Everyone trying to grow a business in Texarkana has felt the pressure at some point. From entrepreneurs to managers, it often feels like there’s a never-ending list of tasks that need to be accomplished. Accounts payable. Training. Payroll. Inventory. Sales. Invoices. Maintenance. You get my point. And somewhere in there you have to find the time to stay relevant.
Working with local businesses every day, I see a lot of different tactics professionals use to stay connected with their community, from the covert to the quirky. There are some good lessons in each. If you’re like every other business, struggling to balance operations and visibility, the key is finding low effort opportunities with high impact results. I’ve put together a short, practical list you can use.
Networking
When done right, a little time reaps big rewards.
What Works
Join a networking group like LNKTXK, and attend the monthly meet & greets. While you’re there, don’t just find the familiar faces. Make the best use of your time by picking one person you don’t know and striking up a conversation. At the end of the year you’ll know 12 new people, and it will only cost you an hour each month.
Join the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce. They offer monthly Business After Hours where you can meet other business professionals and learn more about local businesses.
Get involved with a community organization. Volunteering your time on a monthly or every other month will not only make an impact in Texarkana, but it will also put you in the room with people you wouldn’t otherwise meet.
What Doesn’t
Taking a transactional approach to networking. If you're only there to pitch yourself or your product, people catch on pretty quickly. Walk into each event with the mindset of getting to know people. Be your authentic self (even if you’re awkward at first) and give others the opportunity to see your passion and character - not just your title.
Not following up with the people you meet. This is a big mistake that a lot of people make - including me! They get back into the grind of work and never reach out to foster the connections they’ve made. Connect on social media or send a brief text to say you enjoyed the conversation. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
You don’t need to post every day. You DO need to post things people actually care about.
What Works
Relevant, topical content. For example, during the late January ice storm an insurance agent could have posted tips to avoid freezing pipes or the best policy coverage for busted pipes.
Authenticity. Whether you’re uploading reels, posting pictures, or just giving information, make sure you are being true to yourself, your business model, and who you want as a customer.
A good story. People relate to the human experience. It connects us. Most businesses have a few humorous, heartfelt, or triumphant tales that their followers would be interested to hear. The point is to get engagement. Nothing does that like revealing your humanity.
What Doesn’t
Using every post to sell a product or service. We are all overstimulated from constantly being sold to. When we see a pitch, we just keep scrolling.
Ego posts. Constantly bragging on good deeds, high sales, your latest project, or your recent purchase or vacation may get you some engagement, but rarely builds consistent business. You have to walk the line between self-interest and self-confidence.
Over posting. Keep followers engaged without annoying them. I worked with someone once who swore by posting several times per day. The content didn’t matter-just the frequency. The cost? Engagement fell off fast, even with over 10k local followers.
Final Thought
Staying relevant doesn’t require a massive budget or strain on your time. It requires consistency, intention, and a willingness to show up where your customers and peers already are. Pick one or two of these strategies and commit to them for the next 90 days. Not perfectly — consistently. In most cases, steady execution beats big ideas that never make it onto the calendar.
Social Media