Becoming known as an agent who supports the local community is a great way to be recognised.
Being recognised as THE agent when it comes to community support is a sure-fire way to win hearts and minds, and… drum roll, please… instructions.
The one thing all the elite agents I work with or have encountered over the years have in common is a clear plan around supporting their community.
They ALL recognise that they are propelling their agencies forward by giving back.
If you’re interested in becoming a Community Cheerleader, consider these five content-generating tips.
- Choose and work with a local charity of the year. (12 months’ worth of support and content opportunities. We have done this, and it’s a winner on every level.)
- Organise a community event – it doesn’t have to be a mini-Glastonbury. Start simple with something like a litter pick, Easter egg hunt or a summer ‘the ice creams are on us’ day.
- Create a community calendar of local events, put it on your website, and promote it across your social media platforms.
- Don’t just sponsor a sports team (I’ve got a great tip about that by the way). Get personal and offer to volunteer for an hour/day now and then at a local community project.
- Run competitions to encourage local talent. This could be for photographers to send in photos of the local area, for kids to design a magical Christmas tree or go the whole hog and organise an event celebrating local heroes.
This approach works on so many levels. It’s profile-raising, brand-building, great PR and provides plentiful content opportunities. BUT – most importantly, you’ll be doing some good at a time when it feels like there’s a lot of bad out there.
Good luck, go make a difference.
Jerry