What is Cause Marketing? It’s a mutually beneficial partnership between your store and a local non-profit organization. They send new customers into your store (their supporters or members) and, in exchange, you donate cash or services back to the organization.
The amount you donate depends on how much their supporters spend in your store. You write a check when, and only when, their members come into your store and buy. If they spend a lot, then your non-profit partner receives a large donation. It’s really a two-way street.
Three reasons why the holidays are the perfect time to do Cause Marketing:
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You’ll get bigger numbers of new customers coming into your store. Unlike other times of the year, people feel the need to shop during the holidays. So you’re likely to get a higher response rate during a holiday event.
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You’ll sell more. People tend to feel generous and giving during the holidays. Because their purchase is supporting a good cause, they’ll tend to spend more that they normally would.
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You’ll have more people to sell to once the holidays are over. The more new customer information you can gather during the busy 4th quarter, the more people you can contact about shopping with you again once things slow down. (Think mailing list – emailed newsletter etc).
It pays to be proactive in your store and in your community. Cause Marketing is a great step in that direction.