As an agency that specializes in cause marketing, we are often asked why embark on a cause marketing program? Well, because it works.
And for those that need the proof, we have numbers to back it up. And like Shakira’s hips, numbers don’t lie.
- 76% of consumers trust purpose driven brands more
- 86% of consumers are likely to purchase from purpose driven companies.
- Businesses that use cause marketing see a 36% increase in consumer lifetime value and are 51% more likely to retain business
- 87% of consumers will buy a product because the company that supports their cause is relevant to them
- 71% of millennials say they would pay more if some of the proceeds go to a good cause.
At Knoodle, based in Phoenix, we develop the cause marketing campaigns from start to finish. We negotiate the media to promote them, handle the logistics, build public relations into the campaign and ultimately create consumer loyalty. We currently do fifteen cause marketing programs per year and would love to do more.
Fulton Homes, a family-owned homebuilder, has done cause marketing for 25 years. They focus on drowning prevention, water safety, education, pet safety, patriotism and back-to-school and holiday gift drives.
We have also been working with local growing community bank, First Credit Union on three programs which are centered around financial literacy and Veterans
Before you jump into cause marketing, here are some things to know:
- Always start with the question, what do my consumers care about? It’s not about what the business owner finds important nearly as much as those who he/she wants to build a connection with.
- Source a media promotion from a radio station for guaranteed exposure and participation. I highly recommend professional guidance in this area. Every promotion is negotiable. It often calls for someone familiar with the media landscape to determine what makes sense. At Knoodle, for instance, we require a true partnership with the radio station. This means it’s not just about buying time. It’s about having the station commit its resources as a partner to the cause. If a radio station is charging $15,000 for a two-month promotion, for instance, it should dedicate at least $30,000 in resources. This can include commercials, promotional announcements, events, prizes and digital exposure. These assets will affect the success of the call to action that is involved with the promotion. For instance, when we do the Fulton Homes Fence Patrol, we want people to nominate someone in need of a pool fence. The promotional announcements create urgency so that individuals react and fill out a form with their story on the landing page. Not all radio stations are inclined to do promotions. We find Hubbard Broadcasting and Desert Valley Media most aligned with how we think they should be done. Other stations don’t have fully fledged promotions departments and discourage promotions that create work for their teams.
- Always opt for the title sponsorship. We generally do only title sponsorships without other sponsors. Other sponsors can water down the promotion and compete for the attention of the consumer. It often becomes a logo soup. It also helps us obtain media coverage without leaving your name out of it altogether.
- Supersize your exposure and create a more successful promotion with public relations. Everyone wins with PR. The media like “feel good” causes. The radio station likes it because we share the exposure with our media partner. Most of all it benefits you by creating an avalanche of good will and exposure. Gather those news clips and send them to your consumers, put them in your e-newsletters and your website. It multiplies the exposure for your business and the goodwill that cause marketing provides.
When your cause marketing is complete, do a thorough analysis. Look at the success of the promotion by examining the response to the call to action, your website traffic and the media coverage. In almost every case, businesses we work with love the exposure and the feel good nature of supporting a cause.
About the author:
Rosaria Cain, CEO of Knoodle, negotiates and works with her team and local radio stations to provide clients with cause marketing that works. Her favorite causes involve animals such at Fulton Homes K9 Companions and Fulton Homes Cause for Paws.