Doing Good by Talking to Each Other

By Helen Vollmer, President, Edelman Southwest

As winter winds blew into Austin in mid- December, the Edelman Southwest crew hosted an amazing holiday breakfast of corporate and non-profit leaders, led by its own Carol Cone, the acknowledged “mother of cause marketing.” Joining Carol in a conversation at the new W Austin hotel on how both businesses and 501c3 organizations can profit from citizenship initiatives were Nona Evans, global marketing for Whole Foods, Amanda Webster, community relations managers and employee communications manager of National Instruments and Emily Steinberg, associate director of College Forward.

Panelists and audience members agreed with Edelman’s 2010 goodpurpose ^TM study findings that deeper engagement in social issues is now expected on the part of brands and corporations. Consumers are demonstrating exceedingly high expectations of businesses and nonprofits to work together to find solutions to our biggest challenges. And consumer loyalties now lay with those entities that do so.

There were several “a-ha” moments, including a collective group nod that non-profits and their for-profit allies need to do a much better job of communicating what each party needs from the other to gain the most benefit. It was pointed out that non-profits should do their homework in advance to understand what causes corporations have aligned themselves with and they should vet what the company already may be doing in that arena.

Plus, flexibility is key in developing programs that work toward common good. It’s okay for businesses, according to our experts, to pilot a program and see if the relationship is mutually beneficial before determining if a long-term commitment is in everyone’s best interest. Finally, at all costs, both corporations and non-profits need to stay focused on what’s needed to accomplish their mission. It’s easy to get distracted by the sound of a good idea, but partnerships are only successful if they get you closer to your goal.

The takeaway? Starting conversations such as this one in Austin and keeping them going is a responsibility we all have. One of Edelman’s New Year’s resolutions in the Southwest is a commitment to making sure we are all engaged in such dialogues that lead us all to a better place with purpose.

From Online to Organized Groups: Making the most of 2011 as a non-profit

By Lindsay Stout, Account Executive, Dallas


As we wrap up the season of giving and move into 2011, non-profits and charity organizations are still feeling the pinch of the economic downturn from the past few years. With the New Year comes a fresh hope for increased economic recovery, as well as an opportunity to engage new audiences and turn them into volunteers, loyal fans and donors.

Whether you are a large, national-recognized organization or a smaller-scale local non-profit, here are a few tips for making the most of 2011.

Revamp Your Website / Look
A fresh look is a great way to catch the eye of potential supporters. If you have the resources to rebrand your logo or website, take the time to evaluate how this might benefit your organization. Many non-profits operate with an outdated look that no longer accurately represents their organizations.

Our client Camp For All , a Houston-area camp and retreat serving children and adults with challenging illnesses or special needs and their families, recently revamped its logo and website. Both designs better convey the mission and motto of the organization, and new functions of the website allow for more meaningful engagement for campers and their parents, Camp For All partners, media and supporters.

Create a Young Professionals (YP) Group
As a YP myself, I’m continually looking for new groups with which I can volunteer and network, and many people tend to become faithful fans of organizations they begin affiliating with at a young age. Now is the time to lock in the loyalty of YPs and create a group targeted toward their interests.

The Junior Friends of the Arboretum at the Dallas Arboretum is a great example of a new membership group designed for the under-40 demographic, including YPs and young parents and families. One of the many perks is that the group has access to special events and extra privileges such as complimentary concert tickets and workshop discounts.

Utilize Social Media
While social media can feel intimidating, it’s an incredible tool for reaching people in a fun, conversational manner in order to promote upcoming events, attract new supporters, grow your donor base, share entertaining videos and photos and drive more traffic to your website.

There are lots of trends you can easily utilize, such as using the #charitytuesday hashtag on Twitter to help promote great causes or creating your own Facebook contests, such as Texas Ballet Theater's Weekly Wednesday Win, which gives fans the opportunity to win tickets to performances and other prizes.

Be sure to tap into your board members, interns or members of your YP group to learn more about Facebook, Twitter, blogs and LinkedIn and to get help with engaging on these platforms. It can seem like a daunting step, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Encourage Volunteering
If your budget prohibits you from taking any of these bigger steps, don’t forget that soliciting help from board members and volunteers is always an option. These audiences are already raving fans of your organizations so let them help you take action! Both board members and volunteers are a great way to help relieve overworked staff, and those who donate their time often turn into those who donate their dollars.

Best wishes and here’s to a fabulous year!

Do The Right Thing

by Alyson Gomez

What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? It is a company’s commitment to being responsible citizens of the world. In other words, corporate do-gooders. This could mean anything from employee volunteer programs and charitable contributions to broader world-view issues such as helping the poor and offsetting carbon emissions, or even activities closer to home as simple as taking great care of employees.

Various studies and experts such as Michael Porter and Mark Kramer – authors of “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility” - have supported the idea of CSR as something that is no longer a choice, but a necessity. It’s not just about doing the right thing, it’s simply good business sense. And in these times of economic uncertainty, what better way to differentiate from competitors than through efforts to give back to the people and places that need help the most?

The problem is that many times, companies don’t know where to start. Their focus can be too scattered, leading to a cardinal sin in marketing – inconsistent messaging. So, as companies look to develop their CSR programs, it’s important to remember these essential rules of engagement:

• Simple – easy to execute and maintain
• Authentic – ties into corporate mission
• Relevant – customers and employees must care about it too
• Consistent – more than a one-time effort
• Transparent – clear and concise reporting

In addition to the rules of engagement outlined above, leaders and executives should look to examples of other companies leading the way in CSR. A few to consider – Starbucks, Target, and Travelocity.

Starbucks is one of the pioneers of the CSR movement. The company is so committed to minimizing its impact on the communities they serve, it’s actually one of the guiding principles in its mission statement. Talk about authentic!

Target has consistently donated five percent of its income to community programs and employees volunteer thousands of hours to not-for-profit programs each year. Because the program is widely accepted by employees and management across all regions, consistency is evident.

Travelocity (a VOLLMER client) looked to its employees to help develop its CSR program. The company started the Travel for Good program to help better the world through travel. Not only does it offer its customers the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions generated on their trip through a donation to a well-respected non-profit, the company also offsets travel for their North American employees as well. An additional piece of the program makes it easy for volunteers to find opportunities to help serve local communities while on vacation. These programs help to better the environment as a whole, while also preserving recreational destinations for travelers in the future. The company has remained relevant through active employee involvement and is still supporting its overall mission to provide amazing travel experiences to its customers.