Cause Related Marketing

Cause-Related Marketing was coined as a term in 1983 by American Express. The idea behind it, however, has been around since the dawn of civilisation. Reciprocity.

On the issue of cause-related marketing, the bottom line for your business is more Profits.

Reciprocity makes the world go round. For a graphic demonstration of the power of reciprocity, look around the online world. You cannot but help see marketing mantras such as "Mass Control Marketing", or "Product Launch Formula", "Butterfly Marketing", "Moving The Free Line".

What do these initiatives have in common? In each of them is the concept of giving to prospects hoping these prospects/people become loyal customers. I know what you're thinking "Risky", right?

There are plenty of freebie seekers out there after all. True enough, there are more than enough but there is only the smallest of risk involved for these canny marketers.

They know how people in general think, how we all 'tick'. We all feel indebted to someone who does us a favour or gives us a gift (some moreso than others mind).

It may seem paradoxical to suggest giving - especially in the current economic climate - will give you more custom. You may think it is in fact a problem laden idea.

American Express did not and do not. Instead, they understood when they initiated the pledge to give a penny to the restoration of the Statue of Liberty for every transaction made by customers, this would money well spent.

Great public exposure cannot be bought, customer happiness cannot be bought, better employee morale cannot be bought (usually). They found out by giving, a far more powerful force is unleashed.

During the American Express Statue of Liberty initiative, use of Amex cards increased by 28% and new users increased by 17%. In the intervening years, many more companies have had stellar successess with cause-related marketing. Names like Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Avon, the list goes on and on... are heavily involved. And it's not just big companies either who are wise to the positive benefits cause-related marketing can bring to the company coffers.

Do you think this is a good idea? Well...

While appearing on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" to publicise her character of the sex-crazed assassin Xenia Onatopp in the bond film GoldenEye, Famke Jansen asked him if he would like a demo of her characters signature move (involving her getting astride Conan on his desk and squeezing him with her thighs). Conan responded with "This is what we in the industry call a 'no-brainer'."

Giving ends with more receipts, it is a no brainer.

JointWinWin.com is a free cause-related marketing business directory. As a business you can submit unlimited website listings for no cost giving you extra sales channels for your business. Watch this video for more info: jointwinwin.com/IntroductoryVideo-BlogPost