Marketing Strategy: Making Community Service Pay
When I wa sa U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in The Phillipinnes I would often use public transportation to travel to do my community service. As I looked at this photo I began to remember the joys of the jeepney or bus rides and the people I would meet and how rewarding it was to get small tokens of appreciation from those on the Jeepney or on The Bus. The rewards weren’t monetary but items like a Jolibee Burger, or a small glass of mango juice, or some Bisteak(steak on a stick). I would arrrive at my destination and realize that community service can pay.
It can be as simple as promoting the idea of free hugs or starting a business like www.feelthehugs.com that promotes spreading love and joy through their mascot Arely. they donate a percentage from each sale to cancer research.
In business we can utilize a marketing startegy to incorporate community service and thus as a result the community will support our business as consumers like to do business with those they perceive to be giving back. There are many ways to give back and levarage what you are doing to maximize your message.
Today I saw an example of a great marketing strategy that is making community service pay as I wa sin Starbuck in Sunrise, FL and they have a YMCA Toy Drive Box in the location. It so happened that the YMCA Rep was dropping the box off and I gave her my card and mentioned that I could play Santa Claus for the different sites in the area. You may ask how doe this pay? The answer is that by me doing this good deed I can take photos and release it to the media and show people that I walk my talk and thus create a trust and as a result increase the % of them doing business with me. As word gets around about what Starbucks is doing more people in the community may stop by to drop off toys and as a result make a prurchase while they are there.
Marketing Strategy: Making Community Service Pay- Project Ideas
When doing community service remember to promote what you are doing in your advertising and in all your media releases as people love to help businesses that give back to the community.
1. Find an organization that resonates with you and do a fundraiser for them.
2: Set out a change jar where customers can make donations and each month the money cna be donated to a charitable endeavor
3: Find already exisiting programs like Stars and Moons for The American Cancer Society and sell them at your location
4: Sponsor a float in a holiday parade or other parades
5: Find events like The Turkey Trot, Our Town, Carnivals, Plays, and donate prizes for their fundraisers
6: Serve on a board of a local charity and network
7: Host charitable events with other businesses
The possibilities are endless on how you can incorporate community service into your marketing strategy and make it pay.
