Here are two terms that every business person should understand: Cause Marketing and Conscious Consumerism. Social responsibility is becoming an important part of the American culture, and it can make consumers take notice of your business. Yet communicating your company’s involvement with a cause can be challenging. The right content can attract new customers. Poorly worded content can sound self-serving and tacky.
Understanding the terms
Cause Marketing – a strategic marketing partnership between your business and a social cause or nonprofit – enables consumers to connect with your business in a meaningful and positive way. It builds awareness of your company, provides a tangible demonstration of your values, engages your employees and can differentiate your organization. It also helps you build a loyal fan base of advocates who will stand by you in rockier times.
Cause Marketing goes hand-in-hand with Conscious Consumerism, a social movement that can also be defined as “dollar voting”. People want to shop at companies that give back and that are proactively improving the world.
While addressing a recent international gathering of women business leaders, conscious consumerism expert Lauren Bush Lauren stated that 93 percent of millennials surveyed say that they are more likely to buy a product that is associated with a cause. Pay attention to this age group because Bush added that by 2018, millennials will have $2.45 trillion in spending power, exceeding that of previous generations.
People will know if you are “green washing”
Communicating your company’s Cause Marketing initiatives should be more than announcing a monetary donation. People want to see that you’re also taking action. Here are four tips for coming across as genuine in your Cause Marketing content.
1. Be authentic. Find ways to incorporate your Cause Marketing as a visible part of your business model and company culture. Support and encourage employee involvement. Donate facility space after hours for meetings and events. Then use the media to solicit the public’s support. For example: Announce an employee-driven food bank collection through the media, with your business as the primary drop-off point.
2. Demonstrate how your business is aligned with the cause. Use your website and social media content to help your customers feel good about doing business with you. Consider a woman’s clothing retailer that collects gently used clothing from its customers, which it then donates to women’s shelters. Shoppers know they play a role in helping women rebuild their lives. This retailer might want to conduct a Facebook promotion asking women to clean out their closets, and bring in clothing donations for a one-day-only discount on new purchases.
3. Communicate an attitude of gratitude. Use your social media channels to help promote the cause’s events, and to congratulate its volunteers afterward. These are also opportunities to publicly reinforce commitment among your employees by thanking them individually for their involvement.
4. Involve your customers with your objectives. By announcing your goals ahead of time, and giving frequent updates, you are more likely to gain the support of like-minded people in the community.
One last example: A restaurateur went public with his plans to donate 2000 catered meals to charity fundraising events. For one year, he happily served food at all types of benefits in his community. He’d help drive up attendance by promoting each upcoming event on his social media pages. Afterward, he would post photos from the event and thank each cause for allowing him to be involved. His customer base now associates his name and business with numerous good causes. His restaurant is always busy, and he’s opened a second location.
Cause Marketing is becoming critical in today’s world. Women buyers are especially open to supporting brands that are transforming communities. But in the end, most people feel good when they are doing something to help others.
If your company currently has, or plans to start a Cause Marketing program, don’t miss an opportunity to tell your story through traditional publicity and social media. Call us to get a program in place.
