Welcome to the next issue of Marketing Playground.
In the world of doing good, the advice sometimes goes: do something nice for someone and tell no one. For brands and organizations, I would propose an update to do good and tell everyone what you did. You should tell employees, clients, competitors, and the world who you are and what you stand for.
This month, we’re going to talk about strategic philanthropy and community participation – a way to do good and show the world who you are as a brand or organization.
We all know that your brand and business doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s part of a community, and so are your employees. Your relationship to this community impacts company morale, employee engagement, and your corporate reputation with the public, the people who work for you, and the media. Your contributions to the community should be incorporated into your marketing plan. More and more, consumers want to do business with companies who recognize the importance of giving back, and who have this engrained in their corporate culture. This connection to community should also take into account that community is no longer a geographical term, with the explosion of social media and the internet decades ago, community can be found around the globe.
Here, we’ll examine the best ways to give back to your community in a way that aligns with your company’s values and mission, and then the best ways for your organization to communicate this to your key target markets.
Invest in the issues that matter to you
Charitable causes can range from education to religion to social justice, and your contributions can help shape your community in positive ways. By contributing time and money to causes that matter, you can show social responsibility and commitment to improving your community—something that consumers and employees have both come to expect.
Corporate giving totaled $21.08 billion in 2021. (National Philanthropic Trust)
Philanthropy can take a variety of forms. Some simple ways your organization can give back to the community include:
- Volunteer work
- Monetary donations or matching
- Donating goods or services
- Speaking to students or participating in events at local universities
Not sure where to start? The easiest way to decide where to donate time and money is to listen to your employees and clients. Ask for suggestions of charitable causes, give employees time off to volunteer, and match their donations (if finances allow). If budgets are tight, giving of one’s time represents the ultimate give back.
Philanthropy is crucial for a winning strategy
The benefits of strategic philanthropy are too numerous to deny. In addition to building a positive reputation, charitable giving can
- Contribute to an increase in revenue through increased customer support and loyalty
- Generate new business opportunities by building partnerships with other businesses, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies
- Attract new talent, especially within the younger demographics
More than 70% of workers want an employer who shares their values. (America’s Charities)
Marketing your philanthropic efforts
Organizations should do good for their community, and it’s important to let the public know what you are doing and what causes the business is supporting.
A picture is worth a thousand words: Take photos and videos of your team handing out food at a food bank, doing a walk/run for a medical charity or volunteering at a children’s hospital. And then use the photos and videos in your social media and on the culture page of your website.
Become a force for positive change: Use email newsletters to share information on the causes you support.
Let your employees or the charities tell the story: Create testimonials and case studies with employees explaining why the cause is important to them.
Create a win-win situation: Use social media posts to invite clients, friends and associates to participate in the event, and/or donate to the cause.
Our philanthropy
At C&A Digital, one of our core values is giving back to the community. Our organization has a long history of charitable giving to local organizations like Yo Digo No Mas, Feeding Westchester, and Alzheimer’s Association through monetary donations, food drives, and charity walks.
On a personal note
As a woman entrepreneur, nurturing the next generation of professional women is a cause I am very passionate about, which is why I’m a proud mentor with Her Honor and a proud supporter of the Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC). In fact, C&A Digital recently hosted an event with WEDC at our offices, where I was honored to speak on a panel of successful entrepreneurs. I will also be speaking at Mercy University’s 5th Annual Student-Preneur Conference, Business Plan Competition and Student-Preneur EXPO, with the intention of encouraging rising talent at local universities.
I strongly believe that civic engagement will strengthen your business and your brand. Making strategic decisions to direct your philanthropic efforts can ensure the success of both your business and your community, and giving back will make you feel good too.
Until next time, thanks for coming to play.
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