises can damage a company more than non-involvement, so be honest about what you want to bring to the community and then do it. Second, show up. Writing a check is great, but showing up at the dinner leaves a lasting impression. – Amanda Reiman, Personal Plants
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Volunteer at Local Organizations
One way I have been successful in my local community and in giving back is by volunteering at local industry organizations. The true friendships and connections we made will last a lifetime. This includes chambers of commerce organizations and meetups. – Matt Campbell, My Wedding Songs
Listen to and Understand Your Community
Give before you take. Form real relationships with the goal of helping others around you rather than attempting to extract value from a community straightaway. Listen, look and try to understand your community, whose input is valued, where people gather (physically or digitally) and where your time or expertise would be welcomed. – Amanda McLoughlin, Multitude
Give a Voice to Other Local Businesses
Use your platforms to give voice to and amplify local businesses. It’s a great way to connect consumers and other companies to support local people and products, making a difference and helping shape your local community. – Michael Klein, cannabisMD
Build Your Reputation as a Community Partner
Build your community within your community by attending and speaking at events, vending at events and even sponsoring charitable events in your area. Your reputation is your business, so building your reputation as an involved community partner can help drive support from your local community members. – Sonia Singh, Center of Inner Transformations
Offer Your Skills, Services and Sponsorship
Setting aside portions of revenue for local organizations is common, but nothing beats showing up. Offer your skills or services to local causes, events or programs. Sponsor time or products for community activities. Getting boots on the ground involves your businesses in the local conversation and, bonus, it builds team morale. – Andy Hale, Hale & Monico
Truly Engage Your Whole Team
Make the time to truly engage with your community organizations and businesses. Take a look at your operating expenses and determine what you can source from within your community. Prioritize giving to local organizations and rally your team to support them as well. Finally, get involved in the socioeconomic leadership discussions that will impact the future of your community. – Eileen Valois, Go West Creative
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