Is your business looking for new and creative ways to gain publicity and build your customer base? Partnering with non profit organizations may benefit your business in many ways.
Why business owners and managers should consider supporting non profits as part of their marketing strategy:
1. Advertising opportunities are usually offered when non profit organizations request corporate sponsorship. Types of advertising may include a business card size ad in a program, a sign at an event, or your business name mentioned in radio or TV ads.
2. Partnering with non profits increases public relations and a general feeling of goodwill toward your company.
3. Participating in the planning of non profit events, attending an event, or volunteering your time increases your opportunities to meet potential customers.
4. Finally, there are tax breaks for donating money to a charitable cause. Check with your accountant for more details.
There are many ways that business owners can partner with non profit organizations in order to reach more potential customers.
Volunteering Your Time
Volunteering your time to help a non profit cause will give you an opportunity to develop relationships with non profit leaders and volunteers. You can work on volunteer committees, planning events, or even just stuffing envelopes. How about donating an hour or two to man the phones for MDA on labor day weekend, a public television drive or another telethon? How about staffing a booth at a school carnival? Savvy business people see such volunteer activities as opportunities to connect with other business people, network and build relationships with potential clients.
Donating Merchandise
Many non profit groups hold live and silent auctions or need door prizes for their events. This is an opportunity for you to show potential clients your merchandise or sample your services. This strategy works well for many types of businesses, here's some examples:
A photographer donates a gift certificate AND loans the NPO a large scale portrait from their portfolio. Even if someone does not win the gift certificate, they may be impressed with your style of photography and call to set up an appointment anyway!
Restaurants have an easy way out on this one! Donate a gift certificate to the non profit organization. The receiver gets to sample your food, service and atmosphere. Who knows, you may have just gained a customer for life!
Financial Donations
Donating a financial gift to a charity of your choice may have advertising and tax benefits as discussed earlier.
Attending Non Profit Events
Charities host a variety of fun events such as arts festivals, dinners, galas, casino nights and auctions. Participating in a charity fundraiser or other event will give you an easy way to donate financially to the group. Events also provide time to build relationships with other business people and potential clients, in a fun relaxed environment.
Donating Facilities
Does your company have a gym, banquet facility or auditorium? By donating or offering a reduced rate to non profit organizations, you may receive great public relations and word of mouth advertising benefits in return.
Here's a great example: A bowling center in Florida offers their facility for students to hold a bowl-a-thon. Students get per pin pledges prior to the event. According to owner, Lisa Ciniello, "The Bowling Centers do not make a lot of money, but we encourage these events as it gives great exposure. In our locations we charge $5.00 to $8.00 per student and no charge for rental shoes."
Connecting With Your Community
One of the best ways to find opportunities to donate to non profits and network with other business leaders is to join a civic club or chamber of commerce. These organizations meet 1-4 times per month in your local city. They usually have a small list of favorite charities or support their own foundations.
The civic clubs that you may want to consider joining include Optimist International, Kiwanis International or Business & Professional Women.
Finally, partnering with non profit organizations gives your business a way to reach out to the local community. Your business can contribute to the greater good and help many people, just by joining forces with charitable organizations.
About the Author: Sandra Sims has been fundraising for various charities for over 10 years. She is the publisher of Step By Step Fundraising e-zine, which will help you get maximum results from your charity fundraising campaign. Get a free report the 5 keys to successful fundraising
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..Experience tells me that too many business, non-profit and association... Read More
When a reporter is wowed, intrigued, surprised or captivated by... Read More
1. Your press release should sound like news, not an... Read More
A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea... Read More
I say public relations can be a matter of survival... Read More
There are many ways you can get tons of free... Read More
Many of our clients are in service businesses, such as... Read More
The power of PassionPassion is an extraordinarily powerful spring. Without... Read More
Small Business Owners should send press releases out at least... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, do you see... Read More
There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More
Why You Should Write Press Releases: A press release is... Read More
When your book is mentioned on television, sales go up.... Read More
An effort built around a string of print and broadcast... Read More
If you don't have a grip on public relations, how... Read More
Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately... Read More
You are if you stand by while your public relations... Read More
If you leave a star player sitting on the bench,... Read More
Press reviews are a common and basic feature for surveying... Read More
Want to get radio interviews and coverage in print publications... Read More
Managers, please take a minute and read two sentences: People... Read More
New business owners often miss out on publicity opportunities because... Read More
Shooting from the hip always creates anxiety.Especially when managers order... Read More
Not a single reporter showed up at our news event.... Read More
Tracking your correspondence with reporters, via phone or email, is... Read More
cleaning help near Bannockburn ..Only two media in Spanish speaking countries offer RSS: the... Read More
I am often asked by clients to target USA Today... Read More
The notion that a business, non-profit or association manager can... Read More
In an ideal world, your business would be overflowing withnewsworthy... Read More
In this great country of ours, there are basically three... Read More
There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More
Ideally, you will have two types of quotes in your... Read More
The least expensive, most effective way for you to promote... Read More
If you want to know the best way to approach... Read More
Your public relations people are busy. The buzz is all... Read More
Shooting from the hip always creates anxiety.Especially when managers order... Read More
Personnel mentions in the newspaper and product plugs on radio... Read More
The power of PassionPassion is an extraordinarily powerful spring. Without... Read More
Everyone knows the value of free publicity. And given the... Read More
Each of us is exposed to people from other cultures... Read More
So you have spent hours and hours writing, shaping and... Read More
I define public relations failure this way:key audience perceptions are... Read More
You know, where you do something positive about the behaviors... Read More
In the 'Age of Scepticism' gaining media coverage is one... Read More
Can your PR do something positive about the behaviors of... Read More
It seems difficult to believe at the dawn of the... Read More
For discerning business, non-profit and association managers, PR success is... Read More
If you're trying to promote your store, but you don't... Read More
As a business, non-profit or association manager, do you see... Read More
Getting on the radio can be a great tactical move... Read More
Public Relations |