Though being an entrepreneur involves following your dreams, that doesn’t mean you have to make your life’s mission all about yourself. Successful entrepreneurs think about the impact they’re having on the community and look for ways to improve it. Some are prompted by truly altruistic intentions, but many do this almost exclusively for the benefits they will gain from being community-minded.
From the benefits of social procurement to the advantages of honest advertising, the following methods for making a difference will bounce plenty of positive things back your way.
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1. Spend your Dollars Wisely
No business can get by without at least a few expenses. However, by focusing on social procurement, you can leverage these necessary costs to do good. Social procurement involves taking expenses you’re already accruing and adjusting them so that they do some good in the community.
For example, if you need to hire staff to package your products, you could work with a company that helps people with disabilities find employment. When it comes to the packaging itself, you could stock up on eco-friendly options from a small local business rather than going for the cheapest variety available at a major chain store.
2. Advertise Honestly
If you’ve ever bought a product based on the advertising, only to discover that it doesn’t even come close to living up to its promises, then you’ll understand how much good you can do by bucking the deceptive trends and being honest with your advertising.
To be successful as someone who is honest with their advertising, you’ll need to ensure that your products and services genuinely are as life-changing as you claim they are. By stepping up like this, you’ll build a stronger offering. With that strong offering, you’ll build a loyal customer base of people who appreciate your combination of absolute honesty and top quality. As you can imagine, this will lead to positive results for you and for the community of people who appreciate your products or services.
3. Donate some of your profits to a worthy cause
A great way to use honest advertising to your advantage is to donate some of your profits to a cause that’s relevant to your business, and then let people know about it. You’ll need to do your research to ensure you align with a charity or non-profit that is honest, legitimate, and genuinely helping its cause. You’ll also need to be 100% transparent about how much you’re donating.
4. Volunteer at local events
Whether it’s a holiday food drive, your niece’s sports carnival, or a clean-up effort at your local beach, volunteering on community projects is a great way to offer your support and get to know people. If you can’t find volunteer opportunities that spark your interest, consider creating your own initiatives. You may wish to clean up the park across the road from your serviced office, collect and distribute care packages for low-income families in your area, or any number of other things.
5. Partner with and promote other Entrepreneurs
When you find other business owners who share your ethos of supporting the community, share what they’re doing with your audience. Not only will you be helping the other entrepreneur, but you’ll also be helping your customers by connecting them with a business that genuinely cares about serving them well. If you’re careful about who you partner with and who you recommend, then you’ll build a great deal of trust with your audience.
Whether you’re motivated by altruism, self-interest, or both, the tips above are a great place to start if you’re determined to make a positive impact on the community.
Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.
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