Spectrum Reach, the advertising sales business of Charter Communications, Inc., announced it will offer 250 underserved small business owners nationwide access to its expert advertising and marketing resources through its 2024 “Pay It Forward” initiative.

Applications are now available for submission for this year’s program.

Local entrepreneurs selected to participate will receive a live and streaming TV campaign worth up to $15,000 along with a custom produced 30-second commercial, marketing consultation services, mentoring and educational resources, and networking opportunities.

“Small underserved businesses are critical to the local economies of the cities and towns we serve, and they often need help connecting their message to their potential customers,” said Michael Guth, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Spectrum Reach. “Our focus is on supporting local businesses, and with ‘Pay It Forward’ we are providing them with the tools, resources and marketing expertise so they can continue to grow and thrive in their communities.”

Spectrum Reach Has Helped 2,000 Businesses and Counting

Since launching “Pay It Forward” in 2021, Spectrum Reach has invested more than $50 million in advertising and resources and helped more than 2,000 underserved businesses in 36 states across its footprint, from coffee shops and childcare facilities to restaurants and law firms. Among the 2023 “Pay It Forward” participants was GreaterHealth Pharmacy and Wellness in St. Louis, Missouri, which used Spectrum Reach’s complimentary resources and advertising to introduce itself to potential customers after launching in late 2022.

“As a Black-owned, full-service pharmacy, our goal is to close the culture and trust gap in communities of color to help improve the health of the residents who live there,” said Marcus Howard, founder of GreaterHealth. “Through ‘Pay It Forward’ Spectrum Reach helped us introduce our brand to the St. Louis community with a three-month TV advertising campaign and free commercial that was shown on a wide range of channels, including during an NBA playoff game. Having our commercial on major network channels built instant credibility; we saw a 23% increase in calls inquiring about transferring prescriptions, and customers started coming into the pharmacy saying they saw us on TV and were excited to try us out.”

‘Pay It Forward’ Participants Enjoy Free Advertising, Mentoring, Marketing Support

With this year’s “Pay It Forward” program, Spectrum Reach will offer each participating business access to a range of high-value services, including:

-Free advertising. Local businesses selected to participate will receive access to Spectrum Reach’s award-winning, in-house creative agency Kernel; a 30-second original commercial; and a complimentary linear and streaming TV advertising campaign that will run throughout April, May and June.

-Expert mentoring. “Pay It Forward” will provide businesses with support and advice from other entrepreneurs, business owners and previous participants in the program, to help them navigate the challenges of owning a business and identify opportunities for growth.

-Resources. In addition to dedicated support from Spectrum Reach’s local marketing experts, businesses will receive a free laptop and for the duration of the program will have access to a members-only “Pay It Forward” website featuring educational resources, webinars, news and business insights to help them build and grow a successful brand.

Spectrum Reach also will host local and virtual events throughout the year for entrepreneurs and business owners to share ideas and build community. Reach has partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Black Chamber of Commerce, Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and other organizations in regional markets to host events throughout the year.

To apply for Spectrum Reach’s 2024 “Pay It Forward” program, underserved businesses must be legally registered to operate within a designated market area served by Spectrum Reach. The deadline for applications is Feb. 25 and this year’s participants will be announced in late March. More information is available here.