5 Ways Your Small Business Can Give Back to the Community

If you own a small business, you may be wondering why sometimes you get a bad reputation. You probably get frustrated about the stereotypes of a greedy, out-of-touch business owner. On the contrary, you love your community and wouldn’t be anywhere without them. So how can you disprove the image of some higher-up who isn’t involved in the day-by-day activities of the community?

While running your own local, small business is already impressive, there are extra steps you can take to prove to everyone that you cherish your community. Read on to learn the most effective ways you can give back to your community as a small business.

1. Become an Active Sponsor

There are so many things in your area you can get involved in monetarily. You can sponsor concerts or a little league baseball team. By being a sponsor, you’ll become a hero to the ones putting on the event. Your sponsorship may make the event possible or give them the extra funds they need to knock it out of the park. It is also a great way to remind people about your business and they’ll associate your brand with the satisfaction they have of going to these events.

2. Donate Proceeds to a Local Charity

Giving a certain percentage of sales is becoming common among all types of businesses. You could easily set aside 5% for a charity in your area. Is there a homeless shelter that does good work? What about one fighting cancer? Find a cause that’s near to your heart and make donations a part of your business practice. Not only can you deduct this type of giving, but is also improves your image and develops goodwill.

3. Offer Discounts to Cherished Members of Society

You don’t need to maximize profits for every single sale. Think about offering discounts for elderly citizens, active-duty military members, or veterans. Not only will this help these people get what they want at a more affordable price, but it will help you develop customer loyalty and get recommendations. If you become known as the local business that cares about those in need, you’ll get more traffic.

4. Become Environmentally Friendly

You’d be surprised at how easy it is to go green. Besides saving the planet and improving your reputation, it can actually save you money. Going paperless and reducing waste can cut costs and help you get more business from those who are environmentally conscious.

5. Hire Veterans

So Many people fight for our country overseas only to come home without work. These heroes deserve employment, not only to support themselves and their families, but to get re-integrated into daily society. You can play an important role by welcoming veterans back tot he community by actively hiring them. Veterans make amazing employees – they know how to work hard, take directions, and do whatever it takes to accomplish tasks.

It’s easier than you think to give back to your community and make a positive impression among potential customers. Keep these five tips in mind as implement the ones that make sense for you.