Take advantage of the benefits of local support by integrating your business into the community.
All of your customers come from your local community.
Communities want locally-owned businesses to succeed. Small businesses create job opportunities, keep money in the community, promote a diversity of services and help maintain a local character. Familiar national brands might be tempting to consumers, but if you remind customers of your connection to the neighborhood, you’ll have an advantage over larger corporations. Here are some ways to strengthen your relationship with the local community:
Become the expert in your community
As a security dealer, you have a unique set of skills and resources that could profit local residents. By making some of your service freely available, you can be at the top of mind of your consumer base when they need home protection.
Business Financial Services recommended providing potential customers with free knowledge provided by your expertise. You can write an article about home safety tips for a local newspaper. You can speak at a local organization about securing business facilities. Use social media to share free pieces of information and advertise other public appearances.
You can differentiate yourself from your competitors by emphasizing your commitment to local safety. Remind your audience that you live in the community and you want your neighbors to be secure.
You can speak about security at local meetings.Take part in local endeavors
Customers prefer working with businesses that give back. A 2013 Cone Communications survey found 82 percent of U.S. consumers will take a company’s history of social responsibility into account when choosing a product or service. According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the community expects a small business to hire locally, partner with other small companies and take part in community decision-making.
Be a voice in your community’s affairs. Partner with other businesses and see what kind of service your customers expect. When new zoning laws or business regulations are proposed, see how your vote or participation could help the local economy, even if the proposal doesn’t directly affect your business. You can take it one step further by putting up some money to sponsor community activities and charities.
Volunteering
You can give money to a local charity, sports team or fundraising event. Any form of investment will show you care about the success of your community, but donating your time will especially show your support.
Providing your employees opportunities to volunteer in the community will allow you to network directly with your customer base. It could also help the inter-office environment. Some employees want to volunteer. A 2014 Case Foundation Report shared by the United Way discovered the majority of Millennials will consider a company’s volunteer opportunities when deciding to accept a job offer.
Don’t force your employees to volunteer but allow it as an option. By providing your employees with an opportunity, rather than a chore, you empower them to represent your company in a positive light through team-building activities.
“Technology has nearly made paper obsolete.”
Going Green
The Cone Communications study of corporate responsibility indicated about a third of consumers want companies to consider the environment while conducting business.
Going paperless is an easy way to create a green office. Technology has nearly made paper obsolete. Are there business practices you can move to electronic options? You can automate paperwork wherever possible to cut down on wasted resources and time. Security billing software can eliminate needless payment processing steps and paper statements.
A greener office will provide an opportunity for great public relations content. You can advertise your paperless policies in customer online messaging. Whenever you adopt a practice that is good for the community, whether it be financial, charitable or environmental, you should share it with your consumers.
Excellent customer service
Above all, you want to provide your community with the best service possible. Your consumers have many reasons to support local businesses. Striving to be the best option available will secure their patronage.
By partnering with businesses in the area, you can have access to information about your client’s history with other services. By taking part in community events, you can speak with potential consumers one on one. Security dealer software will help you take all of this information and create data you can use to facilitate top-notch customer service.
Use whatever tools and tactics are available to achieve the success that your community would be eager to support.