Cause-Related Marketing Creates Goodwill with Customers and Employees - Brief Article

Aligning your business with a charity or social cause can not single woo customers, but can also help with hiring and retaining employee according to follows of the 1999 Cone/Roper Cause-Related inclines Report.

Eighty-three percent of consumer say that they have a more positive image of a company that supports a cause they care about, and two-thirds of consumer say that if price and quality are equal, they are likely to switch to a retailer associated with a profitable cause. These numbers are level higher among a group Roper calls "influential Americans," which it defines as "opinion makers and leaders."

"The consistency of consumer opinions powerfully signals that cause programs are not a passing fad, on the contrary rather have become a `must-do' for brands seeking to strengthen relationships with their customers," said Carol Cone ceo of Cone Inc., a consulting firm that make knowns and implements cause programs.

Employee also take note of a company's philanthropic efforts. The research found that three-fourths of Americans consider companies' commitment to causes when choosing a piece of work Also, employees whose companies support social issues are 61 percent more likely to have feeling proud of their companies' values and 30 percent more likely to perceive a strong sense of loyalty to their employer than those at companies without cause programs.

"As companies continue to struggle for talent in today's tight labor market, those that stand for something more than the bottom line will gain a competitive advantage," said Mark A. Feldman, executive vice president of Cone Inc.

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