Make a name for your company with community involvement

What goes around comes around, including good things. Representing your company through community involvement accomplishes multiple goals. Something hopefully has been made better. In return, your and your company’s reputations possibly have been raised, even to the point of gaining access to a network of valuable contacts and prospects.

The term “community involvement” sounds great but is not always possible to perform. If you wanted, you could find an event every day. But your volunteer time is limited. You can’t say yes to everything. That’s understandable, especially for owners and managers of small machine shops. However, if you can and are willing to give your time, benefits to your business are likely to follow.

One can become involved in a lot of ways, many of which are industry-related and contribute to the success of a company. A few years ago, I participated in a job fair at a school at the request of a friend. I discussed manufacturing careers, machining and related subjects with students. I’ve also assisted our local community college system by participating in curriculum development panels. My participation allowed me to meet prospective customers, eventually getting business from a fellow participant.