The Best Social Media Campaign...EVER?

Here is an interesting piece of news – the original ice bucket that started the challenge recently went on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Yep you read that right, when visiting the Smithsonian, you can see this piece of Americana on display – probably somewhere near Archie Bunker’s chair!

All the historical significance of the original bucket aside the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was a huge success. People all over the United States and ultimately the globe were dumping buckets of ice over their heads or having someone else do it! During the summer of 2014 over $115 million was raised in the US and the challenge was repeated in the summers of 2015 and 2016. Success may not be measured in dollars, but the fact that research funded by the challenge uncovered a gene variant associated with ALS is a major win.https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jul/26/ice-bucket-challenge-als-charity-gene-discovery

For nonprofit organization and fundraisers around the world, the most interesting part of this phenomenon was that it was spread from friend to friend via social media. This was probably the most successful social media, peer-to-peer campaign ever. Using a variety of video channels – Facebook, Vine, You Tube, Instagram and a few more some of us have probably heard of – sports and entertainment figures, politicians and a whole bunch of the rest of us posted videos of ourselves dripping wet to raise money.

While not everyone donated to ALS, whether they dumped ice on their head, a whole lot of people did. Moreover, it was so popular and successful it was repeated in 2015 and 2016.

Can your nonprofit or cause partner create an equally successful challenge? Maybe not, but at the very least you should be focusing on ways to find an idea something that spreads like wildfire through social media. Sharing video was a huge part of the challenge success; now that Google, the second largest search engine on the planet, owns You Tube, that seems like a great place to start. Hey, you can be the summer of 2017 fundraising success!Img src. By slgckgc (Doing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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https://www.digitaldonations.org/single-post/2017/03/07/The-Best-Social-Media-CampaignEVER

Creating a Cause Marketing Program with A Calendar

There are many ways for a small business (or a larger one) to get started with Cause Marketing. One of the easiest is to select a ‘day’ from the2017 Cause Awareness and Giving Day Calendar.

Choose the day for a cause that resonates with you and your team. Create a crowdgiving campaign (shameless plugDigital DonationsCrowdGIV is a great tool for this type of campaign) to support an organization for that cause. Here are a few on the list coming up in the next few months that caught my attention:March 21st World Down Syndrome Day(World Down Syndrome Day 2017)Over 400,000 people in the United States have Down Syndrome. The impact can range from very mild so a person can thrive in society to severe requiring assistance with basic functions. There are many organizations that you can support including the ARC, Special Olympics, and certainly local agencies in your community.March 22nd World Water Day(WHO World Water Day 2017)As part of the United Nations, the World Health Organization has been since 1993. There are multiple organizations who support bringing fresh, safe, drinking water to people around the world including Water for People, Charity Water and Water Mission.April 22nd Earth Day(Earth Day 2017)Most of us remember Earth Day from its very first one on April 22nd, 1970, along with Earth Shoes (very comfy, but not overly stylish). Although we’ve made great strides over the year, we still have a long way to go to save our planet. There are many charities that support environmental causes—Greenpeace, Ocean Conservancy, and The Sierra Club.May 2nd Give Local Day(Give Local America 2017)This might be the most appealing ‘day’ to start your cause program. By focusing on a local charity, your support will benefit your community and citizens. You can find local charities on the Give Local page by entering your information or checking with your local Chamber of Commerce.There are a few more that caught my attention and may even portend a sense of whimsy like World Penguin Day on April 25th and World Toilet Day on November 19th.Awareness giving days can be an excellent way to identify a theme for your cause campaign. The fact that these are by their very nature time constrained can help raise funds by creating a sense of urgency. Be sure to include the specifics of the time frame in your promotional materials.Once you decide which ‘day’ is the right one for you, identify the nonprofit you are going to support and reach out to them. This is a great opportunity to form a Partner Rewards campaign for more long-term philanthropic efforts. For more potential ‘days’ to consider check public holiday calendars or search for “Commemorative Days.” Whatever you pursue your community and your business will benefit from your fundraising efforts.

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https://www.digitaldonations.org/single-post/2017/03/06/Creating-a-Cause-Marketing-Program-with-A-Calendar

Vodka With A Splash

What Cause Marketing Done Right Looks LikeElyx® is a luxury vodka made by Absolut®. Distilled by hand in a 1921 copper column still from single estate winter wheat sells for $35 to $58 per 1L bottle. For that price, you get not only a bottle of “liquid silk, ” but Absolut makes a donation of a week’s supply of safe water to Water For People. Their five-year goal is to provide water for 100,000 people.

This isCause Marketingat its best, consumers buy something they want, specifically a luxury item where price is rarely a concern while making a social and environmental impact. For Millennials who have recently exceeded Baby Boomers as the largest consumer group this is a key deciding factor when they make a purchase. Their desire to have an impact with their purchasing dollars is reflected in vendors like Tom’s Shoes, Warby-Parker eyewear, and even Headspace Meditation.How did Absolut decide thatWater for Peoplewas the ‘right’ cause for them? First, they determined that they share values and commitment to a sustainable solution. The distillery in Sweden practices strict water conservation a key component of the Water for People’s vision and goals.Once they made a commitment, the leadership launched a crowdfunding campaign to share the partnership with their friends, family, and colleagues. Every day for a week they walked 4 hours to experience what it is like for the many people around the world who must walk for their daily water. They raised $10k which Absolut matched.Done well a cause marketing campaign allows companies and consumers to help in a thoughtful way.For more details see the original article that appeared in The Huffington Posthttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-amouyel/what-can-vodka-do-for-soc_b_9789306.htmlDigital Donations™ develops fundraising and marketing solutions that connect cause with commerce to make a difference.

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http://www.digitaldonations.org/single-post/2017/02/16/Vodka-With-A-Splash

Does Your Business Have a Cause Marketing Strategy?

Cause marketing is a business strategy that aligns a brand with a cause for their mutual benefit and society. Three-quarters of businesses engage in cause marketing, and for good reason; almost 42% of North American shoppers would pay extra for products and services from companies committed to positive social and environmental impact. However, most Americans find the way businesses communicate their social responsibility efforts confusing.

To meet the needs of this growing population of businesses and nonprofits who want to join forces for good, Digital Donations has developed “The Cause Connection.” The program connects a brand or business with a nonprofit, forging a partnership that meets the goals of both organizations. With a focus on clearly communicating the goals and benefits of their alliance the community, the business and the nonprofit all benefit.How do we get started?

It’s so easy, just call 888-705-2220 to speak a member of our “Cause Connection” team.

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http://www.digitaldonations.org/single-post/2017/02/10/Does-Your-Business-Have-a-Cause-Marketing-Strategy

Digital Donations To Feature Heart Month during February at ATM's Nationwide

MELVILLE, NY -- 02/03/17 -- Digital Donations today announced the launch of a nationwide campaign with its ATM partners to promote theAmerican Heart Association's Heart Month. February is American Heart month, a federally designated event, to encourage focus on the heart. During the month, consumers can make tax-deductible charitable donations at participating ATMs, while handling everyday transactions such as cash withdrawals, account balance and inquiries. This is also a great way to get families, friends and communities involved.

Keith Orlean, President Digital Donations, Inc.:

"With a growing network of thousands of locations across all 50 states, (to find a location near you visitwww.ATMDonations.orgwe will be featuring a participating nonprofit each month. February's Heart Month will be the first in a series of monthly fundraising drives designed specifically to highlight a participating charity. As we continue to add locations, our ability to increase awareness and needed funds will have a lasting impact for our charitable partners."

Other charities include Alzheimer's Foundation of America, Champions for Kids, The Humane Society, National Multiple Sclerosis and United Charitable.

About American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Founded by six cardiologists in 1924, the organization now includes more than 22.5 million volunteers and supporters. Funding innovative research, fighting for stronger public health policies, and providing critical tools and information to save and improve lives, the nationwide organization includes 156 local offices and more than 3,000 employees.

About Digital Donations

Digital Donations is an integrated technology platform designed for the solicitation of donations at the point of sale, mobile giving, ATMs and online. Our passion for creating social impact through creative, non-traditional methods provides a platform for nonprofits and businesses to make a difference in the communities where they reside and transact business.

Digital Donations, Inc.Leslie Riehm888-705-2220lriehm@digitaldonations.org

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http://www.digitaldonations.org/single-post/2017/02/03/Digital-Donations-To-Feature-Heart-Month-during-February-at-ATMs-Nationwide

Eight Reasons Why You Should Implement a Mobile Fundraising Campaign

With people carrying less or even no cash, mobile payments are a part of everyday life. myGIV, themobile transactiontool from Digital Donations offers innovative, cost effective & easy mobile fundraising. Include a partner coupon or voucher to reward the donor and make a bigger impact!1. Raise more money, attract new donors and sponsors2. Cost effective, affordable platform with measurable ROI3. Multi-channel distribution interact on social media, email and SMS text4. Donor Data accumulation and statistic for targeting5. Mobile payment collect donations embedded in app and coupon6. Turnkey mobile fundraising we design, distribute and manage the campaign on your behalf7. Brandable coupons with your logo and layout or in conjunction with sponsor8. Sponsored rewards with coupons or vouchers provided by sponsors

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http://www.digitaldonations.org/single-post/2017/01/25/Eight-Reasons-Why-You-Should-Implement-a-Mobile-Fundraising-Campaign

Why Your Small Business Needs Cause Marketing

You may make the greatest widget in the history of man, and it may even make the world a better place, but if the buying public doesn’t know about it, you aren’t likely to be very successful. Your business like all businesses, small and large, need to get the attention of the buying public. Making sure that your potential customers know you exist is how your business succeeds and grows.I’m pretty sure this is not a big surprise or for that matter a surprise at all to you or any business owners. And you’ve probably done most of the things that conventional wisdom suggests – paid advertising, social media, website, and every other thing you could think of or that someone suggested.Now you can add a powerful tool to your strategy, one that has been used by big business and corporations around the world.Cause marketing, aligning your brand with a social cause is an effective and mutually beneficial way to expose consumers to your brand. It can do a whole lot more, too.Social responsibility is a strong selling point when customers are considering purchases. Today more than two-thirds consumers are willing to pay more for a product from a company that has a positive impact on society. Social responsibility is especially strong among this now largest group of consumers; it’s probably a good idea to listen to them. Today’s consumers, of all ages, are more willing than ever to put their money where their hearts are; the power of cause marketing is growing every day.Exactlywhat is cause marketing? Very simply it is a way to connect cause with commerce to make a difference in a community – local, national or global. There are many ways that a business and a nonprofit organization can work together for their mutual benefit, including donations of cash or resources, volunteering or participating in or sponsoring a fundraising event.This can pose a problem for many small businesses; they often don’t have the resources to make a donation or sponsor an event. Volunteering is always an option, but most small business owners just don’t have the time though they certainly can encourage and reward staff members who do.There are a number of less costly (at least upfront ways) to support a cause. You can donate a percentage of profits from the sales of an item or for a specific day.Or you can include a product for sale in your store on your website that supports the cause, such as a t-shirt or cap.Of all these, a partner rewards program can be the best way for small businesses to move into cause marketing. The partner rewards program provides donors with an incentive which encourage donors to patronize your business. A tiered rewards system where larger donations garner greater incentives, not only increases the donation amount to the nonprofit can get your business additional visibility. Coupons for a discount percentage or buy one get one free or for a discounted amount are the most popular form of partner rewards.People are for the most part charitable, but they do spend much of their lives as consumers. Offering your customers rewards in conjunction with their donations demonstrates your appreciation of their willingness to support your selected cause with their hard-earned funds.Going back to the title of this blog, here are six reasons “Why Your Small Business Needs Cause Marketing.”1. Gain An Edge With ConsumersCause marketing can give you an edge with consumers. A Global Study states that 53% of consumers believe “When quality and price are equal, social purpose ranks as most important factor in selecting a brand.” Customers tend to be more loyal to brands that support nonprofits that reflect their values.2. Connecting With The Largest Group of ConsumersMillennials have recently bypassed the baby boomers as the largest consumer group. This generation, more so than the ones before them, feel personally responsible for making a difference in the world. An online study conducted by Cone Inc. and AMP Insights suggests 69% consider a company’s social and environmental commitment when deciding where to shop, and 83% will trust a company more if it is socially [or] environmentally responsible.3. Retirees Also Want to Support CausesRetirees have an interest in supporting causes that matter to them as well. They have more disposable income than previous generations. Because they have the time now, they, volunteer and want to be involved. Many, if not most, of theirconsumer decisions, are influenced by their desire to leave the world a better place for their grandchildren.4. Connecting on A Deeper Emotional LevelThe most successful advertising makes an emotional connection with consumers. By aligning your business with a cause, you have an ‘extra’ message to connect emotionally with your loyal customers and potential new ones. You can share with them why you developed this partnership and how it will help this cause. By building a stronger relationship with your customers, they become loyal supporters.5. Shared Marketing with Your Nonprofit CauseCo-branding, having your logo on your nonprofit partner’s website and materials all expose your business to new set of potential customers. A partner reward that offers a discount along with a donation will generate new business. Since they already support your nonprofit partner that connection puts your business in a more favorable light. When communicating with your client base, be sure to include these new customers and thank them for their business.Remember that your best efforts won’t have any results if you aren’t getting the word out to the community. Include your cause marketing completely into your marketing plans and strategy.6. Create a True Partnership With Your Nonprofit CauseA true partnership will have more benefits beyond new customers and donors. By working cohesively, you can both benefit from community exposure. Local media in particular love stories like this where a business and nonprofit partner for the good of the community. Your local Chamber of Commerce is another way to share your partnership. Look for opportunities for your business and the nonprofit to both benefit.Now that you understand the benefits of cause marketing--how do you select the right cause for your company? In my next blog post I’ll be discussing how to evaluate and determine the right connection for you.

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http://www.digitaldonations.org/single-post/2017/01/21/Why-Your-Small-Business-Needs-Cause-Marketing