Community Store Support Members Companies People Eslpod Encourage

Organizations and companies try to "cultivate" (grow, develop, and encourage) community support in many ways. For example, if a large store "chain" (a business with many locations) wants to open a new store in a particular city, it will need the support of community members. It can "foster" (grow and encourage) that support in many ways.

A company might invite community members to "sit on" (participate in) "advisory boards," or groups of people who are officially invited to share their opinion on a particular topic and guide the company's decisions. This lets community members "feel that their voice has been heard" (believe their opinion is important). Usually, the members of the advisory board are "influential" (important and able to change others' opinions) businesspeople or local government officials who can "sway" (influence; change the direction of) "public opinion" (the way most people feel about something) "in favor of" (for the benefit of) the company.

Companies might also "hold" (organize) "town hall meetings," which are opportunities for many people in the community to meet, usually in the evening, to share their opinion, ask questions, and receive answers. The company sends one or more representatives to interact with the public and "address" (discuss; respond to) their "concerns" (worries; questions).

Finally, companies might "conduct" (implement; lead) education "campaigns" (efforts to influence people's opinions) through advertisements and publications. For example, a store chain that wants to "expand" (open new stores or offices) into a particular community might have a campaign to educate community members about the advantages of having a store and the number of jobs the new store will create.