May 23, 2024

Running a small business is a blessing. Serving your employees, making a good life for you and your family, and serving your customers with excellence brings rewards that can’t always be measured. Best of all, when things are good, you get to “give back”.

Unfortunately, “Giving Back” isn’t always so easy. Here are issues that small business owners face when trying to do good in the community:

• How do I know what to support?
• What's the best way to offer support?
• How do I say "no" if I have to?

Sound familiar? You want to do good, but it’s not always obvious as to how.

At Bullseye Activewear and Promotions, we’ve been in business for over 32 years, and we’re proud to say we are involved in our community in many ways. Plus, we help others with brand marketing during their community support efforts. So we’ve learned a thing or two about event sponsorship and causal marketing.

We’ve got some tips that can help you make the best decisions for your business and your community.

Understanding Your Brand Values

You likely can’t be involved in every worthy event that needs help. Trying to do too much means you’ll end up doing too little. Start by identifying the core values and mission of your business. What causes or initiatives resonate with your brand identity? Choose events that align with these values to ensure authenticity in your support. When you are clear about your values, you’ll know a great opportunity to get involved when you see it.

Know Your Audience

It’s important to realize that we are still talking about business. Find events and causes that not only matter to you but also can send a message about your values to your target audience and client base. If you support a cause your customers also care about, that creates a synergy that will likely do even more good down the line.

Research Local Events

It pays to do your homework. Find things that mean something to you and look for ways your business can get involved to help before you are asked. That’s the proactive way to support causes and events that match your mission.

Be Ready for Urgent Opportunities to Help

Plan to make a difference for the unexpected. At Bullseye Activewear, we have strong family ties to law enforcement and safety services. Recently, when an officer in a nearby community lost his life on duty, we were able to launch a t-shirt sales campaign that generated thousands of dollars for the family. When they asked, we already knew the answer was “Yes”. Be ready and willing to say “Yes” when the community needs you.

Consider Long-Term Partnerships

That’s the thing about values. They don’t change. Look for opportunities to establish long-term partnerships with event organizers or community organizations. You’ll build a strong brand tied to a strong cause, doing good for the long haul.

Assess Brand Exposure

Brand exposure isn’t why you should sponsor events. But it doesn’t hurt to know what the visibility will be. If it’s going to be big, invest the resources to ensure your brand will sparkle.

Engage Employees and Stakeholders

Hopefully, your employees have similar values to yours. Ask them if there are specific causes that matter to them, and get involved if you have the resources, and if it makes sense for your business.

The overarching rule here is simple: Get involved. The good you do as a business helps the community, and that’s what it’s all about.

For help with your causal marketing efforts, event sponsorships, or partnerships, call us for brand marketing advice to help you make your participation stand out in a way that is Win/Win for everyone involved.