As the head of corporate communications for Harmonia Therapeutics, I frequently work with local organizations and non-profits to support their efforts to entice companies to become more involved – both financially and socially.
It
is not intuitively obvious why for-profit companies should become involved with
non-profit organizations. If you are a non-profit organization looking to
involve corporations in your activities, you might suggest the following Top 10
Reasons to companies as to why they should be involved in the community, or
non-profit associations.
1. Word-of-mouth publicity – communities are
groups of people from a wide range of different types of work, social and
activity groups. When they hear about a company, they talk about it to their
colleagues and friends—spreading information about a company and its products.
2. Media coverage – local reporters from
newspapers and blogs cover local events. Participating in community activities
can help generate articles about the business. Regional and national media
often pick up stories from local media.
3. Employee engagement—employees like to see
their companies involved in the community where they live. Many also like to
participate to support local organizations. They are more likely to stay
engaged at a company they respect and see involved.
4. Individual investors – local citizens can
also be investors. The more they
understand about a company and its potential, the more likely to invest.
5. Influence with city and county
governments—although not a guaranteed result, a relationship with local city
and county governments can offer an opportunity to present viewpoints.
6. Accessible event venues—relationships
with community organizations and businesses can often open the door to the use
of venues for customer, investor, employee and partner events.
7. Special deals for employees at local
stores and restaurants—again, employees enjoy being known as members of a
community. Companies can often organize events that will treat employees when
they visit.
8. Local government support and attendance
at company events—community involvement in company events can support customer,
partner or international partnering and also increase relationships with
employees.
9. Solicitation of company perspective on
local development projects—development projects by city and county governments
can have an impact on traffic and parking patterns, at a minimum. Officials are
more likely to solicit input from companies with whom they sustain a
relationship.
10. Potential candidates for clinical trials
or as focus groups for new products.
What
I recommend to my non-profit friends is that you print the above list and send
it to those companies whose involvement you want. You can strengthen your case
by adding specific examples that support any of these tips. Of course, you should also include your
pertinent request. Good luck!
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