Zenzi’s Tips for Cause Marketing

At Zenzi, we believe in giving back to organizations that are helping to make the world a better place. Supporting nonprofits working to implement social change not only feels good, it is a great way to create buzz about your company. It’s a win-win situation. This is why we encourage our clients to engage in cause marketing campaigns and seek out the right alliances for their mission and corporate goals. When you act out of goodness, people begin to trust you, and right now, trust is one of the most meaningful and hard-earned assets a company can possess. So take a step back from the financial fears and think about what you and your company can do to help the greater good. You’ll be surprised what a difference it will make.

1. 1. Choose a cause that is relevant to your brand: The charity you choose should make sense for your company and be in line with your mission and values. Be strategic when thinking about which non-profit is meaningful and will complement your brand messaging.
2. 2. Be original: The more unique or groundbreaking cause you choose, the more press-worthy it is and the more mileage you will get out of it. Plus, you will help spread an interesting message and will be viewed as an industry leader. The Haagen-Dazs “Save The Honey Bees” Campaign is a perfect example of a creative cause that is also right on target for the brand.
3. 3. Take advantage of social media: Tap into the power of social networks as a cost-effective way to spread the word. TwitCause, new from Experience Project, is an innovative way to help spread the word about your favorite charity via Twitter. We also love SocialVibe, where you can partner with sponsors to create greater impact for your cause campaign.
4. 4. Make sure you walk the talk: Be ethical. Don’t just claim to be helping a charity unless you plan on playing a big role or donating a significant amount of money to the cause. There has been a huge swell of corporate brands falsely claiming to be “green” (2% less plastic used…but still horribly toxic for the environment) or “pink” (check out Think Before You Pink).
5. 5. Be compassionate: Charity causes are often a sensitive issue to those involved, so make sure they know that you genuinely care about what they are doing for the world. A good non-profit should be equally concerned about your mission and values as its own. Sincerity and kindness are the name of the game.
6. 6. Pick one and stick with it: When deciding on a cause to support, it is important to think about the long-term. What are you passionate about? Choosing a cause that resonates with your employees will help energize your team and will help its staying power. No campaign can achieve overnight success, so you have to be willing to hang on to see the results you want.
7. 7. Drive dollars back to you: Tie product purchases into support for the cause. If you donate a percentage of each product to a cool non-profit, consumers are more likely to choose your product over others that aren’t giving back. Sometimes having a direct relationship (i.e. For every ten bikes purchased, you provide one bike to a child in a third-world country) helps to give your customers something they can grasp on to.
8. 8. Think big: Partner with an organization that is already getting good press on their own, then figure out how you can add to it for a bigger and better impact. Maybe choosing a smaller non-profit is right for your company, so you can really make large-scale change for their cause.
9. 9. Be comprehensive: Make sure you are supporting your campaign from all sides, including PR, media messaging, in-store displays, online, events, and guerilla outreach. Evaluate your progress along the way to ensure you are achieving your goals.
10. 10. Have Fun: Be sure to take a moment to enjoy how good it feels to give back! Celebrate your success with a party. Give out awards. Put on a check presentation or ribbon-cutting ceremony. Say thanks to those who helped along the way.

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