Today social responsibility is not a choice; it is a must for companies. Here's the proof: the number of consumers claiming willingness to switch from one brand to another if the other brand were associated with a good cause has soared to 87 percent over recent years. What does that mean for retailers and brands? If their business does not support a worthy cause, consumers are likely to turn to their market rivals.

This is where cause marketing comes in. Real entrepreneurship has always been linked to sharing and giving. The challenge is to make these socially responsible efforts benefit others and your business at the same time.

What are cause marketing events really about? Their objective is to attract attention and raise funds for a given cause or charity, i.e. a non-profit organisation that you endorse financially. Studies demonstrated that an impressive 77 percent of consumers who participated in a Cause Related Marketing program said it had a positive impact on their behaviour or perceptions towards the company/ brand involved. Cause marketing is a win-win option as it helps your business gain exposure and boosts sales, at the same time supporting the community.

Pick the right cause

The challenge is to win customers' hearts, not just gain access to their wallets. Therefore, some of the events on a promotional calendar must focus on Cause Marketing. How to pick the right cause? One way is to choose the cause that is linked to your personal life, e.g. a charity that you have been familiar with and want to endorse. Another good idea is to see whether your vendors back up any particular cause and join in. This way you can build strong partnerships. Investigate your own community and neighbourhood; this is where your customers live. You should know what matters to them and whether they are in need of any assistance.

The date for a cause marketing event must not overlap with some other important event in a community. Remember, the more people are present, the more successful your event is. When choosing the cause to support, take the cue from the top and find a cause that is somehow linked to your business. A good example comes from a cosmetics giant Procter & Gamble's Olay brand skin-care line which decided to set up partnership with the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. The ensuing campaign aimed at encouraging women to protect their skin from sun exposure. Result? Widespread media attention, including broadcast, print and online coverage. The programme attracted over 9,000 people for free skin-cancer screenings. Talking of massive turnout!

Nike: "The girl effect": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxV_o65nZYA

Spreading the word, creating online buzz

Alerting the media is key to the success of cause marketing. It is recommended to market the event at least six weeks before its scheduled start date. How? Best use social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as they have an impressive coverage. If you run a blog, use it to promote your event. Do not forget to prompt the charity that your businesses supports to advertise the event, too. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth and encourage your customers to spread the word to create a ripple effect.
Clue the media in on the upcoming event by means of a professional press release. It should be distributed some time prior to, just before and straight after the event.

Walmart & Kellogg's Bring Books to Kids at Lakewood Elementary School: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzW86b7o3DQ

Cause marketing is hardly new to YouTube, with powerful brands like Starbucks or Timberland producing videos related to good causes on a regular basis. It can be done in several ways, including contests, viral marketing spots and disaster relief pleas. Benefits include wide coverage and consumer's engagement.

TOMS "One day without shoes":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REXVN_aROuM

Sources:

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197820 ;  www.retailadventuresblog.com/2014/08/why-cause-marketing-matters.html