Giving Back - Why It's Important | Medicine Hat Storage

When a business supports their community, that same community gives back support to the business.

You may not be the only business of your kind in your city or town. Helping in the community helps your business stand out and stay in the minds of the public when they need the products or services your business offers.

People remember good deeds so offer help regardless of if it pertains to or relates to your business. Help in the community without the expectation of a “quid pro quo” is important and something that people will remember later when they are looking for your services. The goodwill you put forward can come back to you in the form of future support for you and your enterprise.

I personally enjoy and take pride in the fact that I work for a very community minded business. We are encouraged to make connections and support other small businesses and members of the community. One of my favorite memories is when I posted on my company’s social media pages that I was going out to shop at our local grocery store to help fill the empty shelves at the foodbank. The post mentioned that I would match donations up to $200. Within 48 hours we reached nearly $800 in donations that came in amounts of $5 or $10. What power these small amounts had when pooled together! Then, a local realtor called and complimented us on our passion and offered to match the funds raised. In the end, we loaded $2000 worth of food into the company truck to take to the local food bank. I will never forget how the organization I work for, individual community members, a local grocer and a Realtor came together to help those in need. Given this experience, I know where I’ll shop for my own groceries and who I’ll think of when it’s time to sell my home.

People do not forget who helped them out in their moment of need. In the same way, your staff are more likely to support you because they are involved with a business that cares. This is a good morale booster because employees are proud to work for businesses that supports the community.

Being present as a business on social media and keeping an eye on the community pages on Facebook can have a huge impact on the well-being of the community. This one social media post about me shopping for the Foodbank reached thousands of people. Also, having a staff member who is involved in sports, a charity or a service organization can help a businesses connect to those in need. Joining in with other small businesses involved in community only stands to enhance the effort of these good deeds.

Community involvement can be as simple as sharing a post you saw on social media, passing on a message, or sharing an idea. If you are not sure where to start, try your local Chamber of Commerce or a youth organization. Teaming up with a business that is already involved in the community will allow you to see how small things can have a big impact. I support personally businesses that care about my community, whether it’s a restaurant, a grocer, a realtor or a hardware store. I know there is support between our companies as we show our community spirit.