Leaving a Legacy: 4 Ways You Can Make an Impact as a Print Company Owner

If you hop on social media for even a few minutes, chances are, you’ll see inspirational quotes and quips flying past your fingertips as fast as those chocolate candies Lucy and Ethel were trying so desperately to wrap.

Consider this well-known quote by Maya Angelou:

“If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.”

But what if you read that quote, and instead of feeling inspired, you feel defeated or question if your mark on the world even makes a difference? 

If this is you, you’re not alone. 

Most entrepreneurs struggle with these types of feelings in one way or another, and it’s not all bad. These self-reflective feelings often lead business owners back to the drawing board to create better work or spur them on to pursue better goals.

So how about you? Have you given any thought to the legacy your print business is leaving? Today is the day to remember that what you do matters and how you can make a difference with your print business. 

4 Ways You Can Make an Impact as a Print Company Owner

1. Keep Money Circulating in Your Community

With every sale made and every print job produced, your printing business is helping to keep money within your local community.

The money spent on those school flyers by the local education department has the opportunity to go to your business instead of a large national company. Or, when a real estate agent, bank, restaurant, or other business down the street contacts you to create their print marketing materials, they are spending the money they earned in your city throughout your community, keeping those dollars close to home.

2. Become a Local Sponsor

Another way your print business can create a legacy within your community is by sponsoring or helping to support various operations in your city. 

For example, maybe you bulletins or prayer cards for your local church or sponsor a little league team. By getting involved in this way, you’re creating a lasting impression on your community members. 

So, keep your eyes open. Can you sponsor your local school newspaper or a city-wide event? While you don’t necessarily need to give these services away for free, you could consider reducing the cost a bit, helping to offset them enough to make your own statement. 

3. Support Your Local Charities

Similar to sponsorships, put your stamp on some of the important charities and nonprofit organizations in your area. 

You could offer to help with their charity work, whether in printing signage for a fundraiser or helping to communicate special events. You may wish to sponsor the fundraiser or help cover the costs of some of the printing they need. The key here is to get your name out there and find causes that are important to you and your print business.

Your work to help spread the word about these charitable organizations can drastically help those organizations and help you make your mark in doing something good for those in your community.

4. Share Your Joy of the Printing Industry with the Younger Generation

Your print shop is undoubtedly an incredible place – especially to children!

Elementary school children, as well as those in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, homeschool groups, and more, may find what you do fascinating, whether it’s printing and binding books or creating digital graphics for windows. Welcome them into your organization with a simple tour or show them how important your business is. 

Don’t stop there. Look to local vocational programs, too. Encourage them to visit your location to learn what the printing business is like. Give them a behind-the-scenes tour, including the manufacturing process and the computer technology you’re using. This may spark their interest and, in turn, grow the future of the printing industry.

Why Your Legacy Matters

Your print business provides a valuable service. 

So much so that most businesses and other organizations would struggle to get their message out or succeed without the print marketing you provide. When you hold tightly to this importance, you can work towards helping people get the most out of what you do.

How will you find a way to make your legacy known in your community? What can you do today that will help support your local community in some way? 

Reach out to those in your area who may need a bit more support with their marketing efforts or communicating their mission, and watch your legacy continue to make its mark on the world.