How to do good in your community and make money

Investing in your community is great way to make a profound difference in the lives of others. Look for people in your community who might benefit from your company’s assistance and leverage your resources to help these individuals to the best of your ability. It’s not about the number of people you help, but the magnitude of your impact on someone’s life. Do good for your community, even if it means just helping one person reinvent their destiny.

Here are a few reasons why investing in your community is a good business idea:

1. Build strong relationships. Build a network of contacts within your community with a similar purpose or goal. For example, if you intend to start a food drive to help the homeless, seek out community leaders who can contribute to make a difference. This collaboration effort has its value in helping your company to build a strong network of contacts, and might prove to be beneficial to your business development in the long-run.
2. Build brand awareness. Your company’s commitment to helping the community will not be ignored. Doing good in your community will create a positive impression of your company among customers and the general public, which in turn translates into an increase in revenues.
3. Grants and sponsorships. Engaging in community development projects can be rewarding, as you might attract the attention of grants and sponsorships. Although this should not be the primary motivation for getting involved in community projects, it does provide a good incentive to get started. These sponsorships can help associate your company with an influential brand, while enriching your local community.

There are many to help your community, from organizing food drives to initiating waste reduction programs. Discover a social issue you are genuinely concerned about or interested in solving, and work towards utilizing your business resources to help make a difference. This will pay dividends in the long-run when your company is associated with being caring and socially responsible.

By Karen Milde, Reframe Marketing, Vancouver, BC, CYBF Mentor

About: With over 8 years of experience in Marketing and Communications, including a stint as Marketing Director, Karen Milde is all about the bottom line and marketing ROI. She is a go-getter, and prides herself on being technology savvy.