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Cause Marketing Small Business Strategies

Support a good cause or need to find one?  Read on for marketing strategies for your small business to support that cause.

Cause marketing is a marketing method where businesses align themselves with social issues or beliefs that are important to them and execute a campaign accordingly.  Companies use this strategy to bring awareness to a cause and show social responsibility.

Small businesses can include social causes in their marketing strategy by showing support for social causes that align with their values and connect with their customers.  You should balance cause marketing with the needs of your business.

Here are a few strategies for creating a successful cause marketing campaign for your small business:

1.  Select an appealing cause for your campaign – What cause aligns with you and the vision/mission/brand/goals of your company?  Do thorough research to find the answer to this question.  Choose a cause because you genuinely care about the cause.  Some ways to decide if you have chosen the right cause are:  Spend a day volunteering for the cause, ask your fellow small business owners whom they support, and ensure that your employees agree with the choice. There are many worthy non-profits out there you can get behind.  When you have the right cause to champion, and it aligns with your own needs and wants, as well as your customer’s needs and wants, they will follow you.  Then they will keep your company in mind when they are in need of your products and services.  This leads to increased sales and business.

2.  Get your customers involved – Cause marketing strategies are not always about just writing the cause a big check and being done with it.  Customer involvement is critical to making the most of this type of opportunity.   Ask your customers to help with the cause you support.  They can join you as volunteers at the local office or share the information you share about the organization.  When your customer’s values align with yours and with the non-profit you chose, they will be happy to help you support it.

3.  Use a variety of media to reach the most people – Social media is the best way to keep in communication with your customers.  When you have a cause you support, decide how often you will post about it, how many different social media platforms you will use, and what type of media, such as videos and blogs.  Use relevant hashtags to generate interest.  Be sure to have a clear upbeat call-to-action for yourself and your followers.  Ask your followers to share, and also to take action by volunteering or giving money.  If you have a good cause, customers will be more loyal to your company.  This means more success for your business.

 As a small business owner, finding a good social cause to support and using it in your marketing strategies can lead to more business from your customers.  Do your research to find a cause that aligns with your values, ask your customers to get involved in the cause with your using multiple social media platforms, as well as different types of media.  Not only will it be satisfying to support a good cause, but you will also help the cause by having your customers and audience support it as well.  If you need help either figuring out a cause to support or what marketing strategies to use once you find a good cause, reach out to Classy Communications today.  We can help.  Contact us at www.ClassyCommunications.net.  And please follow us on LinkedIn at Classy Communications PR & Advertising.