[Mannes on Marketing] Making Time to “Give Back” in Your Community

Editor's note: PCT interviewed several PCOs across the country to find out how they've gotten involved in their own communities. Check out that feature here.

We live in a world where days on the calendar are dedicated to performing community service. Web sites, such as www.nationalservice.org and www.dosomething.org, are devoted to providing Americans with a plethora of community service opportunities. Global corporations, such as IBM, Nike and Starbucks, have instituted corporate citizenship programs to insure that their companies are being “good neighbors.” Whether it’s Nike’s National Community Involvement Day or The Starbucks Foundation’s funding of literacy programs in the United States, corporations view community service not only as a way to support worthy causes but also as a way to market their professional services.

The idea of “giving back” has captured not only the attention but the imagination of younger generations. Recognizing and understanding this shift may give you an edge with the younger generations who value and most often join community service initiatives. These are your potential customers and employees of the future.

Although you may have some type of “good neighbor” program in place in your company, or have considered it in the past, it may be time to rethink and adjust your program to meet the ever-changing needs of your community. Even if you may think that larger companies are the only ones that benefit from this type of initiative, I would disagree. Too often, community service is equated with donations. Becoming active and engaged in your local community is equally as important and is a real possibility for all companies — large and small.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the National Pest Management Association — a significant milestone celebrating the service that NPMA members have willingly and exceptionally provided to their customers since 1933. Additionally, April is National Pest Management Month. Each year NPMA offers companies different ways in which to celebrate the industry and their role in it. In conjunction with the 75th anniversary, this year’s focus is on “giving back” to your community. It’s not only a great way to celebrate the industry, but also to proactively market your company throughout this year. Here are just a few ideas to get you started in developing a community service initiative for your business:

Organize and Orchestrate a Community Clothing or Book Drive
Sometimes, half the battle of donating books to the local library or clothing to the Salvation Army is in delivering the goods. Consider organizing a clothing and/or book drive, sponsored by your company, and have your service technicians offer to pick up donations from your customers when treating their home. After two weeks, your company can then deliver all of the donations to a local, worthy cause.

Host a Blood Drive for the American Red Cross at Your Business
Organizing this type of event not only encourages your employees to give blood but it also invites the local community to come to your business and better understand your important role in protecting their health and property. The American Red Cross is always looking for businesses to volunteer for blood drives. If you have the space and willingness to do this, reach out and visit www.givelife.org and click “Sponsor a Drive.”

Organize an Employee Letter-Writing Campaign to Local Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan
Reach out to your local military base (often the National Guard) and ask for a list a local soldiers currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan that your employees can write to — sending a small piece of home. The letters need not be long — just a simple thank-you or “here’s what is happening in town.” Feel free to send the letter on company letterhead as a way to demonstrate that everyone in the company is thinking of their safe return. Consider these letters as just one way that your business can personally support local heroes.

Schedule a Company Volunteer Day for Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity builds decent affordable housing for deserving families, and depends on volunteers to carry out its mission. Consider organizing a day where you, your employees and their families join together to volunteer for Habitat. If you are feeling generous, you may also consider offering several months’ worth of your company’s professional services to the family moving into this home.

CLOSING THOUGHTS. These are just a few of the many ways that your business can actively serve your local community. Showing that you have a vested interest in the well-being of your neighbors is an outstanding way to not only gain exposure for your company but also to provide much-needed assistance outside of your professional role as a “protector of public health and property.” Remember, the higher your profile in the community the better the chances that your business will be solicited by those who live there.
In celebrating the 75th anniversary of NPMA, I encourage each of you to become more engaged in your local community. It is this additional commitment of your time and energy that may very well grow your bottom line and sustain your business moving forward into the next 75 years. If you would like additional information about NPMA’s 75th anniversary or National Pest Management Month, or would like to view a complete list of the 75 ways in which your company can engage in community service, please visit www.npmapestworld.org.

The author is vice president of public affairs, National Pest Management Association and executive director, Professional Pest Management Alliance.