With National Women’s History Month right around the corner (March), what a perfect time for community banks, credit unions, financial advisors, insurance professionals, and lawyers to reach out to women customers in an unusual way – by celebrating women’s history!
And if your business already caters to women – clothing, cosmetics, health/personal care, home furnishings and decor – you’re already half-way there!
If you do what I suggest strategically, here’s what you will get in return:
• the gratitude of your existing women
customers
• new customers
• media attention
• a reputation as a classy, trustworthy
business that cares about local history
What can you do? Here are three FREE ideas — which you can use in March, or at any other time of the year!
1. Host an open house with refreshments, and bring in a local historian or author to give a women’s history talk. When you introduce the speaker, express your interest in and respect for women’s history and women customers. Congratulate attendees for THEIR interest!
2. Sponsor a walking tour of women’s history sites in your community led by a local historian. Your place of business will be one “stop” along the way, where people will enjoy refreshments and hear how proud you are to sponsor the event. If your company isn’t located directly on the walking tour route, partner up with someone who is! As long as you are present and proud, you will still accomplish your goals.
3. Co-sponsor a program with your local historical society or museum and help them understand that this is a joint venture. You will have access to their members and enhance your reputation by your association with the museum, and they will have your financial support and the new faces you will bring in (potential members). Your event could feature a speaker, reenactor, display of appropriate objects from your partner’s collection, musical performance, reading and book signing – they will know what makes sense for your community.
Whatever you decide to do, promote the heck out of it in the media, online, with posters and fliers, and at your place of business. Be visible and proud of your support of women’s history. People – especially women people — WILL take notice, because this is an unusual move for a BUSINESS to make.
You might also consider making a special offer for people who come to your event, or who respond in some other way if they cannot attend. A discount? A free give-away? A single rose?
The business coaching mantra that’s been flooding my email recently is “know, like, trust.” Here are three simple, low-cost, fun methods that do all three – which leads, of course, to more customers and happy existing customers who will be proud of you!
You will also be doing something meaningful and lasting for your community, and that’s not a bad reputation for your business to have!
(I must add, parenthetically, that you will also attract the attention of fathers who care about their daughters, and husbands who respect their wives. As someone who has given numerous talks on women’s history and led walking tours, I will tell you that some of the STRONGEST supporters of women’s history are these men! — your customers!)
