There’s a common thread of thought throughout small business (and big business for that matter) that the less you spend, the more you’ll retain. Well, it’s not necessarily true. Don’t get us wrong, we aren’t saying to go around throwing money from a hot air balloon, but what we are saying is try to think of revenue in a broader context. Sure there is financial revenue, but there is also emotional revenue and reputational revenue. And all of those eventually lead back to financial revenue. So how should you appropriately spend your money? Well, we can’t tell you that, but we can tell you how to find a good outlet for your ‘play-dough’.
- Invest in what people CAN see: Don’t toot your own horn, but don’t fall silent either. In order to show people that you do care about the community you need to make sure that they see your face and know that you really listen, and that can be difficult to do if they can’t get in touch with you or really get to know you on a one on one basis. Be present at your donations and your givings—it gives people the chance to say thank you and it makes it more personal that you take time out of your day to be a representative for your company.
- Invest in your team: Have you ever heard that story of the CEO and the Executive CEO, in which they are discussing the knowledge and investment in their employees? The Executive CEO says “What happens if we invest in our employees and they end up leaving?”, to which the CEO asks “What if we don’t invest in them and they end up staying?” The moral of the story is this—investing in your employees is investing in yourself. You may not become well known quickly for a good team, but you’ll be known quickly for a bad one. It will also bring your team closer in respect and friendship!
- Send gifts to those who have truly helped your business: Be charitable and thoughtful in your seasonal gift giving. Think about the client, or colleague—what they really enjoy or what they really need. It may be a few more dollars, but the sentiment is truly priceless to the receiver, and equally warming to the giver—we promise!