You did it! Yes, YOU! You’ve made it past the “struggle” phase of entrepreneurship and now you can breathe a bit. You’ve landed some great clients and you have consistent traffic to your site. You are preparing for the next phase. You’ve got ideas of what you want to accomplish for the next quarter or the following year.
At this stage in your entrepreneurial journey, you have to look at the bigger picture before the expansion. Before the promotion, recognition, fame, or fortune. Before you get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle, you must remember your “why”. The reason you stepped out on faith and started this business in the first place is because you wanted to give back through providing a service or product. Now that you have the capital, you’re faced with the choice to only grind towards your own goals or to give back to those who believed in your vision.
Using your business to give back is a win-win. There are endless mutual benefits. Most importantly, you’ll be able to impact your community like never before. Here are three ways you can incorporate the act of giving into your business plan.
Giveaways
What is the product or service that could strongly benefit your community? What do they need? How will you accept entries for the giveaway-online or in person? When is the best time to host the giveaway? To maximize effectiveness, host the giveaway during times when the community needs it the most such as holidays, before the school year begins, or after a natural disaster.
Discounts
Contrary to popular belief, agreeing to host a sale does not imply that the services and goods you offer are cheap, easy to come by, or damaged. Offering discounted merchandise can simply be giving clients a break every now and then. As you conduct transactions, make sure you’re connecting with your customers on a personal level. Let them know why you’re hosting the sale to thank them for their brand loyalty to your business.
Sponsor Events
Get involved with your local chamber of commerce, media, and community leaders so you can be in the loop about upcoming events. From there, you can join with other agencies and businesses to assist in meeting local initiatives. Through giving your goods, services, and time, you actively invest in the welfare of your community. This will broaden your impact from behind the register to real life in real time.
People may not remember what you said, what you did, or how you did something. But, they will always remember how you made them feel. Be the boss who cares. Realize who God is raising you up to be: a woman of resources, insight, and integrity. God doesn’t give those gifts to us so we can just take it and keep it moving. He gives richly to us so that we may give to others. As you plan for what’s next and add works to your faith, ask God to give you more strategy to be more impactful through your business and brand.
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