More Cause Related Marketing Tips for the Small Biz

Paul Jones, on his 'Cause-Related Marketing' Blog, answered a question "about small business and the mistakes they make when it comes to cause-related marketing, in particular developing and sustaining a relationship with a charity." He identifies four basic mistakes:

1. Picking a charity that's a poor strategic fit.
2. Not giving the CRM campaign enough support.
3. Not being in the 'right kind of business' to do a CRM campaign.
4. Picking a charity that's 'too big to be helpful.'

There are obviously important strategic decisions to be made, but I also think there's value in merely promoting the good that the business owner is already doing. Paul says, for example, "If you run a small cabinet-making operation that doesn't advertise, cause-related marketing isn't likely to help make your company more profitable." That's probably true, however, if that cabinet maker is already giving to a charity, tying it directly to his business and letting his customers know can only help create a more meaningful bond.