Free is very empowering and encourages people to think differently about how they might work with a nonprofit. For example, yesterday I met with a printer who, of course, wants me to do business with him. I get calls from these people all the time and I tell them all the same thing: go out and create an opportunity for me to buy your services. In this printer’s case, he has a good relationship with a restaurant chain. I told him to get a meeting for us to sit down with their marketing people to talk about a point-of-sale program. A mobile program will be good for the restaurant’s bottom line, allows the customer to exercise their philanthropic muscle—albeit a buck at a time, will benefit a good cause and the printer gets a job that’s paid for from the funds raised from the program. Seems pretty win-win-win to me.

Thanks for the shout out.

I think you’re on to something. There are a handful of charities with the brand power and tangible benefits who can legitimately command a premium for participation. You and I could probably brainstorm a minute or two and name them all.

But for most nonprofits the only legitimate negotiating position when it comes to cause-related marketing is to charge sponsors nothing for participation.

Of course there’s always the challenge of paying for a campaign’s hard costs. But that’s a discussion for another day.

Best,
Paul