In the last ‘love-themed’ blog I talked about how you can show love inside your business; to your employees, customers and suppliers, and this time I’m sharing some considerations of how you can use your business to show others outside of your business some love…
Where to share the love
There are plenty of opportunities to show love to others outside of your business, from making huge gestures to the very smallest, these are some of my ideas…
Charities
Perhaps the most obvious way to show that your business cares about other entities is by contributing to charity. Choosing which of the many charities can be tricky though, so my thoughts on this start with personal experiences. Has a charity been of help to you in the past? Then perhaps you could consider whether your business has any alignment with a good cause in your area. Or maybe, you have a charity in your networking group that you’d like to support.
Remember to keep an eye on how many charities you contribute to, as it can quickly get out of hand, but also bear in mind you could switch from one year to the next.
The environment
Having attended numerous meetings where the theme has been sustainability, I would encourage everyone to consider how their business can make a positive impact on climate change by creating and following a sustainability strategy.
Even a sole trader working from home can make a difference by making ethical choices in their supply chain. I’d like to share the 1987 United Nations definition of sustainability as food for thought:
“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Google reviews or LinkedIn recommendations
As ‘they’ say, it’s the thought that counts. If you’ve had a positive experience working with a supplier, or collaborating with another business, show you care by leaving a few words about that experience on a public platform.
Not only does a Google review or LinkedIn recommendation demonstrate trust and authenticity to others who may choose to work with them, but it also helps give that business a boost in search algorithms. (And it builds your professional relationships with the business owners).
Passing referrals
This shows love to your network in two ways… One of the things I love most about being in business is the fantastic people I meet and build connections with. And I love being able to connect two people who have a specific need, or synergy.
The other way passing referrals shows love is that you are demonstrating trust in a person to do a great job for someone else. And they could be issuing a new invoice, thanks to you.
Sharing your own experiences
It can be difficult for someone to open up about a problem their experiencing in their business. They don’t want to be seen as incapable, or weak. But sharing your own experiences of when business was tough for you shows others that it’s OK to ask for help, that going through something difficult doesn’t mean it won’t end, or that they have to go through it alone.
Being an emotional support for someone in business is also very rewarding and is a very quick way to build alliances.
I’ll be thinking more about emotional health in the next blog, so keep an eye out for that next week. In the meantime, if you’d like to talk to me about using your business to offset your carbon footprint, or introduce a charitable giving scheme, or if you have something tough you’re going through, I can help by being your sounding board and bring you clarity through a fresh perspective.