Can cause marketing save nonprofits during a recession??? Part.1
With a recession coming is it time for nonprofits and businesses to embrace #causemarketing more fully??
Belts appear to already be tightening — its time for creativity and innovation to rule the roost to increase #fundraising efforts.
Unlike traditional marketing with the main goal of driving profits, cause marketing has brands partnering with nonprofits to give back and do good.
It’s not entirely selfless, however. This type of partnership also raises a brand’s profile and perception, which can lead to consumers feeling good about supporting an organization who donates to charity, spending more, and thus increasing the company’s bottom line.
Here are some takeaways we have put together on how brands can do cause marketing well.
1. Choose a cause you believe in
Cause marketing will work to your benefit if the cause is something that your employees can get behind, put in the effort and feel good about helping. Some employees may even feel encouraged to volunteer.
Actually, paid time off for volunteering is one of the few employee benefits that has increased considerably in recent years. According to Statistics Canada, in 2018, roughly 34% of employed Canadians had an employer-based program or policy to encourage formal volunteering.
2. Find a cause related to your industry
Support a cause that show’s your company’s values, and makes people associate your brand with helping that cause after the campaign is well over.
For example, if your company manufactures and sells sports equipment, you might consider partnering with an organization that helps disadvantaged kids with the financial support they need to get involved in youth sports. Your campaign goal could focus its community outreach efforts on raising awareness about the sports program and driving donations to ensure kids have equal access to sport and recreation. Canadian Tire Jumpstart has been particularly good at this.
3. Raise awareness while raising funds
Although money is helpful to all nonprofits, donating your expertise is just as valuable. Companies should add social good directly into their business and make raising awareness a priority.
For example, Sun Life Financial has made prevention of diabetes and its complications an important cornerstone of its donations and global sponsorships. One of the company’s partnerships, Sun Life Dunk for Diabetes, encourages healthy habits through basketball-inspired fitness challenges, nutrition education, healthy snacks and encouragement from the Toronto Raptors and the National Basketball Association.
4. Collaborate with the nonprofit
For a rewarding partnership, get clear on what both parties expect or want from the arrangement. Maybe you connect the nonprofit with community leaders, partners and other resources, and they help boost your brand’s visibility by adding your logo to campaign-related marketing materials shown at charity events, on their website and social media. Clearly define how to use your company’s branding in a marketing campaign, and how the key messages can align both the nonprofit and your business.
5. Make social and earned media a top priority
Create clear content that can easily be adapted or repurposed to suit different multiple media channels to drive engagement and maximize the effectiveness of your campaign.
Canadian Red Cross did this well when it came to spreading the message about ice safety. Following a sea shanty trend that would generate billions of views globally, the organization was inspired to create their own version. Their video has had 2.3 million views on social media, with further clips coming from members of the organization’s digital volunteer program. You don’t have to be available on all social media platforms. But what matters is to create an impact on a few that you are present on.
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