Connect to Your Community
As a restaurant owner, it is important to connect to your community. Related to managing your relationships, it’s just as important to see the community where your business is based as a relationship as well. The relationship with your community needs to be nurtured and valued like any other business relationship. It will be the determining factor of your restaurant’s success.
Benefits of Connecting in Your Community
Being a partner and contributing member in your community puts a face on your business that would otherwise not be there. People will know you walking down the street as the local restaurant owner. They’ll think of your restaurant when they see you and interact with you. They will consider you in a positive light because of the relationships that you have built in the community. When deciding where to eat, they will consider your restaurant because they know you give back to your community.
How to Connect to Your Community
There are so many different ways to be a part of your community as a business owner. Here, I’ve listed 10 simple ways to get you started:
1. Allocate so many dollars or food items to give out to the community each month as a donation.
2. Feed volunteers. There are many causes for which volunteers are out supporting their communities. Reward them with lunch or dinner just because.
3. Offer hot coffee to the homeless on a cold, winter morning.
4. Contribute to the local parade with a float or have team members hand out coupons to your restaurant.
5. Get involved in your local elementary schools hot lunch programs.
6. Advertise in the local college Student Handbook to help support their student union.
7. Donate your own time as a volunteer.
8. Become a member of your local Chamber of Commerce.
9. Host a fundraiser at your restaurant.
10. Donate leftover restaurant food to help feed the less fortunate in your community.
Being part of your community isn’t tough to do. It takes some level of commitment and some allocation of funds but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It only has to be heartfelt.
