I’m a firm believer that getting involved in your local community and volunteering your time is beneficial not only for your mind and body, but also your business. There’s a sense of connection and community that occurs when you surround yourself with other like-minded charitable people — that quite often — results in the deepening of relationships with existing clients, as well as the fostering of new ones.
We’ve all heard the old saying, “people do business with people they know, like and trust.” Volunteering is a great way to network and meet new people, but more importantly, when the effort is genuine, can result in new business opportunities and referrals.
If you’re a real estate agent and you’ve been thinking about donating your time and service but aren’t quite sure how to get started, here are five ideas to consider:
1. Rotary International not only offers help locally and worldwide, but membership offers tremendous networking opportunities. The Rotary motto is “Service Above Self” and Rotary is an organization of over 33,000 local clubs serving their communities around the world.
2. Hands On Phoenix partners with a wide range of community service organizations and government agencies to put volunteers to work where they are needed most – tackling issues like homelessness, hunger, education, animal welfare, environmental challenges, and more.
3. Kiwanis International offers volunteer opportunities to help enhance the physical, emotional, educational, and social wellbeing of our children. Click the link to to see what opportunities are available in your community.
4. Smaller groups that cater to different ethnicities may be ideal for the agent who specializes in a certain ethnic market. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, for instance, can help you get in touch with local groups that offer help to the Hispanic community.
5. Hyper-local volunteer opportunities like coaching a community athletic team, volunteering at a local school in your farm area, your church or community theater groups are also great ways to donate your time while meeting new people.
The important part is to think about what’s important to you. What are you passionate about? Then, reach out to that organization and ask how you can help. Making the time to start giving back will come back to you tenfold. In the words of Bryant McGill, “Giving is the master key to success, in all applications of human life.”
I hope you find these ideas helpful. We would love to hear about other ways you are volunteering your time and service to your local community, and how the act of ‘giving back’ has impacted your business. Feel free to comment below or share your stories with me via email at matt.askland@cardinafinancial.com.
To learn more about Cardinal Financial and our charitable work here in the Valley, please visit our Community & Charity page.
Original Post Written by Matt Askland, Cardinal Financial AZ
