Boost Your Business by Partnering with a Non Profit Organization

Is your business looking for new and creative ways to gain publicity and build your customer base? Partnering with non profit organizations may benefit your business in many ways.

Why business owners and managers should consider supporting non profits as part of their marketing strategy:

1. Advertising opportunities are usually offered when non profit organizations request corporate sponsorship. Types of advertising may include a business card size ad in a program, a sign at an event, or your business name mentioned in radio or TV ads.

2. Partnering with non profits increases public relations and a general feeling of goodwill toward your company.

3. Participating in the planning of non profit events, attending an event, or volunteering your time increases your opportunities to meet potential customers.

4. Finally, there are tax breaks for donating money to a charitable cause. Check with your accountant for more details.

There are many ways that business owners can partner with non profit organizations in order to reach more potential customers.

Volunteering Your Time

Volunteering your time to help a non profit cause will give you an opportunity to develop relationships with non profit leaders and volunteers. You can work on volunteer committees, planning events, or even just stuffing envelopes. How about donating an hour or two to man the phones for MDA on labor day weekend, a public television drive or another telethon? How about staffing a booth at a school carnival? Savvy business people see such volunteer activities as opportunities to connect with other business people, network and build relationships with potential clients.

Donating Merchandise

Many non profit groups hold live and silent auctions or need door prizes for their events. This is an opportunity for you to show potential clients your merchandise or sample your services. This strategy works well for many types of businesses, here's some examples:

A photographer donates a gift certificate AND loans the NPO a large scale portrait from their portfolio. Even if someone does not win the gift certificate, they may be impressed with your style of photography and call to set up an appointment anyway!

Restaurants have an easy way out on this one! Donate a gift certificate to the non profit organization. The receiver gets to sample your food, service and atmosphere. Who knows, you may have just gained a customer for life!

Financial Donations

Donating a financial gift to a charity of your choice may have advertising and tax benefits as discussed earlier.

Attending Non Profit Events

Charities host a variety of fun events such as arts festivals, dinners, galas, casino nights and auctions. Participating in a charity fundraiser or other event will give you an easy way to donate financially to the group. Events also provide time to build relationships with other business people and potential clients, in a fun relaxed environment.

Donating Facilities

Does your company have a gym, banquet facility or auditorium? By donating or offering a reduced rate to non profit organizations, you may receive great public relations and word of mouth advertising benefits in return.

Here's a great example: A bowling center in Florida offers their facility for students to hold a bowl-a-thon. Students get per pin pledges prior to the event. According to owner, Lisa Ciniello, "The Bowling Centers do not make a lot of money, but we encourage these events as it gives great exposure. In our locations we charge $5.00 to $8.00 per student and no charge for rental shoes."

Connecting With Your Community

One of the best ways to find opportunities to donate to non profits and network with other business leaders is to join a civic club or chamber of commerce. These organizations meet 1-4 times per month in your local city. They usually have a small list of favorite charities or support their own foundations.

The civic clubs that you may want to consider joining include Optimist International, Kiwanis International or Business & Professional Women.

Finally, partnering with non profit organizations gives your business a way to reach out to the local community. Your business can contribute to the greater good and help many people, just by joining forces with charitable organizations.

About the Author: Sandra Sims has been fundraising for various charities for over 10 years. She is the publisher of Step By Step Fundraising e-zine, which will help you get maximum results from your charity fundraising campaign. Get a free report The 5 Keys to Successful Fundraising

---

Do You Really Need PR?

The right kind of PR, that is, the kind that... Read More

The Art Of Persuasive Pitching

Media placement is an art. Practicing it often requires as... Read More

Publicity: Nailing a Media Interview, Part II (Crisis Management)

We'd all like reporters to ask us about our career... Read More

Media Releases - Helping Grow Your Business

Business people often spend time and money trying to find... Read More

What Some Pros Know About PR

They know they had better do something positive about those... Read More

Writing A Press Release

News releases (also called press releases) are an important part... Read More

Managers: Super-Charge Your PR

Ain't a gonna happen unless business, non-profit and association managers,... Read More

Pressure From the Top?

Yes, and that pressure often comes from a CEO who... Read More

How Managers Hit PR Paydirt

As a business, non-profit or association manager, you'll know it's... Read More

Make the Media Your Friend

The media (newspaper, radio, television) can be of enormous help... Read More

Publicity: A Financial Planners Best Marketing Friend

There's an old African proverb:"If you think you are too... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Make Your Web Site a Resource for the Media

Reporters, by nature, are curious people.If you can get them... Read More

Get PR Off the Bench

Something that results in your most important outside audiences doing... Read More

Levines Laws For Pitching With Panache

Excerpted from "Selling Goodness- The Guerrilla PR Guide To Promoting... Read More

Publicity: Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Never Say These Words to a Reporter

Everyone has something that drives them up a wall. You... Read More

Creating Event Magic through Planned Video Production

Once upon a time, there was a young, stressed out... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Its Not Who You Know But What You Know

Almost every day, I hear the same question, over and... Read More

Publicity: Five Tips for Calling a Reporter

Always ask, "Is now a good time?"Deadlines in journalism are... Read More

3 Reasons to Tap into the Power of Publicity

Publicity is obtaining editorial coverage or features for your business.... Read More

How to Get $1000 worth of Advertising for $60

©2004 Jeffrey DobkinSixty dollars doesn't go a long way in... Read More

Gaining Free Publicity Through Press Releases

One of the greatest ways to promote your product or... Read More

Public Relations Mixup?

When you pay good money for public relations services, you... Read More

Tough Times, Tough Tactics

When times are tough, it's no time to ignore those... Read More

Press Releases: Not Dead, Just Evolved

Mark Twain once said the rumors of his death had... Read More

What Is Best Practice Public Relations?

Why, public relations that stays true to its fundamental premise,... Read More

Writing a Press Release: Inverted Pyramid Style

A term you'll hear in newsrooms, in editing meetings, in... Read More

Publicity: Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Take a Reporter to Lunch

Sometimes a phone call isn't intimate or long enough to... Read More

Financial Planning Publicity: When Talking to the Media, Dont Fake What You Dont Know

Relationships are based on trust-not just romantic relationships, or doctor/patient... Read More

Publicity and Marketing Magic For Financial Planners: The Four Mores

Publicity will take your financial planning practice, your business, and... Read More

Etymology- How Words Change Over Time

Etymology is the study of the origins of words.As languages... Read More

Radio Interviews - How To Get Them!

Getting on the radio can be a great tactical move... Read More

Public Relations 8 Fix Factors

I say to business, non-profit and association managers, a key... Read More

Starting A Publicity Program

Successful buisnesses know that media attention reaches consumers better than... Read More