How can you find the right cause for your brand to support?
To help you identify the right cause that your brand can meaningfully support, we asked marketing experts and business leaders this question for their best insights. From considering a local nonprofit that is solving local issues to using your buyer persona to find a worthy cause, there are several tips that may help you find and support a cause that best reflects your business goals and values.
Here are eight tips these leaders follow to find the right cause that their brand supports:
- Consider a Local Nonprofit that is Solving Local Issues
- Overlap your Customers’ Passions With Your Brand Values
- Ask Your Audience
- Look for a Cause that Aligns With Your Brand
- Ensure It’s Worth Your Time and Resources
- Find Causes Your Employees Care About that Align With Your Brand Values
- Consider Sponsoring Events
- Use Your Buyer Persona to Help Find a Worthy Cause
Consider a Local Nonprofit that is Solving Local Issues
James Crawford from the online shopping industry feels, “People are experiencing compassion fatigue. There are so many reasons and issues that it can be daunting. Consider making a donation to a local nonprofit that is working to solve a local issue because, in some circumstances, the larger the nonprofit, the less you can see your money at work. You can participate by providing money, but you can also ask your group to volunteer their time. The finest way to warm someone’s heart is often to give of yourself.”
Overlap Your Customers’ Passions With Your Brand Values
Ivana Taylor of DIYMarketers shares, “When you’re looking to support a cause for your brand, you have to start with your brand values and find a cause that reflects what your brand stands for AND what your ideal customer can get behind. Research shows that customers prefer to buy from brands that support causes they themselves believe in. In essence, consumers feel like they are getting a super-two-fer by purchasing from you; supporting a cause while getting a product or service for themselves.”
Ask Your Audience
Caleb Ulffers of Haven Althelitca shares their idea, “Get in touch with your customer base. The best causes to support are the ones nearest to the hearts of your audience. They’ll not only appreciate the fact that you’re supporting these causes, but also enjoy the fact that you’re engaging with them in a meaningful way. You can try polling, or asking directly via social media, what sort of causes really strike a cord with your audience. The nice thing about this is there really isn’t a need to be subtle about it or try to broach the subject into the conversation on the sly. Let it be visible by asking directly. Your base will appreciate your openness as much as your efforts in championing their causes.”
Look for a Cause That Aligns With Your Brand
Christina Queen a business and blog writer shares, “When it comes to supporting the right cause for your brand, you should make sure that cause aligns with your brand. While you are bringing awareness to that cause, you are also demonstrating your authenticity with your brand because you’ve aligned yourself with something you are passionate about. Another reason to align your brand is also to help you and your selected cause target the right audience.”
Ensure It’s Worth Your Time and Resources
Johannes Larsson, businessman, emphasises, “Make sure that the cause is worthy of your time and resources. You don’t want to waste your money or energy on an organization or project that won’t have a positive impact on society or the environment. It should be sustainable and relevant to your business. Along with this, consider how comfortable you’d be to promote this specific ideology through public speaking and other media exposure. Certain causes may require greater effort than others to not damage their credibility or image to potential customers.“
Find Causes Your Employees Care About the Align With Your Brand Values
Dan Simpson, a freelancer marketer thinks companies should,
“Finding the right cause for your brand needs to harness 3 things to be authentic: genuine passion, an action-over-aid approach, and altruism which isn’t self-serving. Start by finding out what causes your employees care about. You will have a mix of answers so when picking, make sure it aligns with an employee majority and your brand values. Secondly, action over aid refers to helping through activity, rather than only donations.”
“The quickest way for a brand to look self-serving is to donate and do nothing else. Donating your products, doing pro-bono work, and capturing the passion of your employees to raise awareness will help the cause more and come across as more genuine. Finally, picking a cause isn’t about promoting your brand, it’s about providing assistance to a cause you’re passionate about. If done right, your brand could benefit from publicity, but without putting in the work or picking a cause which your employees are passionate about, any CSR work could come across as fake.“
Consider Sponsoring Events
Boye Fajinmi of TheFutureParty talks about, “Sponsored events can be a great way to support a cause locally. While not quite as far-reaching as other forms of support, event sponsorship not only lets your brand support its cause but allows you to demonstrate that support actively. By sponsoring an official event your brand can build in-person relationships with your community as well as figures involved in the cause itself. A sponsored event is a great way to raise funds and awareness for a good cause while also building your brand.“
Use Your Buyer Persona to Help Find a Worthy Cause
Shawn Ryan of Techtopia feels, “Your Buyer Persona may help you understand what cause or charity your audience supports and you can use this to make a difference. Many people are passionate about altruism. If you know what your audience is passionate about, you can tap into that passion to get them involved in your business or brand. This will help you hold a lasting memory or a positive reaction to your brand. For example, if your audience is passionate about animal welfare, you could donate a percentage of your profits to an animal rescue organization. Or, if they’re passionate about environmental causes, you could partner with a green company or use sustainable materials in your product packaging.
By understanding your target audience so well that you understand their preferred causes, you can show that your brand cares about the same things they do. This will make them much more likely to trust, respect, and ultimately buy from you. Patagonia is a great example of branding through giving.“
We would like to thank Terkel in their continued help in the creation of this blog post. Click the link for similar articles regarding Inclusive Marketing.
