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Community Engagement Marketing Tips & Strategies
While some companies focus on marketing across the country or globally, others look to their local communities. This is because when the economy shifts, local communities keep small and mid-sized companies thriving. Building long-lasting relationships with customers creates a bond with your brand. And that makes your business the first thought that comes to mind whether a customer is thinking about where to go for dinner, recommending a veterinarian or electrician, etc.
This guide helps you learn about community engagement marketing, including what it is and why it matters. It also covers how to implement this strategy to keep your business strong.
What Community Engagement Marketing Is
Community engagement marketing is the process of building relationships with the people and organizations in your local area by creating authentic connections, participating in local events, and giving back to the community. This type of local marketing is done by hosting fundraisers, doing sponsorships, participating at local events, and donating to regional charities.
Instead of relying on advertising to bring customers to your business, community engagement marketing builds a positive association with your brand and its products or services. When done well, community members will refer friends to your business and think of you first when they need something. Your business becomes a household name and the go-to place for a customer base.
The Benefits of Community Engagement Marketing
Community engagement marketing comes with benefits including:
- You may not have to spend as much money on advertising to bring customers and leads in, as the community is already thinking of you.
- You don’t have to compete on price with big-box retailers as people often want to support the local business owners that they think of as friends.
- Your customers remain loyal because they feel like they’re supporting their community, and they refer other community members to you. This grows your customer base without you needing to sell or spend money on advertising.
- You build brand trust and positive associations by participating in or sponsoring local events. Trust and positive association keep customers coming back to your business.
- Local groups can bring customers to your business or sell your products for you via fundraisers and partnerships.
- Local groups can send emails to their members featuring your business with a thank you for sponsoring or donating to them, or simply because you engaged with them in a positive way. You get extra credibility passed to your business when this happens.
This is one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to help ensure your business can survive difficult economic times and thrive when things are good. It also gives you a sense of purpose by knowing you’re helping your community grow stronger. And there is no shortage of opportunities to use this strategy.
Ways to Do Community Engagement Marketing
The most important first step when doing community engagement marketing is to create a list of community members that could use your products or services. Next to each group include the places and events they visit or support.
This includes parents if you sell kids’ clothing, as well as the PTAs for their schools. If you offer coaching classes for business owners, look for entrepreneurs working in a coffee shop or co-working spaces.
Next, make sure your products and services or company philosophies align with the groups and promotions. If you’re a bakery or restaurant, look for food festivals and other events people attend because they’re passionate about food. By participating in these events, you can test new menu items and get feedback in real-time versus spending extra money on new menus and supplies, hoping the new dishes will be a hit.
Gyms and dance studios can host free classes at parks on weeknights or during the early morning on weekends. Once you’ve defined each group of potential customers and aligned your business with their needs, think of ways to engage with, support, or encourage them to interact with your business.
Here are some examples of community engagement marketing strategies you can try.
Sponsor Local Events
Sponsorships can be anything from paying for your logo on a banner and t-shirts at a 5K charity run to setting up a booth at a festival. The goal is to create a presence showing that your business is there for the community and not just to sell products.
Bring samples like food, treats, or giveaway trinkets like stress balls or water bottles. If you want, you can also include coupons for a discount or free gift if customers make a purchase at your business in the next few days.
Host Fundraisers and Events
The easiest option is to host fundraisers or partner with local groups—like Boy and Girl Scout troops, libraries, animal rescues, and sports teams—where you give a portion of the proceeds to them. Here’s an example.
If you have a large space like a wedding venue or ballroom, reach out to local non-profits and let them know you have a space for them to use for galas and fundraisers. Your business will be getting exposure, as community members will experience the venue during the event. This could then make your space top of mind when attendees are planning weddings, religious celebrations, sweet sixteens, or quinceañeras.
Donate Products or Services
An easy way to engage is to donate products and services to local groups. If you have a bakery or coffee shop, supply the PTA with pastries and coffee for their meetings. Veterinary offices can go to the rescue shelters and do checkups during slow days or offer spay and neutering. The associations will be grateful and may begin recommending your business to customers and members as a thank you.
Offer Services for Free at Community Gatherings
If there is a community event and you’re a service provider like a lawyer, a doctor, or an electrician, you could attend and provide free advice or services. Sometimes people are too nervous to call in or email, but seeing that you’re a real person instead of another business may give them the confidence to become a client.
You have the opportunity to build their trust by putting a face to the company name. Even if the person does not have the confidence to connect at the event, if they see their fellow community members engaging with you, they may reach out to you directly afterwards.
Share Your Space If You Have Slow Days
If you have slow days in your business, offer the space to complementary companies. This could be a pop-up event for a candy store if you run a gift shop or clearing space for a fashion show when you run a nightclub. The added benefit is the company you’re hosting will bring their customers to your business, giving you exposure and helping you turn slow days into profitable ones.
This could work especially well in college towns where students and recent graduates want to make a name for themselves.
Ask People to Tag, Share, and Leave Reviews Online
As people are engaging with your business, have them post selfies and group photos to Facebook/Meta, Instagram, or TikTok, and ask them to leave a review on Google. When people share that they’re having fun or enjoying your services, other community members will get a reminder that your business is there. If current clients leave positive reviews, other customers won’t have to guess about the credibility or reliability of your company.
There’s no shortage of ways to do community engagement marketing, but there are best practices to help keep it natural.
Community Engagement Marketing Best Practices
The most important thing is to let the locals know that you’re a part of the community. You’re not just there to make money. That’s where the best practices come in. Here are a few of the top options to consider.
- Be authentic and genuine as the community can tell if you’re just there for sales. The most successful community engagement efforts come from a place of genuine care, where your involvement reflects your brand’s mission. Whether it’s supporting a local cause, donating your time, or participating in a charity event, always approach it with sincerity.
- Understand your community before you engage with it. This helps you meet the community’s needs and speak to their interests, and it helps your business become a household name.
- Balance the level of promotion with the amount of value to the community, so they know you’re there to support them. Whether you’re offering free resources, workshops, or sponsoring events, the focus should be on how you’re contributing to the well-being of those around you.
- Engaging with local community leaders or organizations is a great way to amplify your community engagement efforts. These types of partnerships can help you reach a wider audience while giving you credibility within the community. Community leaders tend to carry a level of trust and respect, and this can pass from them to your business.
- Stay consistent as community engagement marketing isn’t a one-time tactic. Consistency by regularly participating in local events, sponsoring community causes, or offering workshops keeps your company visible and top-of-mind. If you only show up once, you only advertised. You didn’t necessarily become a contributing part of the community.
- Track your efforts as the results of community engagement marketing may not be immediate. Keep records of the feedback you receive and the impact on your business performance. This includes the number of customers, leads, orders, or bookings you get to make sure they remain consistent or grow. If these metrics begin falling, look for other ways to engage or ask the community for feedback on what you can improve.
Community engagement marketing is about being the company everyone thinks of immediately when they need something. By becoming the go-to store or service provider, your business can survive bad times and thrive in the good ones. It could be as easy as sponsoring events, volunteering, or hosting fundraisers. Try what works best for you.
QuickBridge does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors.
