How Volunteering Can Help Grow Your Business

When people think of you and your business, do they think "pillar of the community"? Do you want to grow your business while making an actual impact? Volunteering can help your business grow in more ways than you think! You may wonder how giving back to the community can help your business grow or how best to grow your business by helping your community. It's actually a lot easier than you think.

When you volunteer, you get access to people passionate about making a difference in their community - and they might be the perfect clients or partners for your business. Not only will volunteering give you access to great leads, but it will also make you feel good about yourself and your impact on the community. And when you feel good, your business thrives.

In this article, I will show you how to find great community events, find the people you want to talk to at these events, follow up with those new contacts, and build stronger relationships with your sphere of influence through volunteering opportunities!

Finding great volunteer opportunities

There are a few ways to find great volunteer opportunities. What is the best way to find volunteer opportunities? The best way is to engage with your sphere by asking your community! Asking around your community is a great way to get started. Talk to your friends, family, and neighbors to see if they know of any upcoming events that could use some extra help. You can also search online for volunteer opportunities in your area. Websites like VolunteerMatch and Catchafire are great resources for finding one-time or ongoing opportunities near you. If you need more options, search online or check out Facebook to find some great local charities and volunteer opportunities.

Suppose you're looking for something more specific, like opportunities that align with your business's mission. In that case, you can search for local events that coincide with your values. For example, suppose you own sustainable fashion business. In that case, you might search for "sustainability fairs" or "eco-friendly festivals" in your area. Again, this is a great way to find opportunities that will not only help you grow your business but also allow you to connect with like-minded individuals.

So, what should we look for when finding volunteer opportunities for your business? Once you have narrowed down a few opportunities or organizations, some things to look for are the organization's mission statement, the number of volunteers needed, and of course, who or what you are helping!

Now that we have the events in mind, we can start preparing for these volunteer opportunities so you can actually grow your business while helping your community!

Doing networking the right way!

Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and network with potential clients or partners for your business. But if we do this correctly, we must do some research beforehand. This step is often forgotten or not even thought of when people want to grow their business through any form of networking!

You need to do a little research. Most organizations will have a sign-up page and a corresponding LinkedIn or Facebook page showing everyone attending the event. This is an incredible resource to look through and find whom you need to meet while attending the volunteer event. Pick no more than 5, this way, you are familiar with those individuals and their businesses.

Now we are at the event! Congratulations! When working at a community event, take the time to chat with the people around you and get to know them. Ask them about their work, interests, and what they want in a business relationship. When networking at a volunteering activity or event, it's important to be aware of your body language. Smile, make eye contact, and stand up straight. People are more likely to approach you if you seem open and friendly. And if you're wearing a name tag or shirt with your business's logo, that's an easy way for people to remember you after the event.

Last, be sure to remember that you never know whom you might meet! And, be sure to not come across as a "salesperson." People want to work with those they know, like, and trust. If you come right out of the gate with a pitch when they don't know you, they won't like you and certainly won't trust you with their business or become business partners with you.

The better way of following up with new contacts

Now that you've met some new people, it's time to follow up! The best way to follow up with new contacts is to follow this simple yet effective follow-up sequence:

• Connect with them on social media the day after the event! We don't want them to forget you and how awesome you were.
• Send them a personal email or message through social media, and mention something you talked about at the event. If you talked about something specific that interested them, find a related article online and link that article to your message.
• Ask them for a meeting - If you are still unsure if they will be a good business partner or prospect. Scheduling a 10-15 minute phone call will be an excellent way to ensure neither your time nor theirs is wasted. Be sure to have a few questions ready to help clarify the relationship's nature.
• Invite them to get in touch if they need help with anything related to your business. This is a great way to keep the conversation going, and if you have a free value add you are offering... Offer It!

When using this sequence, tweak it and make it fit your business objectives. The only way you grow your business through volunteer opportunities is if you have a system to tweak as you find what works and does not.

Using Volunteering opportunities to grow relationships

You can also use your volunteer opportunity as an opportunity! (Almost) Everyone wants to be a part of an awesome volunteer opportunity, and you now have some fantastic events. We will use those to build relationships with influencers in your industry and potential clients and remind everyone you are an extraordinary person who wants to help their community.

To do this, we are going to use a simple 4-step process:

• Find a great event you are excited to volunteer at.
• Find 10 (or however many) friends, family, or business acquaintances you would like to invite to that event.
• Invite them via email, phone call, text, and social media (tag them in your post about the event!).
• Follow up with them after the event thanking them for joining you, and ask for others they know who would like to join next time!

Again, be sure to create a quick system you can use and stick to for this. Consistency is king. As you do this a few times, you will find tweaks to make your volunteering even more successful at growing your sphere, business, and most importantly, helping your community.

Volunteering is a great way to help your community while also growing your business. By following the simple steps outlined in this blog post, you can maximize your chances of success in growing your business through volunteering. Be sure to have a system to track your progress and make adjustments as necessary. Always be on the lookout for new opportunities to get involved. And don't forget to have fun! After all, giving back should be its own reward.

So what are you waiting for? Go out and start volunteering today! And be sure to tag us in pictures of you doing good at #Business&Balance. We can't wait to see what amazing things you do!