A guide on building your relationships and growing engagement with customers
The community bank series continues! Building upon what was already outlined with sponsorships and events, the next step towards further solidifying your position in the community comes in the form of donations. The first two posts covered areas that were mainly static – something which occurred for only one night or a brief time. Donation drives are ongoing and gives your bank an opportunity to further establish your credentials as a staple in the community.
Altruistic giving works because it creates a superordinate goal for the community. Goals, such as this, provides a rare opportunity for individuals of different walks of life to come together and support something larger than themselves. It builds trust and further engages you with your desired market. A donation drive is one of the few things which presents you with this opportunity and are relatively easy to pull off – provided you follow the subsequent tips.
Select the Charity
Publicly identity which charity will be receiving your efforts brings both legitimacy and volunteers to your cause. With the number of different charities available, from schools and hospitals to emergency response departments and environmental awareness, an agony of choice could result from trying to pick the right one. Choosing a charity should come down to your individual community’s needs. Select one which could do an immediate good to the area and is a source of high need. Once you find a subset you want to assist, contact a relative non-profit and begin to work with them on creating a drive.
Connect with Community
As mentioned earlier, a donation drive brings together people and organizations who, previously, would have no reason to associate. Capitalize on this to bring awareness to both your brand and the charitable drive. Reach out to different business and non-profits. Try local schools and after-school clubs. Bringing together as many different walks of life will increase the strength of the bonds being built, grow your engagement, and bring more people into your bank.
Share the Story
While a collection drive for a charity should be enough to entice individuals to support you, there are other ways in which you can leverage your influence. Turn social media into your advantage. Create and share the stories of the individuals being helped by your efforts. Tweet out the current standings of your drive and how it compares to your end goal. Lastly, publicize the results and thank those who participated. Donation drives have the power to bring the community together – use it.
Raise awareness to your brank and do a good deed in the process. Before dashing off to start your next campaign, remember to keep the following things in mind:
- Timing. Take notice of everyone’s calendar. Some drives, such as back-to-school or tax time, may be harder to gain traction since time is in short supply for many.
- Make a list. Share suggested items which the charity explicitly needs. Making it easier for potential well-doers will lead to an increase in donations.
- Collection Depots. Make sure you have a place to hold all of the donated items. This is a little, but often over-looked, detail that could lead to saving a lot of headaches down the road.
