Keys to effective cause marketing

Authenticity: without it, there is no reason to go any further.

Relevance: for a cause related program to be authentic, it has to be relevant to who you are and what you do. For it to be effective, it needs to be relevant to your stakeholders.

Effective: Since your objective is to address the issue and build reputation and relationship in the process, it is obvious that the program must be effective. But as with any new product, service, or program, effectiveness develops over time. Your commitment of time, attention, energy, and other resources will reflect your authenticity, and will enhance the chances for success.

Ongoing: Since the issues you will address through your program are not going to disappear overnight, and since you have an authentic commitment to address them, clearly, your program has to be ongoing. And over time you will build equity in your association with the issue and in the relationships with the other organizations you work with to address the issue. You will also learn over time and become more effective in addressing the issue, further deepening your authenticity, effectiveness, equity, relationships, and other rewards.

Engaging: If your intention is to make a difference and to engage your stakeholders – both to join the effort to address the issue, and to connect with you through the program, then you need to make the program appealing, engaging, fresh, alive, on an ongoing basis. Treat it like you would treat your most important product or service… it just might be!

Good Partners: This is common sense, but requires thoughtfulness and consideration of a range of issues. See this link for some keys to successful alliances.

Internal Champions: Someone inside your organization has to "own" the program. Ideally, a team of managers and others will take active responsibility for ongoing management and development of the program.

Professional Management: As with all business activities, success requires leadership.

> more info