With the closure of retail outlets and the slowdown in high street footfall, we are in danger of damaging our relationship with the local community. This limits opportunities for lead generation. With all the other pressures on us, the last thing we want is a drop in quality subscribers to our email marketing lists.

The current situation isn’t only hurting you of course. Those in your local area, and the area your business is in, are likely to feel their share of difficulties. The good news is there is a way of helping your company as well as those struggling who are living around you.

You can connect with people in your area by taking up local causes. These do not have to be ‘good’ causes, just something that will have a positive influence. My rugby club supported local bands to an extent by using them as background music to website videos of match highlights. There are inherent dangers though, the first being the suspicion your sudden interest in a concern is motivated by a desire to increase the profitability of your email marketing company.

The trick here is to be sincere. Pick a cause you believe in, even if it is not one likely to give the best returns. Nothing is more obvious than insincerity. It can be helpful if the cause is one the members of your staff are sympathetic to.

Accept you are in it for the long term. If you sponsor a local event, suggesting it is close to your heart, and it’s something you’ve been fighting for all your life, once the email marketing list signup forms are packed away, you’ve got to do something else for them as well. My experience is these local causes tend to generate their own energy within a company and become a force for good.

There’s little doubt the area where you do business has causes that will click with you and your subscribers. Be open that you are getting something out of your initiative for your email marketing, just do it wholeheartedly. If it’s true, they’ll realise. Lead generation locally means they’ll be around for some time.