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Category Archives: Cause Marketing 101

How to Hire Me

Written on November 10, 2009 in Cause Marketer's Journal, Cause Marketing 101, Cause Practices, Cause Sales, Cause Tools, Six Figure Cause Marketing

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test It seems every day more and more nonprofits are asking me if I’m available for training and consulting. I am, as is my whole team (because, as you know, we always do things together).

Here’s how you can benefit from our experience.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that anything I could teach you in a teleconference or in person you could probably learn from reading the five years of posts I’ve blogged on Selfishgiving.com. It’s all here, folks. If you’re strapped for cash, but have plenty of time, it’s a great option.

An easy, affordable way to learn about our cause marketing practices is to sign-up for Six Figure Cause Marketing. You can learn all about the program at the landing page we’ve created, but let me mention a few things.

**If you think $299 is a lot for a teleconference program, think again. This program is designed to raise you real money, and I have the deposit slips to prove it. It isn’t called Six Figure Cause Marketing for nothing. It’s the first cause marketing program for ordinary nonprofits that truly goes beyond the platitudes and theories sold as how-to in other training programs.

**I don’t personally profit from the program. All the money goes to Boston Medical Center.

**Six Figure Cause Marketing is designed to be a teleconference program but it can be done in person, or in any other format you like. Email me at joe@selfishgiving.com.

Some nonprofits that already have a corporate partner lined up and are eager to get started have us run their cause marketing program from beginning to end. Read my post on our work with the Boston Bruins Foundation. This is a good option if you already have a partner in place and you’re comfortable sharing with us a portion of the proceeds.

Of course, there are numerous reasons why your nonprofit would want to work with mine.

You have a fabulous event that you believe is ripe for sponsorship, but you don’t know how to sell it. We’ll evaluate the event and tell you if it is indeed sponsorable. If it is, we’ll sell it for you.

You have a CEO from a major corporation on your board and while she privately supports your organization, her company has never been publicly involved with you. We can provide her with options that will be win-win for both organizations.

Or, maybe you’ve finally met that dream company that’s said, “We love your cause. How can we support you?” But you have no idea what the next step is. And even if you did your three-person nonprofit couldn’t execute a program. We can take the worry and hassle out of doing it yourself.

The cause marketing programs we typically create for nonprofits are unique and won’t conflict with your other fundraising efforts. I can also assure you that our programs would be challenging for you to execute without experience or training. That’s why we’ve waited five years before offering our services to others.

In short, learning from us on how to execute turnkey and lucrative cause marketing programs is a smart decision. And taking that extra step to work with us on a joint program is just short of genius.

We look forward to hearing from you. You can email me at joe@selfishgiving.com.

Tags: cause marketing, cause-related marketing, Six Figure Cause Marketing

Active vs. Passive Cause Marketing

Written on October 20, 2009 in Capplause, Cause Marketing 101, Cause Marketing In Action, Cause Practices

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wholefoods As a fan of pinup programs, especially for small nonprofits, I’m frequently asked how important the “ask” is at the register. The ask happens when you’re checking out and and cashier says, “Would you like to donate a dollar to help _________?”

To understand why the ask is so important to the success of a pinup program, you needn’t look any further than the stores you visit everyday.

“Do you need batteries for that?”

“Would you like to try Via, our new instant coffee?”

“Would you like to supersize your meal?”

They ask because when they do you usually say yes and buy more. A lot more.

The same is true of pinups. The more you ask people to give a buck or two the more people will. I call this active cause marketing (ACM).

But ACM isn’t for everyone. Some retailers see it as pestering the customer. An example here in eastern Massachusetts, and I limit it to my area because I really don’t know what they do in other parts of the country, is Whole Foods. They practice what I call passive cause marketing (PCM). And for all the shortcomings of PCM, Whole Food does it pretty darn well.

They put the gift request in a can’t-miss spot near the register where customers can decide for themselves if they want to contribute.

I ran across the pictured Autism Special Education Center pinup program at my local Whole Foods in West Newton, Massachusetts. The pitch was in a great location. Right in my line of sight on the credit card machine where I swiped my card. All I had to do was pick the card for either the $2 or $5 donation and give it to the cashier who scanned it just like any other item.

While this approach won’t raise as much money as an active pinup program, it’s a hundred times better than most passive cause marketing programs I see. Usually the donation request is far beyond passive; it’s hidden behind the gum in aisle three, or worse.

But let’s not forget how much the type of customer that shops at Whole Foods contributes to the success of this PCM program. Their average shopper is affluent, educated and sophisticated (so far it hasn’t rubbed off on me), which makes them more open and progressive about supporting causes they care about.

While this program was for autism, other PCM programs I’ve seen at the register are for food pantries, homeless shelters and especially “green” causes. Again, right in line with the interests and concerns of their yuppie shoppers.

I’ve never had success with passive cause marketing programs, but that’s not because they didn’t work. I didn’t set realistic expectations for myself and was disappointed when they didn’t raise as much money as ACMs. Now I know better.

To date, I also haven’t worked with retailers with the kind of customers that are more responsive to PCM programs. I’ll have to keep looking because Whole Foods in Massachusetts has already said no to doing a PCM for my cause.

Fortunately for me, there are a lot of other places to shop.

Tags: cause marketing, cause-related marketing, mobiles, paper icons, pinups, whole foods

11 Ways to Kick Ass in Your Next Cause Marketing Preso

Written on August 13, 2009 in Cause Marketer's Journal, Cause Marketing 101, Cause Practices

7 Comments

obama Powerful presentations are the backbone of most successful cause marketing pitches. Whether you’re talking to one person or a hundred, the ability to speak compellingly, sincerely and briefly can be a deciding factors in earning a company’s cause business.

I have no doubt that speaking well has made a huge difference in my success. Representing a small, relatively unknown hospital in Boston requires not only better ideas than our competition, but also the eloquence to make them glow more brightly.

So in the spirit of the bright and hot summer sun, which we are just starting to enjoy here in Boston, here are 11 ways to make sure your next cause marketing presentation is the hottest and brightest thing in the room.

In battle the eyes are defeated first. I hate to admit it, because I like my comfy jeans as much as anyone, but clothes do matter. A professional appearance sets the right tone for business presentations. Most companies expect nonprofit types to show up in a hemp shirt and sandals. Show them that you’re more like them than their stereotype and you’ll have a better chance of earning their trust and business.

Start with the unexpected. Don’t–I repeat, DON’T–start by talking about your nonprofit (a.k.a. The egocentric, bloodsucking charity that everyone expects.). It’s a big turn-off. Start by talking about your prospect, the proposal, their competitors and how you plan to help them accomplish their goals. By the time you get around to talking about yourself, it will be the cherry on the sundae.

Easy on the slides. There’s a terrible addiction out there to PowerPoint. Everyone wants a million slides to cover every word they say, but what they’re really doing is hiding behind an electronic podium. My simple rule: only use a slide when what you want to say isn’t best said with words. This will limit your slides to pictures, video and the occasional graph. That’s it. Remember, YOU are your best visual aid.

Be yourself at your best. Not all of us are marked to be great speakers, but as communicators we all do something well. Maybe you explain things well. You’re organized. You’re inspiring. You’re concise. You’re a great storyteller. Build your presentation around what you do best. Let your strengths do the work.

Tap the power of “team speaking.” Just as everyone does something well, team speaking aggregates those talents into one fabulous presentation. For example, when I give presentations I often do the overview of cause marketing and my nonprofit’s program. But I tap more knowledgeable members of my team to speak on specific programs. The mix of speakers works well, shares the chore of speaking with others and gives listeners some much needed variety.

Follow the 50/50 rule. Speaking is different from other forms of communication. Unlike a proposal where a prospect can reread areas whenever they want, speeches go in one ear and probably out the other. That’s why your speech should be evenly balanced between new material and (pre)review of what you’ve already said. (Pre)review can take many forms. “This point is important…” “The three areas we’ll cover…” “Now that we’ve talked about point-of-sale, let’s talk about licensing…”

Channel you inner Letterman. Besides Presidents Obama and Clinton, people really don’t look up to statesmen as models of great communicators anymore. They think of Conan and Leno and Larry King and Jon Stewart and Oprah and other celebs. What do these stars share? They’re engaging, funny, conversational, empathetic, and have a lot of different ways of making their points stick. In short, think of your presentation as a sort of a mini-talk show. You’re the host. You have an audience that you need to woo, move, impress and, yes, entertain. You’ll do that through laughter, compelling dialogue, technology and guests. Got it?

If you’re nervous, you’re lucky. That’s just the type of energy jolt you’ll need to rev you up for a presentation. Your shakes aren’t a liability. They are a symptom of the high octane fuel running through your veins that needs to be put to good use. Stop viewing the jitters as a bad thing. Be thankful that you’re a live wire and share the electricity!

We’re not impressed that you can read. Good public speaking is not about reading your notes. Listeners expect eye contact, impromptu speaking and, if the setting permits, conversation. That’s not to say that you should never bring notes to a presentation. I personally like when you do. It shows me that you’ve put some preparation into your speech. Now show me them know the difference between reading and speaking.

Boil it down. A good speech has many components, but it should always boil down to one action item. For me, it’s often something that’s not even very big, just an important next step in moving the potential partnership forward (Note: You’re not delivering the Gettysburg Address. Your speech isn’t going to change the world. Get over yourself and be practical, tangible and realistic.). Make it clear for them by the end of your speech: what is it that you want them to do.

Shut up. Over a hundred years ago Mark Twain said “Few sinners are saved after the first twenty-minutes of a sermon.” How many cause marketing prospects could you close in the first 20 minutes of a presentation? If you use your time well, A LOT! People tend to blather on and on these days with no purpose in sight. Again, do the unexpected: respect your prospect’s time and deliver a compressed, relevant, powerful pitch. Then shut up and sit down.