Volunteer

Volunteer.

If you can volunteer where you meet potential clients, it's a terrific way to network in addition to making you feel good about supporting a worthwhile cause (or people who have frequent contact with your prospects).

The largest generation still alive in the United States, the millennials, are concerned about issues. People like to work for companies that give back and are more inclined than members of other generations to conduct business with those organizations. Also, they make up more than one third of the workforce in this nation and, in a few years, will represent about 50% of it. 

According to Jeff Fromm, a speaker and consultant on millennials, "Millennials are more responsive to cause marketing than prior generations and are more willing to buy things affiliated with a cause." Also, they reward businesses who support the social causes and topics that are important to them.

Non-millennials also enjoy doing business with ethical organizations. So, incorporating charitable giving and volunteer activity into a marketing strategy makes sense. So how can you accomplish that without having it come off as marketing? 

Choose the appropriate cause. 

It's crucial to pick the correct cause if you want to incorporate charity into your marketing plan. Join forces with a program that feeds the underprivileged if you are in the food business. Choose a cause that requires your good or service. Make sure your efforts aren't only about self-promotion if you want something that supports your company's vision.

Get everybody on board. 

When it comes to donating, more is better. Invite as many individuals as you can to participate in your marketing initiatives that incorporate philanthropy. This year, the Utah-based company RAGS, which creates limited-edition children's rompers, involved both its staff and consumers in their charitable endeavor. Using social media, it solicited donations of toys for a nearby charity organization called Community Action Services and urged followers to use a hashtag to publicize the event. It collaborated with a few other companies and provided in-demand items for attendees who brought toys to donate. 100 people received a free RAG, and 50 people received a free backpack-style diaper bag. Also, the venue donated raffle items. The company interacted with both current and potential consumers through the toy donation campaign, which benefited a local charity.

Keep your self-promotion in check. 

It can be alluring to brag about how fantastic your business is and how much money you've donated to charity. Yet much self-promotion could be harmful. Instead, invite clients to spread the word about your initiatives on social media by using hashtags and shoutouts. Speak to your staff about using their social media profiles to promote your efforts. Request that the NGOs who receive your donations showcase your charitable efforts on their websites and social media accounts. It's acceptable to draw attention to your charitable endeavors, but watch out for turning it into bragging.

Spend more on donations. 

While giving money to nonprofit organizations is simple, getting involved and making an effort for a cause is more beneficial. Of course, send a cheque. But if you can, match your employees' donations to urge them to give as well. Promote volunteering and take the initiative. Some businesses offer paid time off for employees to volunteer for a cause of their choice, such as working at a food bank. Think about volunteering your talents to a nonprofit to create marketing materials or to provide employment training. Getting actively involved in a cause is beneficial for the community and for marketing.

Keep at it till the end. 

It won't benefit your marketing plan to approach philanthropy in a one-and-done manner. Support causes over the long run instead. Make it a yearly celebration, a continuous endeavor, or both. Consumers and others will recognize the link between your company and charitable giving, so you won't need to explicitly mention it in all of your marketing collateral. You must adopt a long-term strategy if you want giving back to be a part of your marketing plan.

It's wise to incorporate philanthropy into your marketing plan. Yet if you do it correctly, picking the proper cause, and going above and beyond self-promotion, it only works once.