Only a decade ago, companies were judged primarily on the quality of their products and services. Now, consumers are increasingly demanding that businesses also be good corporate citizens by participating in cause-related marketing. “There are more cause-related campaigns today than ever before, so much so that doing good has become an expected business development strategy,” concludes a new survey by Cone Incorporated, a U.S. leader in strategically linking companies to causes. “Cause is no longer a ‘nice to do,’ it is a ‘have to do.’” But as FuelNet has learned, there are numerous ways companies can meet consumers’ expectations for cause marketing without breaking the bank. Here are some:

1. Wise up to the Web. Leveraging new strategic communications tools like viral videos and instant messaging can not only drive awareness of a cause, but also reinforce a company’s commitment to the issue, especially among the 18–26 generation. “Microsoft this year set up the I’m Making a Difference program where every time someone starts an IM conversation with the word I’m, a donation is sent to their favorite charity,” explains Katrina McGhee, vice president of marketing for Dallas-based Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

2. Leverage all you know. One of the biggest mistakes direct mail marketers make is not using all the data they’ve been collecting on a potential customer, says Lois Willingham, vice president of sales and marketing at Huntington Beach, Calif.–based Think Ink Marketing. “You can include information such as recent transactions or amount of [charitable] donations or even the city and state where they live and what’s going on in their area.”

3. Challenge your customers. Linking your company’s participation to an educational message that encourages your customers to get involved and make a difference can drive home your commitment to an issue. “You have to do more than just dye a product pink for a certain period of time,” McGhee advises. “Let people know there’s something significant being communicated and that they’re part of a bigger idea.”

4. Match the cause to the company. Whether it’s Avon showing its commitment to causes important to women, such as breast cancer, or a real estate developer working on housing for the homeless, select causes that integrate well with both your business and the values of your customers. “Pick an issue you can own and then brand it,” says Carol Cone, founder and chairman of Cone Incorporated.

5. Keep the stars out. Although celebrities like Michael J. Fox can personalize a cause like Parkinson’s disease, the public, particularly the younger generation, has become increasingly cynical, warns Richard Earle, author of The Art of Cause Marketing and senior associate with the Regis Group Inc. in Leesburg, Va. “They think that if you pay them enough, a celebrity spokesperson will say anything,” he notes. “So there has to be an appropriate connection between the celebrity and a cause, or my advice would be to stay away from them.”

6. Get local. “The best cause marketing is either large and national or very localized,” says David Hessekiel, president of the Rye, N.Y.–based Cause Marketing Forum. “There are tremendous opportunities for businesses that have roots in a community. A company raising money for a local school, for example, can really capture the attention and appreciation of people in that area.”

7. Put the customer in charge. “The customer-centric mind-set that’s permeating marketing in general should play a large role in your cause marketing,” McGhee says. Providing multiple ways for people to get involved or several causes from which to choose can empower your customer to focus on what they’re really passionate about, he adds.

8. Stay positive. One of the challenges of getting involved in cause marketing is that some topics can be grim. “There is such a thing as compassion fatigue,” Earle explains. “But a good marriage between a company and a cause can do an awful lot of good, so stay focused on the positive progress that is being made.”

9. Leverage your full integrated marketing communications arsenal. A single advertising campaign or limited PR outreach will never drive enough awareness of your company’s effort on behalf of a cause. “You need online, advertising, word of mouth, special events, employee newsletters, posters at retail, even messages on the outside of envelopes,” Cone says. “You need totally integrated marketing to break through.”

10. Be sincere. You and your company have to truly believe in the cause, or any cause marketing will come across as just a ploy. “People can spot insincerity,” Earle says.

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