Cause Marketing is Catching Fire

One of my newest passions has become reading about and getting involved with cause marketing opportunities. Cause marketing is not really new, but it is becoming a popular way for creating cooperative efforts between a for-profit business and a non-profit organization. For example, since I have supported the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for breast cancer, I remember their partnership with a yogurt company to save lids and save lives. Yoplait donated several cents to the cause for each lid turned in by consumers. The program not only raised awareness of breast cancer, it likely encouraged consumers to purchase the yogurt and donate to the cause.

I am sure you know other examples. The documented impact they have is incredible. Research shows that 9 out of 10 Americans think companies should work with non-profits to raise money and cause awareness. And 8 out of 10 consumers would switch brands if another brand of like price and quality was involved with a good cause. The majority of people also have a better opinion of those brands that support causes they care about. Could marketing get any easier?

Non-profit groups get access to funds to help promote their cause, and companies benefit by generating positive public relations and new marketing opportunities.

Anderson & Associates can help your company or non-profit group identify opportunities and put together a cause marketing campaign that benefits both parties. Cause marketing is catching fire. What are you waiting for? Give me a call!

Get Out of the Boat to Walk on the Water

I took a class during Lent this year that focused on getting out of the boat to walk on water. I wanted to learn more about how to take a leap of faith to get things done without the fear of failure and the ability to address the challenges of being willing to get your feet wet. The lessons focused on those in Biblical history, like Peter, who stepped out of the boat and into the storm while keeping their eyes on Jesus; relying on their faith to not sink into the water.

In the book we used for the lessons, the author, John Ortberg, notes that there is something, Someone, inside of us that tells us there is more to life than sitting in the boat. Something inside of all of us wants us to leave the comfort of routine existence and abandon ourselves to the high adventure of following God. My hope is that the next time I feel called to participate in a cause that may be outside my comfort zone, that I can take the leap of faith and do it.

One cause that I believe in that many might consider to be out of their comfort zone to visit is the Christian Activity Center (CAC) in East St. Louis. The center provides recreation, education and life enhancement activities for at-risk children in one of the most depressed neighborhoods of the community, and the results of the program are incredible.

If you visit the site at http://www.cacesl.org,/ you can see these children receive care and guidance from the time they leave school until close to bedtime. Since the program began, participation in gang activity and juvenile crime in the neighborhood has dropped dramatically, 90 percent of participants graduate from high school and many have gone on to and completed college degrees. The program is having a dramatic impact. And the program has many needs that we can each help fulfill. It's a cause to nourish. Check it out! It's worth stepping out of the boat.