Cause promoting

     Free daily tips, information, advice, and ideas
     with examples drawn from small businesses.

     Cause promoting, or cause marketing, is not new. Small businesses have been helping local causes ever since they first supplied uniforms to local ball teams.

     Big corporations put together big cause marketing campaigns to sell more product and to enhance the company image. Pink campaigns are so pervasive that the word "pink" has become synonymous with breast cancer research. Every time you see the word, you think about the contribution being made to a good cause. 

     Even small businesses have jumped at the chance to become part of local "pink" campaigns. Funds raised go to cancer research, and the reputation of the small business spreads. 

     The recent CVS campaign to remove all tobacco products from their pharmacies is another example of big business putting in place a cause marketing effort. It has resulted in lots of free publicity for CVS and improved the company's image. 

     Small businesses improve their reputation and sales efforts by supporting local causes. Cause promoting is not only the right thing to do, it's good for business.

     Examples are everywhere. You and I know them. We've responded to them. It's the local vet who sponsors pet adoptions once a month. It's the local restaurant that opens up its party room to local charitable events. It's the local fitness center that sponsors a Walkathon for the benefit of cancer survivors. It's the local health food store that brings the Bloodmobile to its front door once each month. It's the local dentist who pays kids to bring in all the Halloween candy they've received. And it's the local bakery that donates to local food banks.

     Small businesses are an integral part of the community they serve. It's a natural extension of that idea for businesses to be involved in cause promoting. So, get involved. Help the community and your small business at the same time. Cause promoting is good.

     Many additional ways to promote your small business are scattered throughout these write-ups. Let me know of other cause promoting methods you've used. Put BLOG in the subject line and email me direct at AlWarr16@gmail.com. You must put BLOG in the subject line or I'll delete you along with all the other salespeople who email me.