In the digital age, where screens often dominate communication, it’s easy to overlook the power of local community engagement for a print business. Yet, building strong community connections can be a key driver for generating local print business, organic customer growth, and profits.
Here are five ideas to get you started…
Understand Your Community
Demographic data, surveys, and social media listening can provide valuable insights into what your community values most. However, getting involved is the best way to understand and identify where new business can be cultivated.
Attend local events, join community organizations, support local causes and charities, host fundraisers, and engage in conversations with neighbors and businesses. This hands-on approach will help you gain a deeper understanding of your community’s business challenges and opportunities – and those who may need some print in their lives!
Create Local Partnerships
Collaborating with other local businesses is a powerful way to connect with your community. Explore partnerships with complementary businesses, such as graphic designers, event planners, or local retailers. Joint promotions or referral programs can introduce your print business to new customer bases.
Also, consider partnering with local schools and ongoing education programs. Create offers for materials that are used to sponsor school events, and sponsor them, too. This positions your print business as a valuable and supportive resource.
Showcase Local Success Stories
Feature case studies of local businesses or individuals who have achieved remarkable results through your print services. Share these stories through your website, social media, and local publications.
Consider creating a ‘Customer’ or ‘Project of the Month’ program and share the stories with local publications. This will provide positive exposure for your customers and demonstrate your commitment (and that of the local paper) to helping community businesses thrive.
Promote Exclusive Local Offers
Create exclusive offers for residents and businesses to incentivize them to choose your print services. This could include loyalty programs, discounts in support of the community, and special packages tailored to local events or holidays. Promote these offers through targeted local advertising channels and businesses that have community bulletin boards for local services or have flyers in a dedicated area for customers to take.
And finally… HOST AN OPEN HOUSE!
Or an educational workshop, or a series of seminars on how to market a small business, or design classes, or – or – or. The topics are endless and there is no better way to help your community connect with your business than inviting them inside.
Check out this replay: How to Host an Unforgettable Open House Event for Print Across America and Beyond
If you are in the U.S. or Canada, there is still time to join us for our collective open house celebration on October 25th. See the printers, universities, technical schools, and print museums that are participating, and find a local open house event by you – here.
COMMUNITY LONG AND PROSPER!
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See Deborah’s featured post: Now Trending: Digital Media Needs Print Media to Extend Marketing ROI
Deborah Corn is the Intergalactic Ambassador to the Printerverse at Print Media Centr, a Print Buyerologist, international industry speaker and blogger, and the cultivator of Print Production Professionals, the #1 print group on LinkedIn. She provides printspiration and resources to print and marketing professionals through education, events, Podcasts From The Printerverse, ProjectPeacock.TV, and an array of community-lifting initiatives including Girls Who Print, Elevate Print, #PrintChat, #PrintLife, International Print Day, and Print Across America.
Deborah also helps companies create more meaningful and profitable customer relationships by utilizing more than 25 years of experience as an agency, brand, and corporate print buyer who has assessed, hired and worked with a plethora of printers and service providers.
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