Small business owners are constantly looking for something that will give them an edge; differentiate them from the competition. By now, we have all heard of cause marketing. Almost any business can implement an effective cause marketing campaign that can have benefits for you, tangible and not-so-tangible. Think that somehow you are left out? Not true. Read on. Believe it:
Many small business owners believe that their company is too small to need a cause marketing campaign, because when they think of cause marketing they automatically think about Avon or Pepsi, or another one of the giants out there. The first step to implementing cause marketing into your small business is to believe that there is a niche for you. There’s almost nothing that can prevent you from having a great cause marketing campaign, size and profits included. In fact, a great cause marketing plan from the little guy can feel more authentic than one from a behemoth company.
Get Help:
CEOs and marketing professionals know that with a business to run day to day it is difficult to find the time to design and implement an effective, authentic cause marketing strategy. If you find this is true for you, do yourself a favor and get some help. The last thing you want to do is waste everyone’s time (read: money) attempting to do something that you don’t have the time, expertise or will to see to the end. A small investment upfront can save you a bundle in the end in terms of lost time. And that doesn’t even take into account the financial benefits you can reap with a good cause marketing campaign!
Define it:
Cause marketing tells your customers about a mutually beneficial relationship between your business and a non-profit. This relationship is an investment in your company that serves to further your business goals while also making an impact on the world. If you don’t have a handle on what it is and what it can do for you, an effective cause marketing campaign will continue to elude you.
Identify Barriers:
The statistics out there clearly show that cause marketing is marketing that works. But if it were that easy to do, everyone would be doing it. Even among the folks that are trying, some are not doing it well. So what goes wrong in the process? Here are a few of the biggies:
1. Lack of Commitment: Your company gets geared up to launch the new cause marketing strategy, but inevitably, there are bumps in the road. Without a deeper commitment to the “cause” in the cause marketing equation, your business won’t have the stamina to work to get it right. Make sure that your cause is one that your business is passionate about.
2.
Lack of Direction: Once you’ve found your passion, you must have a clear plan regarding what you are actually doing. Are you giving a percentage of each sale, giving a flat donation, or doing something else? Make sure you know what your plan is before you get started. It’s not enough to market that you are partnering with X charity and then not know what you are actually giving them.
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Lack of Clarity about Expectations: You’ll want to have clear expectations and open communication with the non-profit, with your employees, and with yourself. If no one, including you knows what to expect, how will you know when you’ve gotten there or when you’ve failed? How will you know how to make corrections along the way?
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Lack of Authenticity: If your company doesn’t care about the cause it has chosen, if there is a perception that it doesn’t care, or it is incongruous for some reason, your campaign won’t work. There’s no getting around this one, and there are no tricks. If there’s no heart, forget it.
Go for it:
People usually get confused in Marketing for Small Business. Cause marketing is just great. This post is very useful. It would be great if you could share some more information.
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