Portraits of Love
Last week the Arizona Republic featured a story by Astrid Galvan about three local businesses joining a nationwide movement to give overseas soldiers professional portraits of their families. The project, known as Portraits of Love, is a partnership between the PhotoImaging Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA) and the Soldiers' Angels volunteer organization.
The story highlights the desire of the professional photographers to give back to the military community and help local families. The article goes on to describe the specific services of the photographers and cites a specific portrait taken with a military family from Mesa, Arizona. At the end of the article, the writer links to the section of the Portraits of Love website where all three participating businesses can be found.
This is a prima facie example of engaging your local market through cause marketing participation. Cause marketing initiatives build immediate trust and respect for your small business operation, and can you think of any better WOM (word of mouth) buzz?
According to Sarah Kerkian, Senior Insights Associate at brand strategy and communications agency, Cone, “American consumers continue to have high expectations of companies to support important causes, even amid the recession, and they are quite supportive of cause marketing. In fact, Cone’s research found that a full 85 percent say it’s acceptable for a company to involve a cause in its marketing. Now is not the time to be humble. It’s the time to build authentic and lasting relationships with important organizations and causes and to engage consumers and employees in your efforts.”
In my experience I can't point to a single downside for small businesses to incorporate a cause marketing program into their local marketing mix. Today, small business internet marketing is about building trust more than salesmanship. Participation also tends to lift the morale and spirit of employees because worthy causes instill pride and motivation in everyone involved.
Here are three tips for small businesses to convert local business online by participating in a cause marketing program:
- Include the cause’s logo on the home page of your small business website.
- Link the logo to another page on your website that explains your involvement and how you have helped others participating in the cause. Include a call to action.
- Write and submit an online press release announcing your involvement with the cause, how you are specifically helping, and how your customers can participate (if applicable). Don’t forget to link the press release to your small business website, and to the website of the cause marketing program.
Related reading:
Alden Keene & Associates lays out a game plan for small businesses wanting to participate in a cause marketing program, 7 Tips to TurboCharge Your Small Business Marketing With Cause Marketing.
Download Cone's PDF, Cause in the Marketplace: Current Trends Spring-Summer 2009.
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