Authentic Advocacy: Five Best Practices for Cause Marketing

This post was originally posted on http://blog.mediasauce.com on 3/08/2009. Comments can be viewed here.

Two Things You Need to Know about This Post
1. The era of the oversized check is over.
2. If you follow the five Best Practices of Cause Marketing, you can change the world.

A More Detailed Exploration
Cause marketing has become one of the hottest topics of the year. Major corporations and local businesses alike are finding out that it’s good business to help promote causes. But how can you go about doing it without looking like an opportunist?

Corporate philanthropy and social responsibility are nothing new. It has always been in a company’s best interest to help improve its community and conduct its operations in a way that benefits its stakeholders.

Somewhere along the way, we forgot these simple truths. Somehow, we began to believe all that mattered was taking pictures of oversized checks and going back to business-as-usual.

With 1 billion personal computers, 1.5 billion people using the Internet, and 3.3 billion owning mobile phones, we cannot ignore these truths any longer without putting ourselves in peril.

We live in an era that allows for self-organized swarms of concerned people to shiny bright lights on those companies and non-profits who are making a positive difference and those who aren’t. People expect greater degrees of Intimacy, Immediacy, and Velocity. You better understand this and, even more important, start doing something about it.

Business People – Plug Your Ears
Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Non-Profiteer, you and I both know these businesses who are writing you checks are doing a good thing. But if you see them just for their wallet, you’re missing out on so much. These businesses have much more valuable resources – their relationships with other businesses, their customer community, and their business acumen can help you in ways you’ve never imagined.

Non-Profiteers – It’s Your Turn to Plug Your Ears
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Business Person, for the checks you have written. The money has done so much good and we appreciate it. Your community and your colleagues respect you for your philanthropy. But, you can create so much more good if you roll up your sleeves and work shoulder-to-shoulder with the Non-Profiteers on the causes you support. They need your business acumen and personal networks. You can help them become more efficient, attract talent, and find more donors if you can introduce them to your customers and fellow business leaders.

Best Practices of Cause Marketing
So you want to take the next step? Here are Five Best Practices for businesses and non-profts to follow:

Be Real – Authenticity builds trust. Find like-minded partners and take on causes you really care about. Just remember: Opportunism never goes unpunished.

Be Passionate - It will take a long-term commitment, not drive-thru philanthropy. Since the root word for passion also means “to suffer”, be prepared to endure criticism and skepticism.

Be Realistic - This is not about going viral. Sorry to break the news, but not everyone cares about you. Cheer up, though, because someone does care. Even better, they know many others like them and will help you connect with them.

Be Transparent - Let the world know what you’re going to get out of the partnership. Let the world know what you’ve already done about the cause. And, let them know what you plan to do in the future.

Be Connected - Use digital and social media to expand your audience and explode your cause. Seek ideas and leadership for those who rally to your movement – many of your best ideas and leaders aren’t here yet. Be open and looking for them.

By keeping these five best practices in mind, businesses and non-profits can work together to change the world.

What do you think? Did we cover all the bases? Who are some companies and non-profits that are following these best practices?

This post was written based on the February 19 event, Authentic Advocacy, and is a joint creation of Mitch Maxson (@mitchmaxson) and Scott Henderson (@scottyhendo). Learn more about their work and find out where you can find them on the Internet here.