I'd like to start doing pro bono brand strategy/research for local companies. Are there any good guides or tips people have for how to approach small local businesses with such a proposition?

likesmart
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They will be thinking:
1. How much work is this gonna be?
2. How will you make me money?

Do research on their category so you can speak knowledgeably about their business and pain points. Build trust. Listen. Figure out if their business is at the right point of growth to require brand strategy. What will having it solve? Who’s executing the creative?

Which brings us back to: “How much work is this gonna be?”

likesmart

Great advice

Hey I have done this for 8+ years consistently and am happy to chat if you'd like

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You are a good person.

Hi! 👋🏽 I created and run R/GA’s Make/Good for Businesses program and we provide pro and lo-bono creative and Strat services to SMBs. I’m happy to share with you best practices for doing this work.

Quick tips:
1. Determine how many hours you can REALISTICALLY provide.

2. Start off by working with businesses that you’re passionate and have a lot of heart for what they do/who they are. This will help with momentum.

3. Quick wins, sprints and pilots are your bestie.

4. Partner with someone who is already plugged into businesses that are looking for this type of support. (I can be a plug to get you going) This is really going to go a long way to balance the relationship dynamics.

5. Have your own personal vetting system to determine who you will and won’t work with.

6. Make sure they have the capacity to execute what you’re helping them with. Otherwise, if you make a strat deck and they don’t have the ability to execute immediately to 3months from delivery…your services are not as valuable.

Happy to chat more!

helpful

Step 1: Which businesses resonant with you the most; Step 2: among those, which owners do you resonate best with; Step 3: find a trial project and see how it works in real time; Step 4: rinse/repeat

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