As an organization that values building your community to entice people, businesses and donors to live, work and fund your city, you already know the importance of community. But there are some simple ways you’re missing opportunities to show stakeholders all your city has to offer:
A Job Board
Implementing a job board with the proper tools can be a great way to bring your community and stakeholders together with mutual benefits for all. Here’s how a job board can be beneficial:
People
Individuals looking to move to a new city want to be sure they can obtain a job in their field. Are there several opportunities for growth, job changes and other opportunities in the area? If an individual moves to your city, will they find the type of work they are looking for? A job board on your website can increase traffic to your website while helping people looking for a new city to live in. For example, I recently decided to move to Colorado and I needed to make sure there would be job opportunities in the city, so I explored city websites in Colorado to determine opportunities for employment and growth.
Businesses
You want to increase the number of businesses that call your city home because they bring jobs, people, and other valuable economic resources to the city. What better way to entice businesses, than with a talent pool ready and available for them to hire and put to work? An active job board with easy to use features and a range of people to browse jobs is an added bonus! The analytics that a job board can provide also help smaller companies track applicants and let larger companies see the impact of their job postings.
Donors
Funding can be hard to secure if you can’t prove to donors how your organization is performing. Luckily a job board can show donors analytics for job postings and interactions made on the job board, proving your worth to the community and securing more funding. Ann Arbor SPARK utilized their job board and assisted over 300 companies with over 1000 job openings, real numbers they can show donors!
Learn more about job boards and the Six Steps to Launching a Successful Job Board.
Events
Another way to incorporate a sense of community for stakeholders in your city is to host an event catered to your audience. For example if you have a goal of bringing more business to your region, host an event for potential businesses that allows them to explore the area, talk with decision makers and even talent in the area. Ann Arbor SPARK hosts the Tech Trek every year to encourage people in the tech community, or those who want to get involved in the tech community, to get together and learn more about the tech boom in Ann Arbor.
People
An event will help those who already live in the city feel closer to the city and encourage a bond, while those who live outside the city can get a better taste for the city and determine if it is somewhere they want to live. To continue off of the Tech Trek example above, SPARK attracts thousands of people to the Ann Arbor area to participate in the city culture and visit the great businesses Ann Arbor has to offer. For example, participants tasted Zingerman’s famous reuben sandwiches, saw 3D models come to life from Spellbound and saw how drones assessed wind turbines at SkySpecs.
Businesses
Businesses can benefit from events in a variety of ways depending on the type of event. For example, an event catered to exploring what the city has to offer can benefit businesses through an increase in customers. The ability to sample a business can encourage future purchases and further develop the business and thus the community.
Donors
Events are great for donors because it produces something donors can see and even attend. Depending on the type of event you host, results such as attendance can also impress donors and help secure funding for your organization. Events are also a great time to conduct some of your own research, which can impress donors through surveys and informal interviews.
Digital Media
Digital media such as a website or social media is another great (and free) way to showcase all your city has to offer and can benefit all of your stakeholders. A website is a great place to list and share all of the business you support and resources you have to offer your stakeholders. Social media is the perfect way to share those resources and businesses to gain more views and direct folks back to your website.
People
These two resources create great visual representations for the public and help them see the things your city can offer them in terms of jobs, recreation and leisure. It also familiarizes them with the types of businesses in the city, growing awareness and purchases from local companies, which also helps your business stakeholders.
Businesses
You want the businesses in your community to succeed so it makes sense that you would use all the tools you have to help promote these business, like a simple social media post. As noted above, this promotion can help drive sales for the organization and increase their brand awareness, in turn increasing their chances of success. For example, Ann Arbor SPARK has a business directory list with descriptions of the companies.
Donors
Digital media can help attract new donors and keep previous donors informed on how their donations have helped the organization thrive. For example by showcasing the great things you are doing in the community, like the job board and events you host, donors can see the good and potential donors can get a feel for how the organization is spending its money.
Conclusion
When promoting your community, it is essential to take advantage of all available opportunities to showcase what your city has to offer. By doing so, you can support the people, businesses, and donors that help your community and your organization thrive.
Want to learn more about implementing a job board for your community? Contact us to schedule a demo.
