As a small business, your local community is one of your biggest resources, and it’s also the easiest to overlook. Here are ways you can begin to develop strong community partnerships.
Identify the right partners
Start attending local networking events, community events, and Chamber of Commerce meetings. As you’re networking, look for other small businesses or nonprofits that share your values and serve a similar audience. From there, you can start reaching out to these organizations to gauge their interest in partnering with your company.
Create a mutually beneficial partnership
Before approaching another business owner about a partnership, you want to make sure it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. Your company must offer value to potential business partners, whether that’s your expertise or access to your customer base. When you pitch the other business, explain what they have to gain from the arrangement.
Use a partnership outreach template
Here's a template you can customize for approaching other businesses, nonprofits, or schools:
Subject: Partnership Opportunity — [Your Business Name] + [Their Business Name]
Hi [Name],
I really admire the work your company has done in [specific area]. I'm reaching out because I think there's an opportunity for [Your Business] and [Their Business] to collaborate. [Briefly outline your partnership idea and how it would benefit them.]
I'd love to find 20 minutes to connect and talk about whether this could be a good fit. Would [date/time] work for a quick call?
Best,
[Your Name]
Keep your outreach short, lead with their mission rather than yours, and make the ask specific and easy to say yes to.
Once both companies have agreed to a partnership, clearly outline the terms of the arrangement. Will this be a one-time project, like a co-hosted community event, or an ongoing arrangement?
Partnership ideas by business type
Here are a few examples of what community partnerships can look like across different industries:
- Retail shop: Co-host a seasonal shopping event with a complementary local boutique.
- Restaurant: Partner with a local food bank or school nutrition program for a joint marketing campaign.
- Fitness studio: Team up with a health nonprofit to offer a free community class series.
- Professional services: Offer pro bono workshops through your local chamber or public library.
- Salon or spa: Partner with a women's shelter to provide services or donate gift cards for fundraising auctions.
Outline the terms of the partnership
Once both companies have agreed to a partnership, clearly outline the terms of the arrangement. Will this be a one-time project, like a co-hosted community event, or an ongoing arrangement? Creating a formal written partnership agreement can help you avoid misunderstandings down the road.
Maximize your partnership’s reach
One of the biggest benefits of a partnership is the ability to pool your marketing resources. For example, you can launch a joint social media campaign or cross-promote to each other's email lists. The combined audience reach of two local businesses often exceeds what either of you could achieve on your own.
Establish open lines of communication
Open communication is the only way to ensure the relationship stays productive. Regularly check in with your community partner to share your progress or discuss new ideas. Schedule a quarterly review to assess whether the arrangement is still serving both parties. If it runs its course at some point, you can part ways on good terms and keep the door open for future collaborations.
Measure the ROI and community impact
During your quarterly review, track metrics that reflect the business results and community impact. On the business side, look at any new customer referrals, website traffic, and social media growth that came directly from the partnership.
If your partner is a nonprofit, you can also measure your community impact through volunteer hours logged, funds raised, donations, or the number of people served. You can use tools like Google Analytics, UTM links on joint marketing campaigns, and post-event surveys to collect this data.
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