A lot of people underestimate the power of integrating into their local communities as a local store. Not only does it help you create a solid reputation among your local customers, but it also helps the word spread about your products and services. For a new small business, it’s the perfect way to get more exposure and also network with local customers and other businesses.
Fundraising is usually one of the best ways to kickstart your business’s local reputation, and in this article, we’re going to be showing you a couple of great ways to help you integrate with your community using fundraising ideas.
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Decide what you’re fundraising for
In many cases, it’s not the activity that will draw in lots of people but rather the purpose or message behind your fundraiser. For instance, if you’re fundraising for something personal then you’re unlikely going to get a lot of people caring about it. On the other hand, you’re more likely to get visitors paying attention to your fundraiser if it’s targeted towards something local, such as repairing a local building that was damaged or building a new community park for children.
Fundraising bricks
A fantastic way to start a fundraising project for a building is to consider personalized bricks, pavers & tiles. These are essentially building materials that can be engraved and personalized with custom messages. It’s a great way for people to show that they’ve supported the building of a new project or even the repair of a damaged community building. This is a fantastic fundraising opportunity since it doesn’t require you to do anything out of the ordinary or special, you simply set up the chance for people to donate to a local community project and they’ll receive something special and personalized as part of the new build.
Raffle prizes
A great way to raise funds is to set up a local raffle or auction using products and services from businesses in your local area. You can ask other local businesses if they’d be interested in a raffle fundraiser then request products or services from each one that can be used as prizes in the raffle. Try to set this up at least a week in advance so people know that the raffle exists. On the weekend, host the prize ceremony to see who’s won a prize. This is a great way to raise money for local projects, but can also be an excellent way to involve other businesses and build your network in the local area.
Local bake-off
A tasty way to raise funds for a local project is to set up a bake-off. You and your employees can start baking lots of treats and then sell them to locals in a competition-style setting to see who can sell the most or who makes the best treats. You can even invite other local businesses to join in–just make sure you’re hosting it somewhere close to your business so people take notice of your store!
