I’ve shared the idea as a content topic in posts about blogging, but never in any detail. Well, there are more people online these days than at any time in history. With everyone hunkered down, the pandemic left cyberspace as the one place to travel and not worry about social distancing or our health.
To start, remember your website is about what you sell, but your blog is about what’s in your heart. As we come out of the pandemic and communities start to get back to live events, you have a unique opportunity to establish leadership in support of each organization, and it’s so easy. Every event needs help getting the word out.
Set yourself up to become a clearinghouse for event dates in the community. It’s so simple – it’s just a community calendar running at least 90 days out with key event dates and links to the various events, most of them probably for nonprofit organizations.
You become an ambassador for every event you help publicize, and it all starts with you contacting each association/organization in your community with a phone, email, or letter letting them know what you’re putting together. Personally, I’m a fan of phone calls and personal face-to-face visits. Nothing sells your intent more than meeting people directly.
Next, start plugging in those events with your calendar and give your readers information on what’s coming up.
Last on the list; each event can also become a blog topic, especially if you attend the event yourself and photograph the activity. And don’t forget to share those images with each sponsoring entity. It’s the perfect way to expand your network.
I’ve written this many times before – Jay Conrad Levinson, considered the father of guerilla marketing in his “Top 100 Things Guerilla Marketers Need to Do,” referenced the importance of giving back to your community. People like buying products from companies they perceive as giving back.
Building a community calendar for your blog is the perfect way to demonstrate you’re not just another vendor – but an active participant in your town. You’re looking for your community to be good to you – well, you better make sure you’re good to your community.
