Thoughtfully Select Your Charity
Your company and your customers will be more enthusiastic about charity involvement when a charity’s cause is one you have a genuine passion for and one that speaks to you and your customers on a meaningful level. In other words, a business-charity relationship will have a far greater impact when it comes from a place of sincerity and relevance. For example, you’ll find it beneficial to consider partnering with a charity that directly helps those in your community, one you already have an established partnership with, or one that strongly aligns with your company and is in need of your help. The key is to reflect on your company’s mission and target audience when making your decision. For instance, if your company’s customers are primarily parents, then a charity that supports children would be most suitable. Similarly, if your company prioritizes the environment, then reaching out to an organization that does the same would be ideal.
Elicit Help from Your Customers
To help ensure that your company successfully chooses the most appropriate charity to support, include your customers in the decision-making process as it will provide you with invaluable insight. Ensuring your customers have a hand in making such a decision will strengthen the dedication they have to your brand as well as the chosen charity. One way to do this is to make posts across your social media platforms that encourage customers to cast their votes on which charity they believe your company should support out of a small list of options. Be sure the posts clearly explain both the cause of each charity and the reasons why it’s important to support them. It’s also highly effective to build up anticipation before revealing the chosen charity. Remember to utilize personalized email marketing in addition to social media marketing to endorse your campaign and keep your audience informed and updated.
Give Your Customers Options to Support the Cause
Your small businesses can always write a check to a local or national charity, however, a more effective, personal way to reach your customers is to allow them to play a bigger role in giving back. For instance, customers tend to spend more when they know that a portion of their purchase will be donated to a cause. Most often, companies choose specific products or services that are eligible for donations, or they choose to match customer donations up to a specified amount. Keep in mind that giving back to the community can also be done virtually this season in response to COVID-19 concerns and restrictions.