One of the best things any new business can do is engage itself with the local community. If you live in Kansas, then you know how important community is to the residents here. To grow your startup in Kansas, you’ll want to connect as well as you can with those around you. Even if your startup primarily operates online, engaging with the local community can help drive sales and form important connections. With that in mind, below are some simple strategies you can use to involve your startup with your local Kansas community.

Organize Events

An easy way to start involving your startup with the local community is by organizing events. Think about what your particular business specializes in and how you can share your knowledge with the community. For example, let’s say you run a local bakery. You could host an event where you teach people how to create a certain dessert or how to decorate cakes. This would allow you to showcase your expertise while also bringing people into your bakery.

You can also organize events that center around spending time in your establishment. For instance, if you have a local coffee shop, create a writing workshop event where people can share the writing projects they are working on. By providing the space for people to meet, you can involve yourself in the community even if you don’t have expertise in that area.

Sponsor Organizations

Another great way to involve yourself in the community is through sponsorships. There are likely organizations and charities nearby that could use some extra funding for upcoming events. When you become a sponsor, you get your name displayed, market your startup to your business, and generate some goodwill by associating yourself with the organization.

One example of a possible sponsorship is an upcoming 5K race. 5K races are very common and happen all over Kansas throughout the year, and they need sponsors to pay for things like racing bibs and refreshments. Another option is to support a local children’s sports league. These organizations rely on local sponsorships to operate. You could help pay for some new uniforms or even foot the bill for some employee awards.

Hire Locally

Next, if your startup needs some new employees, try to hire from the local community. While it’s easier than ever to hire people from abroad thanks to remote work, hiring locally can help ingratiate your business with your town. This is especially important if you’re running a business that caters to local residents.

Post about your job openings in popular local locations like libraries or parks. You can also find local social media groups to post on. When you hire someone from the area, you’ll get their local expertise when it comes to customer service and show everyone who sees the job posts that you want to work with your neighbors.

Form Strategic Partnerships

Forming a strategic partnership is a great way to benefit your startup and other local businesses. With a partnership, you and another business work together to promote one another. This promotion not only benefits your business but allows you to form connections with other local business leaders.

For example, if you run a local pizzeria, you could partner with a nearby arcade or bowling alley. You could offer a discount on pizza for anyone who is having a birthday party at the arcade/bowling alley. The other business gets the benefit of helping their customers, and you get the benefit of increasing sales, making it a win-win.

Engage with Local Social Media Groups

Finally, make sure you’re engaging with your neighbors on social media. There are many Facebook groups dedicated to towns throughout Kansas, where residents can share updates, discuss issues, and generally connect with their neighbors. You can use these groups to talk about your business and, more importantly, introduce yourself as a business owner in the area. If someone posts about a problem related to your business, you can offer free advice or a consultation.

Engaging with social media groups works great alongside an existing social media strategy. When you talk with others online, it will encourage them to check out your social media accounts and potentially follow you for more updates. This is a great way to remain on their radar beyond the initial conversation and can help drive sales further down the road.