The key to gaining an advantage over your competitors could be as adding adopting a good cause to your marketing strategies.

When it comes to ROI on corporate social responsibility, the stats are overwhelming.  A recent survey reveals that just about every type of business would benefit – big time – when it comes to improving marketing ROI if they simply support a good cause, and added it to their core marketing strategies. 

A 2013 Cone Communications / Echo Global CSR Study says that consumers want to reward businesses when they make positive contributions to society, saying, that “when companies engage in corporate social responsibility” (or CSR):

• 95% have a more positive (brand) image of the company
• 94% are more likely to trust the company
• 93% would be more loyal to the company
• 91% would switch brands to one associated with a good cause
• 87% say CSR is a consideration when deciding where to shop
• 85% say CSR influences what services or products they recommend to others

As a marketing strategy, corporate social responsibility (CSR) might just be the closest you can get to “a sure thing” when it comes to marketing ROI, provided that your business associates itself with a good cause that matters to your customers and other members of your target markets.

Most people have an innate desire to want to be part of something that is bigger than themselves or to contribute to society beyond the means they can do so as individuals. Adding corporate social responsibility to your marketing plan as a defined strategy with tactics, goals and measures is one way for you to fulfill this need for your customers!

Some factors you might consider when choosing an organization or cause with which to align your business could be:

• How the organization benefits members of your target markets
• Whether the organization or cause reflects the values or interests of members of your target markets
• Causes that have impacted your own life in some way and are likely to resound with your customer base or ideal client types

Choosing a good cause to support as part of your marketing strategies is just the beginning.

Don’t assume that people know you are giving back!  Make sure that your marketing strategies call for activities that will publicize your efforts and leverage marketing communications. Tell people how shopping with your business benefits others, the community, society, etc.  Follow through and complete the activities and support that you have promised, and give your employees and customers a way to get involved to garner even more engagement and buzz.

Obviously you could simply choose to donate a portion of proceeds or proceeds from the sale of specific products or services to your chosen cause over a given period of time or for an on-going basis.  But corporate social responsibility should go beyond monetary donations.

If you and your staff get personally involved in creating positive change within your community or in support of your chosen cause, you take CSR to the next level.  In addition to donating a portion of your corporate profits, actually spending time performing community service or volunteering tells customers and community members that you are truly invested.

When you make customers feel good about themselves as a result of doing no more than patronizing your business or referring your products or services to their friends and family, you create the basis for long-lasting, loyal customer relationships.

Give customers. employees, vendors, and prospects reasons to admire your business and connect emotionally with your brand.  Give people the means to be part of something bigger than themselves and achieve more good than they could do on their own, as a result of simply doing business with you. 

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My 2015 Small Business Marketing Calendar is available on amazon.com — in print or digital format. As a way to boost your marketing strategies, it is absolutely packed with marketing inspiration and a working content marketing plan you can use to attract – engage – retain and motivate your customers in the coming year.