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The role of cause marketing is to align your business with a movement that your customers support. Developing and launching an effective cause marketing campaign can encourage customers with shared values to connect with you. In turn, you can gain the upper hand over competitors that aren't as involved in the community.
The fact is that if consumers believe a company has a strong purpose behind it, they're 4.1 times more likely to trust that company. In giving your company a true meaning, you can use cause marketing to show what values drive the people behind your brand.
If you want to get results with cause marketing during the holidays (or any time of year), the following are some tips for creating the perfect campaign.
Find the Right Cause
The first step of any cause marketing campaign is to find the right cause. The charity or purpose you choose will give a clear direction for your cause marketing ads, helping you connect with customers who share similar values. It's important to find a cause that's complementary to your business.
Whatever you choose needs to make sense for your industry and offerings. For example, grocery stores often support food drives to support their community, aligning the cause with their industry. Additionally, the cause you choose should be one that you're passionate about. It should also be something your audience will resonate with and want to support.
Timing Is Important
While it's possible to engage in cause marketing with any charity at any time throughout the year, it can be more powerful to target specific causes and events. Partnering with the right cause at the right time can be far more influential.
For instance, the Black Lives Matter movement was especially strong in 2020 because of current events. Many businesses were pleased to support the BLM initiative while the rest of the nation was, too. In addition, during the pandemic, many organizations supported hunger initiatives for children without access to free meals at school due to lockdowns. Another example of good timing is supporting toy drives for children or giving food to the needy during the holidays.
When there is a need for support and people feel passionate about a movement, this can present an excellent cause marketing opportunity. In the process, you'll be able to show that you actively care about the people you serve in your community.
Make Sure Your Campaign Reads Loud and Clear
Your cause marketing messaging should be apparent to your audiences. They should let people know exactly what you're doing and why you're doing it. Address what got you involved with the cause and what drives you to pursue it. Your campaign should also detail why people should support the cause and get involved.
Be fully transparent about the initiative and what it entails. Your audience should be aware of the cause marketing campaign through your ads and other content. In publicizing your efforts, integrate the campaign into all of your marketing channels. For example, you should create TV ads that discuss the initiative.
Digital ads on social media and other platforms could further advertise this campaign. From there, you can fully inform people about your cause marketing venture with a dedicated page on your website. Over time, you'll draw more attention to both the cause and your brand, leading people to associate you with the cause and their own values.
Get Your Audience Excited
If your audience truly resonates with your brand and the cause you support, it should be easy to excite them. Let people know about it and detail why they should be a part of it. Some questions to address could be: Where exactly are the proceeds going? Who specifically benefits from the cause?
Be sure to give people plenty of updates about the campaign's support, which will let people know their efforts aren't wasted. As more people get involved with the cause and engage with them, you can create a community of giving. In building excitement, make sure your ad creative is consistently enticing and show the change as your campaign progresses.
Develop a Strong Cause Marketing Campaign with a Helpful Media Partner
Cause marketing can be invaluable in connecting with audiences, but it's important to know how to approach your campaigns. There's a lot involved, from choosing the right cause to developing resonant ads and marketing content.
With so many aspects to handle, the process can be daunting and challenging to manage. You may also not have the time or internal resources to launch and track your campaigns efficiently. A media partner can fully equip your business if you need help building your next cause marketing campaign. The ideal partner will ensure you get the most from your campaigns and resonate with consumers.
