Newsletter: Who is Your Perfect Partnership Prospect? 😍 ; 4 Creative Cause Marketing Activations 🎨 ; Is Trust the Future of Giving? 😇

Who are your Perfect Partnership Prospects (PPP)???

Do you have a list of them that you refer to often?

Are you creating content specifically for them to get them on board?

Are you connecting with other people within the company so you have multiple touch points?

I ask because I had a great conversation last month with JOANN about their partnership with the National 4-H Council (4-H).

Yeah, I'm talking about that JOANN - the nation’s category leader in sewing and fabrics and one of the fastest-growing competitors in the arts and crafts industry. They have 850 stores across 49 states and a robust e-commerce business.

You see, JOANN was the the Perfect Partnership Prospect (PPP) for 4-H.

🤝 4-H was already ingrained in the company. A survey revealed what they already knew: Many of JOANN’s customers and employees are either currently involved with 4-H or are alumni of the organization.

🧵 Sewing is a key component of the 4-H curriculum. “A lot of people associate 4-H with agriculture and the raising and showing of animals, but they also teach sewing,” my contact at JOANN explained. “They are training tomorrow’s crafters and JOANN is the leader in sewing and fabrics.”

📍4-H has a national and local footprint. 4-H has the dual benefit of being a well-known national organization with deep roots in communities across the country. “JOANN has 850 stores and we were able to map each one back to a local 4-H program,” my contact said. “We knew 4-H could help us build stronger connections with local communities.”

Working with your PPP has a some big advantages - like raising lots of money!

With a partnership commitment that runs through next year, JOANN is on track to exceed its commitment of raising a minimum of $1.5 million for 4-H.

In 2022 alone, JOANN raised $900,000 from shoppers at the register.💥💥💥

So, let's return to my original question.

Who are your Perfect Partnership Prospects (PPP)???

I don't care if they already have another nonprofit partner. They are perfect for YOU! 🥰

Romeo and Juliet

David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox

French fries and ketchup

Your job this week is to double-down and identify your PPPs. Who are they and what are you doing to woo them? Because, let's face it, you belong together. ❤️🙏

✍️ Partnership Notes

1. Need some inspiration? Our friends at For Momentum have you covered. Four creative partnerships redefining cause marketing.

2. Do you subscribe to Axios' Monthly Moves? It tracks the latest career news in the comms and media space. A good thing to keep an eye on for possible connections. Here is November's.

3. One nonprofit leader's approach to attracting corporate support. Her focus is on corporate grants, but don't forget the Partnership Opportunity Graph I've shared with you before. There are 8+ ways to engage a company! Corporate grants is just one!

🤑 Marketing Your Cause

1. The American Cancer Society's new logo is a great example of "freeing" your logo. More nonprofits should follow their lead!

2. This looks like a handy tool I plan to experiment with. Search and list people on Twitter by keywords (job title and interests) they have written in their profile bio. Then you can serve them up Twitter ads to engage them with your cause.

3. Social media sites like Twitter are fine, but Ann Gynn at The Tilt (One of my favorite pubs! Sign up here) makes the case that you really need an email list. You know I agree!

😎 Cool Jobs in Cause

1. Assoc. Director for Corporate Partnerships, Caregiver Action Network, Washington, DC

2. Senior Director, Corporate Partnerships, City Year, Philadelphia

3. Director of Corporate & Cause Partnerships, Autism Society of America, Remote

🧠🍌 Brain Food

1. Trust is the future of giving.

2. How to build a great fundraising campaign. This was written specifically for newsrooms, but there's a lot of wisdom here. Note the important role email plays in any campaign.

3. How I feel when you click that very last link in my newsletter and I know that you read the whole damn thing.😊