Beyond the Bottom Line: The Power of Community in Business

In last month’s blog I wrote about the importance of quarterly reviews for your business, as I know many business owners struggle to find out how to implement administrative management tasks like these, and without much community in business it’s hard to know where to find guidance.

I love running Ask Zoe because I get to help people to push their businesses forward, and during the process of building my own business, I’ve built links with lots of local stakeholders to share resources, create opportunities, and help the wider community too.

It’s something I’m really passionate about, so this month’s blog is about why it’s so important to build community in business, both in person and online, and how you can do it too.

 

Table of Contents

Being an active member of your community …

We’re here to talk about the role of community in business specifically, but it’s important to say that establishing good social links is hugely beneficial to us in all of life, not just in a work context.

The Mental Health Foundation have found that a strong network of social connections is strongly linked to better mental health, no matter what sort of community it is that you live in.

Building good networks of relationships around us helps us to feel grounded and makes us more resilient to weather the storms of life when they come.

It’s clear that being active in your community is helpful for each of us, but there are specific benefits for your business being linked to the community too.

Make your business community-rooted …

By taking part in the communities, you’re in, your business will build relationships with individuals and organisations in that area.

As you become known as a business which is invested in the community, trust in your brand will grow, and you’ll build relationships with people who may become customers, who are much more likely to be loyal to a business who they know is for them.

In-person and online interactions are both great here and being an active member of community social media groups as well as physical events will mean that you can take part not just in communities which are geographically close by, but those which are united by shared goals or industries too.

Get to know your community’s needs …

Helping to build community in business will also help you to know your target audience much better.

If you’re frequently interacting with members of your community, you will quickly learn the pressure points being faced, and gain insights into the needs and of the people you’re surrounded by.

You’re then perfectly placed to show them how your product or service meets their needs or adapt what you can provide to meet demand.

It’s a real win-win as you get to benefit the community whilst increasing customer satisfaction and brand loyalty for your business.

Collaborate with community stakeholders …

Another exciting element of building community in business is the opportunity to collaborate with community stakeholders.

By linking up with other businesses and community initiatives either locally or online, you can build a collective expertise, share resources and build one another’s networks up.

It can be hard for business owners when we often work alone or wish we knew someone who’s been in our shoes to advise us on tough decisions.

This is the real power of community in business, as it means that we can rely on one another when we need assistance or share valuable insights into business life.

Creating and building community in business?

This might sound like an appealing idea, but how can you actually build community in business and see the benefits for yourself and others?

Here are my top tips:

  • Get to know people in your community. Whether they’re local residents, members of a Facebook group for your industry, or fellow business owners, linking up with them will show that you’re invested and help you to see the needs of the community which could be met by your business.
  • Get involved in what’s going on in your community. Projects, online events, local council meetings, web forums – find out where the beating heart of your community is and make sure you’re a part of it.
  • Find similar businesses to yours in your community. Perhaps they’re providing a similar product or service, or they have an ethos that’s aligned with yours. Get to know them, build up relationships with them, and think about how you could work together on projects or collaborate on something new.
  • Seek out platforms for community in business. There are plenty of events both online and in-person which specifically aim to help business owners to network, build community and share ideas, and these are great ways to meet folks who also want to build a community of likeminded people.

Ask Zoe about how you can build community in business …

If you want to think more about how your business can be rooted in community, I’d love to chat.

I’ve worked with loads of business owners who want to get better at networking and build up their relationships with those around them, as it’s something I’m so passionate about myself.

In 2024 I launched the Ask Zoe Small Business Awards, as a way to celebrate the achievements of the amazing small business owners in my area and give an opportunity for them to meet one another and network.

I love thinking about those links between businesses that were made through the awards, and how they’ve gone on to support one another with advice and collaborations.

Not only that, but we raised money for The Children’s Hospital Charity, making it an event which gave back to the community too.

Building community in business is really close to my heart, and that’s why I’m inviting you to join the Ask Zoe 5-day challenge!

I’m running a free course across 5 Tuesday evenings on Facebook live, starting on the 6th May 2025.

It will be a great chance to focus on your business marketing and come away with an actionable plan, as well as giving opportunities for activities and discussion with others on the course – so it’s a really easy way to meet other business owners and network with them too.

There’s lots more info about the 5 day challenge here, and if you’re ready to get involved you can sign up through this link!

If you have any more questions about it I’d love to hear from you, so feel free to get in contact and ask me more about how you can start to build community in business yourself.

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