How to be a Community and Charity Champion Part 2

So, in my previous blog, I told you my story. How Karen and I made Beacon DentalCare known throughout our local community and beyond as THE charity , giving, community minded dental team.

How can you do the same?

Some Tips to get you started:

• Have a Team Meeting and engage your team.
• Ask them what they want to do
• Get ideas on suitable projects
• Light a fire underneath them and get them super motivated
• Talk to your freinds and clients to get an idea of what local charity and community groups are out there.
• Start small 
• Exhibit Local Artist's work (FREE! Don't take a commission, you will not sell much anyway, and it is terrific good will)
• Get Involved with raffles/draws being run by local service clubs (Lions, Round Table, Rotary). For example, most Lions clubs have annual Easter Egg and Christmas Hamper Draws
• Sell Poppies, Ribbons, Badges etc for Charities
• Get out of the practice and go and talk to local groups:
• Schools and nurseries on the subject of Oral Health
• Rotary and Round Table groups are always on the look out for different interesting speakers
• Join a Breakfast Networking Group and get your message out there
• Make yourself available to give a talk or presentation (obviously for free)
• Get a mascot. There are loads of ridiculous full size costumes on ebay such as Foxes, Bears, Dogs. Make sure it's name has significance to the Practice . (Ours is Billy the Beacon Bear).
• Offer your premises to groups or charities for special events
• Host your own themed events such as Cake Sales (Macmillan have one ever year), Fancy Dress Days, Charity Car Wash (outside the practice where everyone can see what you are up to)
• Charity Whitening has always worked well for us
• Get your local labs to make trays for free (several big national labs will do this for you)
• Get your gel supplier to give you free gel for the charity project (again several big whitening companies will give you gel for this)
• Give your time for free to take impressions, photos etc
• Advertise the event as heavily discounted and limited availibility
• Give 100% of the proceeds to a suitable (dental) charity 
• Bridge2Aid are very help to out with charity whitening project
• Do Sponsored events, and really encourage your team to do the same. Promote it in the practice and talk about it until your nurse is ready to kill you, to shut you up!

I guess the big thing that we got involved with was our Beacon Shining Light Awards. You can set your own awards up too. We were recognising local unsung heroes, but whatever works for you.

• It is hard work, and you will need help. Either from a tame (and cheap or free) Professional Events Organiser, or a designated team member
• Promote it through your clients and local media to get as many nominations as possible
• Get local celebrities to judge the awards
• Get Good Quality prizes from Businesses in your area
• Have a flash awards ceremony. It does not need to be a sit down dinner, but a small buffet and some fizz are a good idea.
• Get a local celeb or dignitary to host the event and give out awards
• Make sure the local media are present if possible

Whatever you do, you will generate good will, and most likely lots of free publicity. Word of mouth is an amazing marketing tool, and word will soon spread. Keep shouting about what you are doing, anywhere you can. Pay for advertising if you need to.

There you go. If anyone wants to ask me anything about what we have done in the past , please feel free.

Until next time..

DX