For small business owners, it’s never been more important to interact face-to-face with neighbors and residents living in the immediate community. With the continued rise in online business transactions, small business owners can further improve their local presence by being an active participant where they live, work and play.
How can business owners do this? Through a BE PSA mentality: Be a resource, Edify others, Participate, Show up, and Add value. (Yes, I made this up − but hey, these are important points and the mnemonic device might just stick!)
Be a resource.
You know people who provide goods and services. You’ll meet people through networking, and you’ll learn about their needs. Be the conduit between these and make introductions.
Edify others.
Great leaders are known for finding opportunities to build others up. When you edify people in your community, you build the community, one person at a time.
Participate.
Volunteer in one or a few of your local organizations. Go a little outside your comfort zone, and try something you may not have chosen initially for yourself.
Show up.
No matter where you are or what you’re doing, make the commitment to be truly present. Others will feed off your participation and enthusiasm.
Add value.
Write down three of your strengths (e.g., large network, social media numbers, online skills) and use them to add value to conversations. By keeping these in mind, you can confidently focus your energy on adding this value to others.
In Cherokee County, there are plenty of opportunities to use the BE PSA mindset in the community. IN WDSTK and Young Professionals IN WDSTK provide small business owners a tremendous opportunity for networking. IN WDSTK’s goal is to connect and energize businesses looking for growth and opportunity through a variety of ongoing learning and networking events.
Young Professionals IN WDSTK, a program operating under its’ parent organization, is aimed at helping professionals develop their careers, build relationships, donate time through philanthropic projects and contribute to the overall economic development in our community.
The Circuit, Cherokee County’s co-working space that operates under Fresh Start Cherokee, offers plenty of educational events and support for startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Determine which events work best with your schedule, and attend regularly. This discipline will help you to make a lasting impression on potential clients, customers and peers.
By Ashley Velez, contributing writer, social media director for Young Professionals IN WDSTK and digital marketing expert with Atlanta SEO Pro.
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