Rob Densen, CEO of Tiller LLC, thinks he has a better -- and
more cost-efficient -- way of creating what he calls "cause
commerce" initiatives. It's a new twist on doing well by doing good
that, he believes, benefits both the public and the company alike.
Here are the critical ways in which Tiller LLC differentiates its
approach from traditional cause marketing plans:
- It's About the Business: Advocacy programs are about business
building. In this era of consumer concern and outright skepticism,
the best way to grow your business is by being a true and forceful
advocate for your customers' interests. - Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic: Cause Marketing programs are
associative in nature. They represent the old "Colored Ribbon"
approach - find a worthy cause and associate your company with it.
Advocacy programs focus on issues or markets that are intrinsic and
central to a company's business. - Advocacy vs. Association: Advocacy programs go beyond basic
association with a cause. Companies that are true advocates
understand and proactively advance their customers' interests over
the long term. Placing a charity's logo on a product or donating a
percentage of revenues is not enough. - Research as a Differentiator: Advocacy programs frequently use
thoughtful public opinion polling as their foundation. Why? Because
research is the best way to understand marketplace concerns and
needs and to credibly associate with an issue. These data provide
invaluable market intelligence and provide a foundation for your PR
outreach. - Optimize Your Charitable Giving Budget: While more and more
companies are using their charitable dollars to forge an
association with a worthy cause, we go one step further, building
focused, proactive charitable partnerships linked to the Advocacy
marketing platform. In so doing, we can better advance the
company's business interests and create more appetite for
charitable programs. - The bottom line: Advocacy programs work best when executed
enterprise-wide - from the business unit to sales to marketing to
PR to charitable giving. They are not easy to execute, requiring an
abiding corporate commitment, organizational alignment,
intellectual integrity and a multi-year time horizon. But with
consumers expecting the highest standards of ethical behavior,
community concern and customer care from Corporate America,
companies that can meaningfully demonstrate these qualities will
win the public's confidence, loyalty, and, most important,
business.
Source: Tiller LLC