Building Your Brand Through Community Engagement

Building Business Through Community: My Story
This week: Tips for follow-ups, building a local brand, and more

This week, we’re diving into a couple of tips to keep key subs on your side, and make sure they’re putting your jobs at the top of their list.

From setting clear timelines to showing your appreciation in person, these tips will help make subcontractor loyalty a lot easier.

Contents:

• Quick Tip: Clear Timelines and Communication

• Article of the Week: - Keep Your Best Subs Engaged by Showing You Value Their Work

• Video:

• Feedback Request/CTA

Quick Tip: Clear Timelines and Communication

Want to keep your subs committed and avoid those mid-project ghosting acts? It all comes down to clear timelines and proactive communication

• Timelines Matter. Ditch the “finish by” date—break projects into phases with milestones. Subs get a clear roadmap, and you get fewer surprises.

• Set Communication Rules. Specify check-in frequency and methods (phone, email, site meetings) so no one’s guessing. Clear communication stops issues from becoming crises.

Building Your Brand Through Community Engagement

Want to be the first name that pops up in people’s minds around town? Here’s how to build recognition that actually sticks—and feels good too.

What I Did:

When I started clawing my way back after losing everything in 2009, I dove into my community. It kicked off with the Chamber of Commerce. The president knew my situation and helped connect me to work when things were tight.

A few years in, I was serving as Vice Chair of the Chamber, Chair of our Planning and Zoning Board, and Vice Chair of our Tourism Committee. Point is, I made sure people knew me, and more importantly, I was invested in the community long before I needed it for business.

Started My Business:

When I launched my home-building business, every realtor in town already knew who I was. I’d networked at every event, volunteered wherever I could, and made sure to show up, rain or shine. Soon after, I was sponsoring the local co-ed softball league, then the Little League, charity golf tournaments, men’s leagues—you name it, I probably sponsored it at some point.

And while the exposure boosted my business, that was just the side benefit. I was there because I cared and because it felt right.

Tips:

1. Get Out There – Community events, festivals, etc.

2. Think Beyond Cash Sponsorship – I donate port a john’s yearly to an event.

3. Be Consistent – Show up, again and again. People remember those who are consistent.

Challenge:

Pick just one event or group to support this month. Doesn’t have to be huge. Just show up, make a quick plan, and see what happens. Then shoot me a note and tell me how it went!

Lesson:

The key takeaway here? Authenticity is king. People can tell when you’re just slapping a logo on something versus when you’re actually showing up. Community engagement isn’t about the hard sell—it’s about creating real connections that naturally lead to business. You won’t have to tell people what you do.