If your business isn’t supporting events and causes in your area, you’re missing a huge opportunity to show that you’re in it for the long haul, to improve your image, and to keep your products and services front and center in people’s lives. In addition to getting lost among competitors, your business may unwittingly make the statement that it only cares about its bottom line, not its friends and neighbors. Local sponsorships boost community relations, strengthening your business’s connections and cementing its foundation as the area’s go-to choice in your industry.
Of course, a business needs to make money in order to stay in business, and if done right, local sponsorships will pull their weight in increasing sales. At RSPR, we’ve seen our clients reap the following benefits of local sponsorships, which lead to a better market position and profits.
- Build a positive image. How do people feel about your company? With local sponsorships, your company becomes more than just a name, more than just one option among many. If people have positive feelings toward your business, it will stand out from the competition and improve customer loyalty.
- Be remembered. The best sponsorships provide repetition. The more often people in your community are presented with your business name and marketing message, the more likely they’ll be to remember you when they or their neighbors need you.
- Attract employees. People would rather work for a company that is deep-rooted in their community. The more your name is out there and associated with community groups and causes, the more you can attract loyal employees that, like you, value more than a paycheck.
- Open communication with community leaders. You never know where new business opportunities will come from, or when your business would benefit from having an open door to the leaders in the community. Through sponsorships, you may discover like-minded professionals and form new partnerships.
How do you select the best local sponsorships to boost community relations? Brainstorm how your company’s mission intersects with your town. Consider ways to demonstrate sensitivity toward current community concerns and issues. Of the available sponsorship opportunities, which attract your target market? Which seem relevant to your products and services? Which support your company’s long-term vision? It’s also worthwhile to brainstorm new opportunities of your own making—ideas that showcase your products and services while supporting local events and institutions.
Out of the many marketing and advertising options available to you, local sponsorships are a unique opportunity to connect with your audience and create engagement. RSPR works with businesses to take their sponsorships to the next level, coming up with ways to further engage consumers and enhance the positive association and the return on investment in business growth. Contact us to get started.