According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), millennials make up 36 percent of current homebuyers. It’s also widely known that they’ve furthered the social responsibility movement, with some reports saying that 70 percent of them would spend more money with brands that give back. If you put those statistics together, it makes sense that you should be giving to charity on behalf of your clients—and to further your brand. But don’t forget that the bigger purpose is to impact your community.
Here are four ways you can authentically give back that will make a difference for you and your clients, and, hopefully, a very deserving cause:
Get Active, Get Involved
There are so many active nonprofit organizations who need help today, and so many fantastic causes. A quick online search of your city or community should reveal a number of charitable organizations that have volunteer opportunities available. If you’ve already got a full schedule and aren’t sure that you can commit to volunteering regularly, you might consider joining their Board of Directors or becoming an advisor or consultant for the board. Often, these types of positions won’t demand a lot of your time and allow you to contribute your expertise and insight. Regardless of how you participate, the more active you are, the more people in your community will get to know you. And these are the people who may require your services as a real estate professional in the future.
Organize to Make an Impact
If you already have a cause that’s near and dear to your heart, consider organizing friends, family and past clients to make a greater impact. If you care for the underprivileged, set aside a day or time of year when you can all get together and serve food at a food bank or work at a shelter. A side benefit of this is bringing people together, bonding as a team or community of friends and meeting new people. You can even make it an annual tradition, which makes planning and participating much easier.
Fundraise
Many nonprofit organizations focus on a day or month of the year where they can do some heavy fundraising. For example, February is American Heart Month, which was meant to raise awareness, but many local heart health organizations will host events throughout the month to generate significant donations. Many of these organizations also provide ways that you can generate donations, either online or in person. Not only can you raise big money, but also, your name will be attached to a great cause—and it’s certainly something you should feel comfortable promoting.
Donate and Give
This may be the simplest way to make an impact. Almost all nonprofits and charitable organizations depend on the generosity of others to survive. Donating money can be the easiest way to really make a difference. While you can do a one-time give, many organizations make it easy to donate regularly and even give on behalf of others, like your buyers and sellers. This will certainly matter to your millennial clients, and make a difference to us all.
Realty ONE Group is celebrating its 14th anniversary this May 1, the same way we always do, by giving back to our communities where we live, work and serve. On ONE Day, our offices and agents across the world will contribute to charitable projects like feeding the hungry, cleaning up open spaces or rebuilding homes. To learn more, visit www.realtyonegroup.com.
