Social Capital & Successful Business Marketing Financial Support for The Texas Customized Self-Employment Project is provided by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, with Federal funds* made by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities. *($112,704) (78%) DD funds; ($32,019) (22%) non-federal resources

The Importance of Social Capital Question: What’s more important, who you know or what you do? Answer: Sometimes, it’s who you know… Social capital is about having people on your side, being ready to stand up for you, helping you get the money you need, and getting your word out

Social Capital & Marketing Makes businesses more interdependent on all community members, ie the local Chamber of Commerce Can be done by all of the members of the community, rather than the business owner and operator Can be done by supportive customers, church members and friends

Social Capital & Marketing Success of getting your message out depends on a strong, clear message about why your business benefits the community as a whole, as well as the individual customer And by being able to get that message out to as many people in as many ways as possible

Marketing Exercise: The “Elevator Speech” Develop a 3 minute presentation of your business, include: Services or products offered Specific features of the product or service for your identified customer(market) How your product or service will be of benefit to the customer Corporate or government grants

Social Capital & Successful Marketing Fundraising efforts are based upon the values of the organization, target audience, and connections to the community, the “grassroots” of support