How to build community through hosting events

Successful businesses have deep roots in their communities, and they create those roots with community-building events. Whether you’re a small business owner, a realtor, or a professional trying to make connections, hosting community events is a great way to take the next step.

With Paperless Post, you have everything you need to plan a community event, including professional invitations and state-of-the-art guest management features. Utilize these tools along with our list of community event ideas and tips from Nicole Brose, co-founder of Sheeco Events, to plan an event that solidifies your place in your professional—and local—community.

Benefits of hosting community events

Learning how to build community connections can make a huge difference in your company’s success. “Community events can really allow you to introduce your small business to potential customers in a low-stakes environment,” says Ms. Brose.

Additionally, hosting community events can help you:

• Build brand awareness. Whether you’re a new company or have been in business for years, a community event puts your brand front and center.
• Network. Community events let you connect with other businesses and potential clients in a professional yet informal capacity.
• Establish your reputation. “Everybody in your community is a potential customer,” says Ms. Brose. “If they need a haircut or if they need a new car battery, they’ll remember, ‘We took the kids there, and they had a moonbounce. It was a good time. Let’s go over there.’”
• Customer outreach. Fill the gaps in your customer research by having authentic, boots-on-the-ground conversations with people about their needs. “Potential customers let you know about local culture,” says Ms. Brose. “It’s a really good educational opportunity.”

5 community event ideas

When it comes to choosing a community event idea, the focus should be on your guests—not sales. “A community event doesn’t involve a hard sell,” says Ms. Brose. “There should be no obligation except for people to come together and create those relationships.”

Take a look at our favorite community event ideas and community event invitations to start building up those important relationships within your community.

1. Hold a block party

For a venue that holds a lot of people and doesn’t cost much, you can’t go wrong with a block party. Reserve space on a local street or in your company parking lot, and invite the neighborhood over.

• Invitation: Choose a friendly community event invitation like “Ffion” by Liberty, and post a shareable link on your social media page or a neighborhood message board.
• Refreshments: Hire a food truck or local restaurant to cater your event with light appetizers or a full meal.
• Activities: For summer parties, host field day games for neighbors to enjoy as they mingle. 
• Benefits: Block parties let everyone know you’re part of the community—and that you value this part of your identity. These events make a big impression at a lower cost and are easy to repeat each year for an annual celebration.

2. Clean up the area

Show your community you care with a clean-up event. This can involve cleaning up litter, painting over graffiti, or replanting community gardens—anything that beautifies the place where your guests live.

• Invitation: Invite members of the community to help with “Penrose” by Jonathan Adler.
• Refreshments: Serve light refreshments or lunch after guests finish all the hard work.
• Activities: Hire a DJ or use a playlist to keep music going during the clean-up event. 
• Benefits: A clean-up event creates positive associations with your brand, including clean streets and flourishing gardens. Plus, you can add signage in the newly cleaned areas for brand awareness.

3. Organize a donation drive

Hosting a fundraiser is a great way to bring people together and establish your reputation as a charitable, community-minded organization. Whether it’s a back-to-school event to collect school supplies or a neighborhood rummage sale for a charity, a day of service in the community is a day well spent.

• Invitation: Upload your company logo to a welcoming invitation like “Central Idea” by Paperless Post.
• Refreshments: If you’re hosting an early morning event, serve a breakfast buffet and coffee, or have dessert and wine available if your donation drive takes place in the evening.
• Activities: Offer a prize to the neighbor or business that donates the most goods, services, or funds.
• Benefits: Hosting a donation drive allows you to build connections with community members and align your organization with a worthy cause.

4. Host a cultural celebration

If there’s a cultural holiday coming up, such as Dia de los Muertos or Lunar New Year, host a festival to celebrate with the community. Involve community leaders or members of your organization who celebrate the holiday in the planning, organization, and marketing process.

• Invitation: Invite guests to your cultural celebration with a stylish community event invitation like “Marbleized” by Kelly Wearstler.
• Refreshments: Choose food and drinks specific to the culture you’re celebrating, or invite local restaurants specializing in cultural dishes to partner with you.
• Activities: Hire a band and set up a dance floor for guests to enjoy the live entertainment.
• Benefits: A cultural celebration allows you to reach out to a variety of customers and clients who celebrate their heritage in different ways.

5. Sponsor a community seminar

Every organization has something to offer their community. Host a seminar on a topic the community values, such as technology in the workplace, learning a new language, or a skill specific to your industry, and invite anyone who would like to learn more.

• Invitation: Send “Bold Line” by The Indigo Bunting for a professional and sophisticated message.
• Refreshments: Provide wine, cheese, and other light appetizers for guests to enjoy after the seminar is over.
• Activities: Host a reception following the seminar where guests can network and ask questions.
• Benefits: A community seminar positions your organization as an expert in your field and shows that you have connections with other experts.

Tips for building community during events

Spending time with your guests is the key to building community at your event. Follow our planning and networking tips to keep your community-building event worthwhile for everyone involved.

Plan with the community

Involving the community during planning gets them invested in your event early. “The biggest thing we do is talk to people,” says Ms. Brose. “We usually will start with the chamber of commerce and connect with local businesses, then connect with schools and teachers to say, ‘We want to make this event about you. What would you want to see there?’”

Market your event

No one can attend your event if they don’t know about it, so employ a marketing strategy that gets the word out. 

Choose a business event invitation and post the shareable link online to ensure you meet your goal of a high turnout. You can opt to create a Custom URL for your event so it’s easy for guests to remember, access, and share. 

To increase attendance, add a Details Block to your invitation that includes more information about your event, such as giveaways or other exclusive opportunities for attendees.

Stay organized

Guests who view shareable links won’t always RSVP to your event, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use helpful guest management tools to be as prepared as possible. Enable guests to bring other guests and set a maximum capacity so you’ll have an idea of how many people to expect. You can also send a broadcast message to guests if details about the event change, such as the location or time.

Focus on sustainability

Your event and organization should make a big impact on your guests—but a small impact on their physical environment. “We put a big focus on sustainability,” says Ms. Brose. “Showcase how you are giving back and minimizing any of the negative impacts. All of those things are really important to people, and it helps them put down their guard when they notice all the good that you’re doing.”

Save time for networking

Whether it’s chatting at the refreshment table, meeting and greeting community members at a seminar, or picking up trash alongside other volunteers, take every opportunity to network with guests (and have lots of business cards available).

Involve professional partners

Need catering, a venue, or event sponsorship? Reach out to local businesses in the community for their partnership. “Whether it’s through food, donations, or involving diverse and local vendors, you are giving back to the community,” says Ms. Brose.

Create lasting connections with these partners that can pay off in the future (for both of you), and align your organization with companies that have more established local reputations. Make sure to recognize any community partners by adding a Sponsors Block to your event page, and thank them at the event as well. “When we do our events, we always put up signage that thanks all of the local vendors that we’ve used for the event,” adds Ms. Brose.

Keep it fun

“When you go to a community event, it’s about the people,” says Ms. Brose. “Your community event should meet the needs of every guest, from fellow professionals to curious neighbors. Add games and live entertainment to make your event feel more like a party than a business opportunity, and to let everyone know that you value creating a great experience for the community. And make sure there’s enough food and drink to go around!”

Paperless Post makes it easy to reach out

At Paperless Post, we know how to build connections. Whether it’s a community gathering or a networking opportunity, we’ve got the tools to make every event a success. Use Paperless Post to plan and manage your next professional event, and enjoy the new connections you make in your community.

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