Charitable giving: Marketing for businesses

By helping those in need, your business can make the world a better place. Aiding charities is beneficial to both the community and your business. Customers expect more from organisations and many want businesses to have similar values to them. So, you may want to incorporate charitable giving into your marketing strategy. There are a few ways for you to do that, so considering the options will help you find what’s right for your business.

This guide discusses ideas for your charitable giving marketing strategy, including:

• Choosing causes
• Event sponsorships
• Special offerings
• Partnerships

To create the most impact, choose a charitable cause that fits your business. You are likely to have an audience of customers with similar priorities. For example, by running a cat cafe, your customers may be more likely to donate to an animal welfare charity.

Different causes appeal to people with particular lifestyles or personalities. Market research can help you determine what is most important to your customers. So, you might send out surveys and ask which causes they identify with most for example. 

You may find that your audience’s values align with your own. But if you choose a cause that might oppose your business’ purpose, this could reflect poorly in the public’s view. For example, say a business supports an environmental organisation while polluting heavily. In that case, some would see it as ‘green washing’. The term refers to companies who aim to disguise their negative impact on the planet with a false eco-friendly narrative.

Sponsoring or co-sponsoring charity events is another great way to help local causes. You can even donate the use of your business spaces, like a store or warehouse. By helping plan or run the event, you can also market your brand.

Branding is how your business displays itself to the public. Building a reputation for your brand helps people recognise it. By providing funding for an event, you can become part of the sponsor list. Sponsorships can include setting up a booth where you give out merchandise with your logo. You can also ask charities to mention your business on their marketing channels, which could boost your audience. 

As people see your logo alongside the organisation, they might be drawn to your business. People who help a charity are still consumers. For example, suppose your sports equipment business sponsors an event for an obesity charity. In that case, sufferers may be likely to purchase exercise products from you during recovery. 

Creating a limited time product or service with a charity is another great marketing strategy. You may create a limited edition offering, with proceeds going to an organisation. By offering it for a limited time or in a limited quantity, you can encourage people to buy your product quickly. With other products or services, you may not be able to do that. Still, people understand the importance of raising money.

You can use your marketing channels to promote this new offering. Doing so can bring attention to the cause. For example, by using Facebook to market a cancer research mug from your homewares shop, you have the opportunity to explain why it is such an essential thing to you. For example, it could be that your family has been affected by cancer. Emotionally driven content often thrives on social media. 

By highlighting a cause, you might find that it’s the most successful campaign you put out. Social media users are more likely to share videos that relate to their values, than for products or services. So for a small business, donating the sales of a limited offering may create lasting customers when the initiative ends.

Instead of a limited offering or sponsoring events, you can also link your business more closely to a charity through a partnership. To partner with an organisation, you must both agree to certain objectives and outcomes. This ongoing relationship is likely to be the most expensive strategy. It may involve committing to donating a certain amount every month or year, perhaps. But this form of marketing can completely transform your brand.

Your reputation as a company is reliant on how the public sees you. By having a good one, you can benefit beyond being recognisable. If customers view the business positively, they will be more loyal to you, which means you won’t miss out on competitors. If you share their values, people may even accept paying more for your products.

Being positively viewed helps you find more opportunities. For example, influencers may be willing to promote your product for less or even free if they see you as a wholesome business. As you grow, this could go further. For example, wearing t-shirts with your logo can become a way to express support for a cause or movement, transforming you into a household name.

As you invest in charitable marketing, you’ll need to manage your finances well. It would help if you could afford to support events or donations before agreeing to them. You are going to want to make sure you can keep any commitments to help worthy causes.

Countingup can help to ensure that you only ever take on what you can. Countingup combines a business account and accounting app, making finance accessible and transparent. It features an expense categorisation tool that can separate charity costs from the rest of the business. Having that information on hand will also be helpful when filing your Self Assessment at the end of the tax year. 

By managing your money, create a thriving business that can help charities achieve their goals. When improving the world around you, every penny counts. So, get finance nailed down and use Countingup.

Start your three-month free trial today. 

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